2019 Payne Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Payne Medals 2019

'Cascade Rain'

'Indigo Angel'

The 2019 Payne Medal is a tie:

'Cascade Rain'--image by Chad Harris

'Cascade Rain' (Chad Harris, R. 2007) Sdlg. 02JH1. JI (3 F.), 40" (102 cm), Midseason late bloom. Standards white sharply edged purple (RHS 86A), lightly stippled same; style arms white edged light blue-violet (93D), large upright crest washed same blue-violet; Falls white ground heavily stippled blue violet (89B), blue violet wash covering ¾ of petal intensifying to sharp ¼? blue violet edge, yellow green (2A) signal. 'Hekiun' X 'Peacock Strut'. Aitken, Mt. Pleasant 2008. Award of Merit 2015

'Indigo Angel'--image by Ensata Gardens

'Indigo Angel' (Bob Bauer and John Coble, R. 2011) Sdlg. J02H-1. JI (6 F.), 36 (91 cm), Midseason bloom. Style arms dark purple, slight light rim on crests, upright form; Falls white ground sanded with blue-violet halo and veins, veins turning red-violet at ends fading into red-violet edges, white wire rim. 'Night Angel X 'Sapphire Crown'. Ensata 2011. Honorable Mention 2014, Award of Merit 2017

This medal is restricted to Japanese irises (JI). It is named in honor of W. Arlie Payne (1881-1971). W. Arlie Payne was at first interested in peonies, but in the late 1920's, he "discovered" Japanese irises. He started hybridizing Japanese in irises in 1932. Over the next three and a half decades, he raised many thousands of seedlings. One of the most exceptional aspects of his breeding program was that it was developed in the early years using only six cultivars of the Edo type. Payne took line breeding to a new level of intensity. The American Iris Society awarded Arlie Payne its coveted Hybridizers Medal in 1964. When he died at the age of 90, in 1971, he was universally revered as the world's premier breeder of Japanese irises.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 The Eric Nies Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Eric Nies Medal 2019

‘Red War Clouds’

'Red War Clouds'--image by Andi Rivarola

'Red War Clouds' ( Lee Walker, R. 2009). Seedling #97-60-1. SPU, 40" (102 cm). Midseason bloom. Standards and falls dark red-maroon; style arms red grey, red tip; signal medium yellow; slight fragrance. 'Zulu Chief' X seedling #93-16-2: ( 'Countess Zeppelin' x 'Pink Candles'). Wildwood 2010. Honorable Mention 2013, Award of Merit 2017.

This medal is restricted to spuria irises. It is named in honor of Eric Nies (1884-1952). Eric Nies was born in Saugatuck, Michigan, but soon after Nies moved to California, he became interested in irises of all types. He obtained his first spuria irises from Jennett Dean, who operated one of the first iris specialist nurseries in the U.S. Spurias were his special interest. His first cross was with I. orientalis with 'Monspur’ He interbred seedlings from this cross, and in the second generation there was a virtual explosion of color: blue, lavender, brown, bronze and cream. During his lifetime, Nies was recognized as the foremost breeder of spuria irises in the world. Marion Walker took over his seedlings and breeding lines after he died in 1952.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Morgan-Wood Medal

Morgan-Wood Medal 2019

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Morgan-Wood Medal 2019

'Paprikash'

This medal is restricted to Siberian irises. It is named in honor of F. Cleveland Morgan (1882-1962) and Ira E. Wood (1903-1977). F. Cleveland Morgan was a pioneer Canadian breeder of Siberian irises and a founding member of AIS. Some of his magnificent cultivars still enhance gardens around the globe. Three of his best known irises are 'Caezar,' 'Caezar's Brother' and ‘Tropic Night’. Ira E. Wood, hybridized Siberian irises, but he introduced only one cultivar 'Ong's Hat.' He also served as a director of AIS and as its second vice president.

