April 20th, 2005
Iris ‘Mystic’s Muse’

photo: Mystics Muse
2005-04-20. Bearded iris ‘Mystic’s Muse’ with ‘Cloud Ballet’ in the background. The Coolpix 4300 captures the shade of orange better than the Canon videocam did back in 2002.

Dateline: 2005
I received ‘Mystic’s Muse’ as a bonus iris with my Schreiner’s order in 2000. It produced one perfect scape of flowers in 2001, was set upon by spring cankerworms in 2002, then fell victim to rot. I transplanted 1 small rhizome, which tried hard to flower on multiple scapes in 2003. No bloom from the offsets in 2004. And this year, one rhizome sent up two short (20″ and 11″) stalks which produced four smaller (4″) than average flowers which I cut and brought inside right after taking this photo.

Now there are three rhizomes left that might produce flowers next year. Or rot. I just can’t predict what will happen with irises in my shady, humid garden. They are irresistibly beautiful and so fleeting. That’s why I love them, I suppose.

Dateline: 2003
Tied with ‘Night Game’ as the first named iris to bloom this year. However, the rhizomes rotted last fall and I had to replant them. As a result, what was left was very small. However, ‘Mystic’s Muse’ is still trying to send multiple scapes up per rhizome, each with a number of flowers.

Dateline: 2002
photo: Mystics Muse

Last year, Mystic’s Muse won “Best Pink” in the iris show. This year it opened a day late. At any rate, it would have been “a dollar short” as an entry this year. The little green caterpillars had found it tasty.

It looks more pink in these photos than in my garden. I think the color is more like pale, frosty, orange sherbert. I’m not a big fan of it. The color doesn’t really go with anything else in my garden. But it is Alex’s favorite. Besides, it is my only “prize-winning” iris.

photo: Mystics Muse

Description
Type: Tall Bearded
Color: Pink
Style: Self
Originator: Schreiner
Year: 1993
Height: 36″
Bloom Season: Mid to Late Season
Rebloom: No
Awards: HM ’97

Catalog blurb: “Exquisite ruffling adds captivating charm to these seashell pink sirens. Bright tangerine beards enliven the petals’ bright pink shading.”

by M Sinclair Stevens

One Response to post “Iris ‘Mystic’s Muse’”

  1. From Annie in Austin:

    I had given up on those beautiful hybrid iris for awhile, but your photos are so wonderful that they may start sneaking back in.

    Gorgeous, gorgeous iris.