Blooms on Bastia | A Gallery from Saturday Morning | RNZ National

The race is on to save a largely unknown Whanganui garden with a rich history. The property on Bastia Hill was home to world-renowned iris breeder Jean Stevens and her husband Wally. Jean cultivated an incredible number of iris varieties and among her treasured accolades was the American Iris Society’s hybridisers’ medal for 1955.

Jean, Wally and Jocelyn Stevens, Mt View Property, Late 1950s. (PHOTO: Supplied)

The Stevens Bros garden, taken circa 1950. (PHOTO: Supplied)

Tall Bearded 'Magnolia' Iris by Jean Stevens (PHOTO: Karen Wrigglesworth)

Tall Bearded heirloom Iris 'Sunset Snows' by Jean Stevens (PHOTO: Karen Wrigglesworth)

Jocelyn Bell in Australia, circa 2010. (PHOTO: Supplied)

Persimmons at the garden (PHOTO: Karen Wrigglesworth)

The Stevens-Bell homestead on Bastia Hill (PHOTO: Supplied)

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.