'Paprikash'--image by Bryce Williamson

'Paprikash' ( Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks, R. 2012) Seedling S06-91-10A. SIB, 20" (51 cm). Midseason bloom. Standards pale ground with red-violet veins and dappling, yellow at hafts; style arms light apricot, bright red-violet heart; Falls apricot ground, heavily speckled red all over, bright yellow signal with self speckles and veins; slight sweet fragrance. S03-56A-10: ( 'Humors Of Whiskey' x 'Cream Of Tomato' pollen parent) X 'Miss Apple'. Joe Pye Weed 2012. Honorable Mention 2015. Award of Merit 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The Mary Swords DeBaillon Medal 2019

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Mary Swords DeBaillon Medal 2019

'DARK DUDE' (Ron Betzer)

'LEMON ZEST' (Kevin Vaughn)

' MICHIGAN BELLE' (Jill Copeland)'

For the first time, three irises tied for the medal:

'Lemon Zest'--image by Louisiana Iris Farm

'Lemon Zest' ( Kevin Vaughn, R. 1998). Seedling F-32-1. LA, 24-28" (61-71 cm), Very early to early midseason bloom. Standards bright lemon yellow aging to creamy lemon with lemon green veins; style arms electric green; Falls bright lemon yellow, intense electric green signal area; heavily ruffled, lightly serrate. 'Heavenly Glow' X 'Vermilion Queen'. Louisiana Iris Farms 2009. Award of Merit 2015.

'Dark Dude'--imagbe by Ron Betzer

'Dark Dude' (Ron Betzer, R. 2010). Seedling 95-28-1. LA, 34" (86 cm), Midseason late bloom. Standards and style arms near black from the red side. Falls the same overlaid velvety black. Gold dagger signal. Lightly ruffled. ''Bout Midnight' x 'Margaret Lee'. Plantation Point 2010. Award of Merit 2015.

'Michigan Belle'--image by Ensata Gardens

'Michigan Belle' ( Jill Copeland, R. 2007). Seedling 5-K. LA, 30" (76 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards rosy violet (RHS 70B); style arms red violet (184B); Falls rosy purple (70A) to rosy violet (78A), back yellow (8A), 1/2" rosy red violet (184B) edge, signal bright yellow (9A) spray pattern. 'Jack Attack' X 'Plantation Belle'. Ensata 2007. Honorable Mention 2012. Award of Merit 2015.

This medal is restricted to Louisiana (LA) irises. It is named in honor of Mary Swords DeBaillon (1888-1940). When Mary DeBaillon realized how varied Louisiana irises were and what lovely garden plants they were, she amassed the largest collection of Louisiana irises in the world. She was tireless in promoting these irises as good garden plants and in encouraging any who would listen to grow them. She gained considerable fame as a naturalist and native plant collector.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Sydney B. Mitchell Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Sydney B. Mitchell Medal 2019

‘Da Vinci Code’

'Da Vinci Code'--image by Leonine Iris

'Da Vinci Code' (Joseph Ghio, R. 2010) Seedling #IP-159E3. CA, 12" (30 cm). Late midseason bloom. Standards white veined blue on inside; falls white, blue across haft, dark blue veining to solid blue edge, blue signal. 'Like Clockwork' X seedling #FP-265U, 'Foggy Days' sibling. Bay View 2010.

This medal is restricted to Pacific Coast Native (PCN) irises. It is named in honor of Sydney B. Mitchell (1878-1951). Prof. Sydney Mitchell was an educator. He became Acting Librarian at the University of California during WW I, and later founded and became first director of the Graduate School of Librarianship at that university. He was also one of the organizers of the American Iris Society. Tom Craig wrote this of him: "Sydney looked upon plant breeding as a long term international effort in which individuals from all over the world should co-operate and add generation after generation to a real human achievement. He made me feel a real part of this and more particularly a part of a special work started by William Mohr and carried on by himself. Sydney generously gave flowers and plants of seedling for further encouragement with this work."

Mitchell was also interested in the native irises of the West Coast, and promoted them at every opportunity. He took great pride in the plantings of PCNs in his own garden. He had a large collection of various forms of I. innominata and I. douglasiana.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Randolph-Perry Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Randolph-Perry Medal 2018

‘China In Springtime’

 'China In Springtime'--image by Breezeway Iris Garden

'China In Springtime' (O. David Niswonger, R. 2007). Sdlg. Sib. 3-06. SPEC-X, 42" (107 cm). Early bloom. Standards light blue; style arms blue; Falls darker blue; blue bitone. Sib. 6-99: ('Out in Missourri' x I. typhifolia) X unknown. Cape Iris 2008. Award of Merit 2015.

