Holden Clough

 Iris ’Holden Clough’, is truly one of the gems of our gardens. It easily took ten years to acquire. Over those years I attempted to obtain a specimen from all local nurseries and when that didn’t work I contacted British nurseries to no avail. Then a few years ago Marjie and I were buying peonies at a nursery in Canby and as we were leaving with a car load of peonies Marjie suddenly shouted “stop, Holden Clough”!! I slammed on the brakes but when I looked at what she was pointing at I saw a large clump of blackberries. We got out of the car and walked down to the blackberry patch and sure enough stood Holden Clough. I immediately walked back to the farm house and asked them if they would sell me a specimen of their Holden Clough iris. The farmer looked at me as though I was speaking a foreign language, he attempted to repeat the name and shrugged his shoulders saying that they only raise peonies. I told him he had a clump growing by the roadside and I was willing to pay him for a specimen. He quickly dug out a small clump of the prized iris that contained more blackberry root then iris. Marjie needless to say was absolutely thrilled that she was successful in bringing Holden Clough to Menagerie Manor. So my love your beautiful little iris is having it’s best year