Our rigid standards

Although perfectly wonderful in their own right, the iris world doesn’t really need yet another Dusky Challenger, Beverly Sills, or Skating Party look-alike. It’s my strong personal conviction that what we really need are very high-quality irises that go well beyond the boundaries of today’s introductions. In other words, … Iris From the Future.

This is a free country and I would encourage each and every hybridizer to pursue their own, individual goals and dreams. But for myself, I’ve drawn a pronounced line in the sand as to what I will and will not introduce. I’ve solidified my stance with these 3 key tests.

1. My introductions must be either 20% better or 20% different than what is currently on the market. Raising the bar to 20% is a very tough requirement. This step automatically eliminates a large number of “good” but not “great” seedlings.
2. The iris must be a good grower. Instead of bringing problems, it should be bring you pleasure. At a minimum, it must perform and in a wide range of climates, develop sufficient increase and be relatively disease resistant.
3. It must have strong curb appeal. It’s quite possible to get a seedling that is 20% different, be a good grower and yet, be butt ugly! We can’t have that! So my introductions also need to have strong curb appeal or otherwise be attractive to a substantial majority of people that see them.

Granted, I can never be 100% sure that a given iris has perfectly passed all or our tests. There are just too many new cultivars, too many hybridizers and too many geographic locations to evaluate. But, during all of my annual iris adventures, whether I’m putting my foot in a commercial garden or my nose in a catalog, I never stop trying to disqualify a promising seedling. In other words, “What NOT to introduce?” So, be assured, Mariposa Iris will not introduce a flower unless we are reasonably sure that it meets all of our high standards.