This medal is restricted to interspecies irises (SPEC-X). It is named in honor of Dr. L. F. Randolph (1894-1980) and Amos Perry (1871-1953).

Dr. L. F. Randolph, or "Fitz" as he was affectionately called by his many friends and associates, Dr. Randolph was chairman of the AIS Scientific Committee from 1945 to 1956. The work he and his students Jyotirmay Mitra and Katherine Heinig did on iris chromosomes produced many published monographs and provide the basis of our scientific understanding of the genus. He conducted a number of extensive iris species collection expeditions and brought back new species and many new forms of other iris species, especially of I pumila.

Amos Perry was born into a family of English nurserymen. Perry was one of the first hybridizers to use the tetraploid irises 'Amas,' I trojana, I. mesopotamica and I cypriana. He introduced scores of new bearded cultivars, but he was more interested in Siberian irises and iris species. He probably created more new hybrid interspecies irises than any other iris breeder. His new hybrid irises often had names that indicated their species parentage, such as 'Chrysogana' (I. chrysographes x I. bulleyana); 'Tebract' (I tenax x I. bracteata); 'Longsib' (I. longipetala x I. siberica); and 'Chrysowigi' (I. chrysographes x I hartwegi.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Founders of SIGNA Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Founders of SIGNA Medal

'Lakeside Ghost'

This medal is restricted to species irises (SPEC) and is named to honor the founding members of the Species Iris Group of North American (SIGNA).

'Lakeside Ghost'--image by Chad Harris

'Lakeside Ghost' ( Chad Harris, R. 2011) Seedling #07LAK3. SPEC (I. laevigata), 37 (94 cm). Midseason bloom. Style arms smoky red-violet (RHS 83C), crests pale blue-violet (92C); falls (6) pale blue-violet randomly speckled dark blue-violet (93B) giving smoky blue-violet effect. Parentage unknown, seed from SIGNA 04 Shimizu. Aitken's Salmon Creek 2012. Honorable Mention 2015, Award of Merit 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Mohr Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The 2019 William A. Mohr Medal

‘Desert Snow’

'Desert Snow'--image by Paul Black

'Desert Snow' ( Paul Black, R. 2013) AB, OGB-. Seedling R159B. AB (OGB-), 25" (64 cm), Midseason to late bloom. Standards and style arms ice-white; Falls same, 1" blue-black aril signal; beard hairs based white, tips light yellow. 'Lancer' X 'Open Your Eyes'. Mid-America 2013. Honorable Mention 2015. Walther Cup 2015, Award of Merit 2017.

This medal is restricted to irises of one-quarter or more aril content that do not meet the more restrictive requirements of the Clarence G. White Medal.

It is named in honor of William A. Mohr (1871-1923). About ten years before his death, Mohr began working with irises. He obtained the tetraploid Asiatic species, as well as regelia and oncocyclus irises, and communicated with other iris hybridizers such as Ellen Sturtevant and Samuel Stillman Berry. The two greatest achievements of William Mohr's hybridizing programs are probably his plicatas and his innovative and beautiful arilbreds. His great plicatas are `Los Angeles' and the iris that won the first American Dykes Medal, `San Francisco.' Mohr's most important arilbred iris is the magnificent `William Mohr.'

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 CG White Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

THE CLARENCE G. WHITE MEDAL

'Dubai'

'Dubai'--image by Paul Black

'Dubai' ( Thomas Johnson, R. 2013) AB, OGB. Seedling TC229A. AB (OGB+), 33 (84 cm), Early to midseason bloom. Standards and style arms light lilac-purple; Falls light strawberry-rose, large red-black signal; beards yellow-orange; slight fragrance. 'Lancer' x 'Energizer'. Mid-America 2013. Honorable Mention 2015. Award of Merit 2017.

