Northeast Gardening: Whats New March 2012, 1 by bbrookrd

bbrookrd wrote:
It was my first and still my favorite. Who couldn't love this strange colored gal.

More from my article

Quoting:The color choices are numerous for the reticulated Iris. One special Iris histrioides is 'Katherine Hodgkin'. This was my eureka bulb, as it was the first reticulated Iris that I ever planted, and it first bloomed in our garden on March 21. 2006, though we had watched it days before as it poked up before nary a crocus had appeared. She is an ethereal gem that blooms a very pale creamy azure blue to a grey, yes, grey color and, it is randomly dotted with pale yellow and streaky blue veins that give it a camouflage pattern. The color is rather strange to absorb, perhaps more of what Herpetologists would adore, but I find it irresistible, and I don't adore snakes.

Here is one from a big clump of them out this week. Or I think it is I.histrioides.Katherine Hodgkin and not I histrioides Frank Elder which blooms a tad later and is a bit bluer,or so they say, but they look the same to me. Patti