Plant of the Day
Saturday 26 June 2021
All the Benton irises were bred by the artist Sir Cedric Morris who ran the East Anglian Art School at Benton End, Hadleigh, Suffolk from 1940. Sarah Cook, a former head gardener at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent has spent over 10 years researching and rediscovering the Cedric irises. Cedric Morris was a friend and mentor to the plantswomen and author Beth Chatto.
Iris 'Benton Menace' (bearded iris) has large rich red-violet flowers with a golden beard and was named after one of Cedric Morris’ cats.
Iris 'Benton Susan' (bearded iris) has standards that are a deep buff yellow with white falls, margined yellow with golden veining and an orange beard.
Iris 'Benton Caramel' (bearded iris) has rose red standards and falls which are burgundy.
Jill Raggett