Since 1993, the Clarence G. White memorial medal has been awarded to the best arilbred iris with 1/2 or more aril ancestry. When Clarence G. White began his work with aril irises, little was known about the complexity of iris genetics. White assembled the largest collection of aril irises in the world, and conducted thousands of breeding experiments to obtain viable, fertile seedlings. One of his goals was to develop strong, pure Oncocylus hybrids.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

Ron Mullin

By Phil Williams

I had planned a 3 day visit last month to visit my alert iris friend of 50 years Ron Mullin, former president of The American Iris Society.  The only flight out was canceled just as I was leaving for the airport. This week my journey back to Pawnee, Oklahoma is for his memorial service.  It will be my fourth and perhaps last visit to his adopted hometown.

Image from AIS archives

He was a kind and gentle man.  A man who visited and cared for his mother for her entire lifetime, traveling west to Marlow continuously.  Ron was a giver – to his family and every iris grower who crossed his path.

An amateur hybridizer, he won the Wister Medal with the beautiful pastel plicata 'Rhonda Fleming'.  Rhonda (the famous singer and actress who thrilled my parents when dating) is still very much alive and will be so saddened to learn of his passing.  After entering the nursing home, we would try to visit on the phone frequently until he could no longer keep the handset to his ear.

Without her knowledge, Rhonda herself will be a part of the funeral service.  Her beautiful voice could give life to a sacred hymn as well as the likes of George and Ira Gershwin. She and Ron visited by phone and writing letters frequently.

Ron always enjoyed sitting around the piano making requests and was more than surprised that I knew most of those ancient pop tunes.  He always said he wished we lived closer so that I could play at his funeral!

We are only 700 miles apart … and I will honor his wish, Lord willing! There will be hymns … and a bit of Gershwin .... many of the tunes recorded by Rhonda decades ago.

'Rhonda Fleming'--image by Evgeny Nazarov

Perhaps Ron is now in the midst of Mary Dunn, Kay Nelson, Melba Hamblen, Bob Schreiner, and a giant gathering of deceased iris friends that brought him such joy! On the other side might a simple wish for a garden filled with iris suddenly materialize?

Ron suffered many long years in a lovely, clean, and modern care facility in Pawnee staffed by many of his former high school students.  His former school superintendent and wife (Ned and Carolyn Williams) have cared for him all these years simply because they knew the importance of putting their love in action.  They are his living, breathing, mortal angels. What endless misery would have been his without these amazing two mortals!

The memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 am, Saturday, August  24 at Poteete Funeral Home, 600 Illinois Street, Pawnee, Oklahoma.

If you need further details, you may call the funeral home @ 918-762-2557.

Perhaps I will get to see some of you there. Ron was buried in Marlow, Oklahoma beside his Mother and Dad.

2019 Caparne-Welch Medal

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Caparne-Welch Medal 2019

‘Beetlejuice’

'Beetlejuice'--image by Paul Black

'Beetlejuice' (Paul Black, R. 2013) Seedling #Q80F. MDB, 7.5 (19 cm). Early to midseason bloom and rebloom. Standards pale buff-pink, mid red-violet plicata stitched edge, random dotting over center, dark purple-black midrib; style arms red-grape crest and midrib, light rose edge; falls buff-cream, widely spaced purple-black eye lash lines along beards extending 3/4 way down falls, grape sanding on outer edge of haft; beards red-orange in throat, mid-orange in middle, white ends, hairs based white; slight sweet fragrance. 'Chart' X 'Kaching'. Mid-America 2013. Honorable Mention 2015, Award Of Merit 2017.

This medal is restricted to miniature dwarf bearded (MDB) irises. It is named in honor of William John Caparne (1855-1940) and Walter Welch (1887-1980). Caparne worked extensively breeding various dwarf iris species and was the first iris hybridizer to concentrate on smaller irises. Most of the dwarf iris cultivars grown in gardens in the first quarter of the 20th century were products of Caparne's hybridizing efforts. Walter Welch was the founder of the Dwarf Iris Society. After moving to Middlebury, Indiana, he met Paul Cook and began hybridizing irises. He shared Cook's enthusiasm for dwarf irises, and set out to develop new forms for the garden.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES

2019 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

 The American Iris Society

Announces the

2019 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

‘Raspberry Ice’

'Raspberry Ice' (Keith Keppel, R. 2011) Seedling# 05-20F. SDB, 15" (38 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards buff rose (M&P 3-CD-8) shading to orchid (43-FG-7) toward base; style arms buff rose; falls apricot cream (9-B-4) ground, 3/8" blended buff rose and orchid band, shoulders peppered and veined darker greyed orchid (45-I-3); beards candy pink (2-H-10) and pale orchid (42-G-2) giving rusty coral effect. Seedling# 01-18C: (seedling# 99-24A, 'Arvo' sibling x seedling# 99-24H) X seedling #98-25N: ('Music' x 'Stormy Circle'). Keppel, 2012. HM 2014, AM 2016.

