NB: A note for WordPress Reader users – you need to click on the title of the post again to come out of the reader and go to the post itself. This allows you to see the whole of the top photograph. (Otherwise you may see just a tiny section!)
Purple flowers always get my attention. They may be dark and dramatic, like the irises above, or as delicate and pretty as the iris below. I saw (and admired) these on recent garden visits…and, of course, I wondered if there was any chance of finding space for them in my own garden.
I believe the bearded iris in the top photo may be ‘Superstition’. (An internet image search gives a variety of colourings for that cultivar, but most resemble this plant closely.) The darkest of flowers are borne on stems around 3ft high, making a great contrast with pale-coloured flowers. For even more contrast, neighbouring planting could be something light and delicate, with a haze of small flowers to counteract the visual weight of the larger iris flowers.
The second iris is the one I’d most like to grow here. Veining on flower petals is something I love to photograph and this is a beautiful example. The dark – almost black – purple against the white makes me think of ink on paper and the effect of the lines feels almost calligraphic. Such elegance! I like the way the veining is much softer on the standards, with just the palest lilac-purple tracery on the white ruffles. This plant appears to be Iris variegata var. reginae (AKA Iris germanica ‘Variegata Reginae’). I’ve never seen this iris before, so I haven’t seen it for sale around here, but if I do, I’ll be very tempted. (Or I could just buy it online…)
The petals of Iris variegata var. reginae have dark, calligraphic lines of inky purple on a white base.
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
As you noted, the veining on the petals in the second iris is quite attractive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The veining appealed to me instantly and of course I had to photograph it. 🙂
LikeLike
I love sumptuous inky purples too. But the second one is new to me and I shall be looking out for it too. It is really striking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This one is at Fullers Mill, which has become my favourite garden. It’s smaller than the other iris – more the size of a Siberian iris and a bit less than 2ft tall. It’s at the top of my ‘wanted’ list!
LikeLike
Trust Bernard to have it, he always had an eye for a good plant. Years ago I used to go on nursery visits with him and he had spotted the most interesting plants before anyone else had had a proper look. And of course he brought wonderful plants back from his travels abroad. You can’t do that nowadays.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wandering around his garden is exciting because you never know what you’ll discover. There’s always something I’ve never seen before. (I became a ‘friend’ of the garden/Perennial, so that I can visit as often as I like, so I suspect that my list of plants I’d love to have may get rather long!)
LikeLike
I particularly like this I.varigata with lines…calligraphic indeed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s most unusual, Indira, and really caught my eye. The lines of the veins looked very ‘inky’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not so taken with the solid purple bloom, but the one with the veining is splendid. I’ve never seen an iris like that; no wonder you’d like to have it in your garden!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I much prefer the veined iris too. I have seen hardy geraniums with prominent veining, rather like this has, and they were also very attractive. I reckon there could be some flowers with this sort of veining here in the future, especially when they’re so good to photograph!
LikeLike
I like them both, the “dark and dramatic” iris up top (though Superstition is not a very nice name for it), as well as the variegated veined version below. I hope you can find the plant, and find space for it in your garden!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Plant naming can be a strange thing! I have seen the veined plant for sale online, so it is available, but I’d prefer to buy locally if I can.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The variegata is very handsome, and so unusual.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’ve seen pronounced veining on other plants, but not to this extent, nor with such good contrast. One to look out for!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Both are beautiful – it would be interesting to see them grown next to each other. “calligraphic lines of inky purple” is the perfect description of the second one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would be very interesting to see them together (although they were in different gardens), and there would be a contrast of size too, because the dark irises were quite a bit bigger. I see some lovely plants when I’m garden-visiting! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person