This medal is restricted to standard dwarf bearded (SDB) irises. It is named in honor of Paul Cook (1891-1963) and Geddes Douglas (1902-1993). Paul Cook's work with dwarf irises was truly pioneering. His early breeding of dwarf irises led to a series of I. arenaria hybrids. He was the first to use the true I. pumila in his breeding programs, and this resulted in the introduction of the first of the great stud irises in the standard dwarf class. Geddes Douglas was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1902. Douglas's historically most important hybridizing achievements were with dwarf irises. Working with stock from Paul Cook, Douglas's crosses of I pumila with tall bearded irises created the race of irises that came to be known as 'lilliputs.'

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Williamson-White Medal Winner

The American Iris Society

Announces

The 2019 Williamson-White Medal

'Gesundheit'

'Gesundheit'--image by Terry Aitken

'Gesundheit' (Charles Bunnell, R. 2011) Seedling #Q110-1. MTB, 20-22 (5136 cm), Early midseason bloom. Standards and style arms bright yellow, irregular purple specks; falls slightly lighter yellow, random small purple streaks; beards bright yellow. Seedling #H25-1: (seedling #D45-1: ('Lucky Mistake' x 'Zebra') x seedling #C39-12: ('Welch's Reward' x unknown)) X 'Opal Imp'. Aitken's Salmon Creek 2012. Honorable Mention 2014, Award of Merit 2017.

This medal is restricted to miniature tall bearded (MTB) irises. It is named in honor of E. B. Williamson (1877-1933), his daughter Mary Williamson (1909-1987) and Alice White (1886-1969). Although others had introduced irises that fit into the miniature tall bearded iris class before Williamson, he and his daughter were the first to breed them as cultivars in a distinctive class of irises. They were apparently byproducts of breeding for tall bearded irises. In the early 1950's, Alice White of Hemet, California began a crusade to gain recognition of the assets of these wonderful smaller irises. She organized table iris robins and wrote many articles for the AIS Bulletin and gardening magazines promoting their virtues.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Sass Medal Winner

 The American Iris Society

Announces the

2018 Hans and Jacob Sass Medal Winner

'Leave the Light On'

Riley Probst

This medal is restricted to intermediate bearded (IB) irises. It is named in honor of Hans Sass (1868-1949) and Jacob Sass (1872-1945). Both of the Sass brothers bred all types of irises that would grow in Nebraska, but their early fame as hybridizers came for their work producing intermediate bearded irises. Crossing dwarf irises with tall bearded irises, they were the first American breeders to develop many new colors and forms in the intermediate class. They saw the great advantage of intermediate bearded irises on the windy prairie, and the value of a type of iris that filled out the bloom season between the early dwarf irises and the later tall bearded irises.

Image by Hugh Stout

Seedling #U4WHXHM. IB, 22 (56 cm), Early, midseason and late bloom. Standards blue-purple with 1/16th gold edge; style arms bright yellow, vertical purple veining on style crests; falls blue-purple luminata pattern, bright yellow area with 1/4" white spear extending downward from beard; beards orange; pronounced sweet fragrance. 'Wild Hair' X 'High Master'. Fleur de Lis Garden 2013. Honorable Mention 2015. Award Of Merit 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

2019 Knowlton Medal

The American Iris Society Announces

The 2019 Knowlton Medal Winner

'My Cher of Happiness'

This medal is restricted to border bearded (BB) irises. It is named in honor of Harold W. Knowlton (1888-1968) of Auburndale, Massachusetts, a tireless promoter of the border bearded class of irises. 

Image by Paul Black

'My Cher Of Happiness' (Paul Black, R. 2013). Seedling #R189A. BB, 27" (69 cm). Late midseason bloom. Standards mid-pink, pale crystalline light ecru rim; style arms mid peach-pink; Falls ivory, blended 3/4" pale butter-yellow band, light mauve veins over haft, green textured veins; beard hairs based white, tips tangerine; slight sweet fragrance; heavily ruffled and laced. Seedling #!P85B: ('Lipstick Kiss' x seedling #L47A: ('Queen Anne's Lace' x 'LaRue Boswell')) X 'Always Lovely'. Mid-America 2013. Honorable Mention 2015. Award of Merit 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The 2019 Wister Medal Winners

The American Iris Society Announces
The 2019 Wister Medal Winners

'Autumn Explosion'

'Daring Deception'

'Insaniac' 

This medal is restricted to tall bearded (TB) irises. It is named in honor of John C. Wister. Three medals are awarded each year.

John C. Wister led the organizing meeting that created the American Iris Society and became its first president, a position he held for fourteen years. He guided the society through its formative years.

This year's three Wister Medals are:

'Autumn Explosion' by Rick Tasco:

Image by K. Brewitt

Early midseason bloom and rebloom. Standards warm white ground covered with red pansy-purple (RHS 83A) dots becoming almost solid towards the edges; style arms pansy-purple ridges, light lavender-white middle, lime-yellow edge, fringed pansy-purple crests; Falls cold-white ground covered with darker red pansy-purple dots becoming darker towards the edges, speckling intensity can vary from flower to flower; beard hairs based white, tips golden-yellow in middle and throat, purple-white at end; sweet fragrance; lightly ruffled. 'Mariposa Autumn' X 'Celestial Explosion'. Superstition 2013. Honorable Mention 2015. Award of Merit 2017.

'Daring Deception' by Thomas Johnson:

Image by Paul Black

Midseason bloom. Standards white, light violet wash up midrib; style arms white; falls plush violet, wide white band, white spray on either side of beard; beards tangerine; slight fragrance. 'By Jeeves' X Blyth seedling# O77-A: ('Hold My Hand' x 'Brave Face'). Mid-America 2012. Honorable Mention 2014. Award of Merit 2016.

'Insaniac' by Thomas Johnson:

Image by Paul Black

Midseason bloom. Standards white, pencil thin gold halo; style arms white, yellow edged crests; falls white overlaid with red violet lines radiating out to wide rimmed yellow-white edge; beards tangerine; slight fragrance. 'Bright Sunshiny Day' sibling X ' Painter's Touch'. Mid-America 2012. Honorable Mention 2014, Award of Merit 2016.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

Dykes Medal 2019

 The American Iris Society

Announces the

2019 Dykes Medal Winner

‘Bottle Rocket’

Mike Sutton 2009

First awarded in 1927, the Dykes Medal is the highest award of the AIS, awarded to no more than one iris per year. Irises are eligible as a Dykes Medal candidate for three years following the winning of a classification medal. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

'Bottle Rocket' -- image by Colleen Modra

The American Iris Society is pleased to announce the 2019 winner is Mike Sutton’s ‘Bottle Rocket'. While the iris was created in California, under the AIS rules this will become the first Dykes Medal winner for Idaho.

The Dykes Medal is named for William Rickatson Dykes, an English botanist, horticulturist, schoolmaster, plant breeder, author, and the foremost authority on irises at the turn of the Twenty Century. He became the world's leading authority on iris. His insatiable curiosity led him to obtain a wide knowledge of many other plants, but his chief interest was in the lily, iris, and amaryllis natural orders. He also did much work with tulips, and his knowledge of them was comparable to his knowledge of iris. W.R. Dykes was also a prolific author. In 1909 he began to plan and work on his monograph, The Genus Iris. He worked on this project for 5 years.

On December 1, 1925, W.R. Dykes died as a result of a motor accident. His work had only begun, for he was on the threshold of greater achievements as demonstrated by his glorious yellow seedling which was named for him. His death was a shock and a Ioss to the entire world of gardeners. At a meeting of the British Iris Society held on June 16, 1926 it was resolved to award a medal to the hybridizer of the outstanding iris variety of each year in memory of Mr. Dykes and thus the Dykes Medal was created. It has become the most highly coveted, highly prized iris award dreamed of by all iris hybridizers. This is the highest iris award available and its name, the Dykes Medal, keeps his name alive and warm in all our hearts.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

STARTING OVER

by Dawn Mumford

Part of the Mumford Iris Patch

I wrote a blog for this AIS blogspot September 26th, 2016 by using my right index finger on my Kindle Fire tablet. I used only one finger because both my arms were broken and I had a sling on each arm. I sat at the table and braced my right arm on the table and did the hunt and peck method because my right index finger was the only one strong enough to push on the keys.  This is the link if you want to read it.  A New Perspective.  A few blogs later I wrote my last blog until today.  It was written July 3rd, 2017.  Please read that if you want the whole story.  Here is the link, A Fond Farewell to Tall Bearded Irises.

I feel the need to update you on the things that happened after that last blog.  Our property and home that my husband and I built were put on the real estate market.  They sold in 2017.  With both my arms broken I needed to go somewhere to heal .  We stayed three weeks at one sons house with his family.  Neal and I then moved to a Senior Living cottage.  The kitchen staff brought three meals a day to our apartment.  That was necessary because of the arm slings and Neal's Alzheimer's disease.  Three months later we moved to another city where another son had purchased a home but wasn't going to move into it for another six months.  Then on his arrival we went back to the Senior Living Cottage.

It was now near Christmas time in 2017.  We celebrated as a family knowing that this would be Neal's last Christmas with us.  On Christmas Eve we celebrated the birth and life of Christ.  We took family pictures, had a wonderful dinner, and reenacted the nativity with the grandchildren acting out the parts of shepherds, angels, wise men, Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus played by the youngest great grand baby. Neal's eyes reflected that fact that he was fully conscious for the first time in months.  He felt the love of his children, grandchildren, and one great grandchild surrounding him.  It was on Christmas Eve 4 hours after the family picture was taken that Neal passed away.  It actually was a peaceful season for that to happen. It was bitter sweet.  I had been his caregiver for seven years and he and I were both tired.

Wise men, baby Jesus, and shepherd boy

Now I was a widow after having been married for 49 years.  My dream home and property had been sold.  My irises were no more.  The hardest part of the irises is that the couple that bought our property didn't tell me until too late that their plans were to disc under all the irises.  (I can hear the collective groan as you are reading this)  It was, by then, too late in the year to move them.  We were expecting a hard frost any day.

This was the home and property that I had to sell. 

Willard Bay is the body of water to the west.  It was in northern Utah.  The boundaries of the 5.5 acres are in red and the dormant iris patch is in green.

I am still living in the senior living cottage while my son and I remodel a home next door to his home.  It has room for just a super small number of iris when I am ready to start over.  I plan on moving there some time in the next 6 months.  

That is the update and now it is time to discuss irises.  I plan on talking about my favorite yellow irises.  Yellow in the garden is beautiful.  Your eye is drawn to the yellows.  It is a happy , sunny color.   

It is easy to track the yellows with your eyes in your garden.

Creamy soft yellows can be calming.  Some yellows can overpower like an old iris I had that was called Dazzling Gold.

'Dazzling Gold' D. C. Anderson, 1977, Historic, may be obsolete 

This irises' color is so intense that it can effectively block other blooms from being seen.  It can be used in small quantities and perhaps used in a small somewhat shady area or perhaps subdued by other bold plants around it.  It is beautiful however.

'Gold  Trimmings' Schreiner's, 1973, Historic

This one is very old but I find it warm and calming.  It has a large, graceful bloom.  

'Salzburg Echo' Schreiner's, 2009, heavy substance

This is probably my favorite yellow and I got it by mistake.  I had ordered a group of Dykes Medal winners and got this instead of 'Splashacata'.  The well known vendor I got it from corrected their mistake and said I could keep this one.  I love the heavy substance, which means the petals of the standards and falls are thick.  It is believed that the heavier substance allows the bloom to last longer.  It withstands the wind and rain better.  The form is lovely.  

'Expose' Joseph Ghio, 2003, Honorable Mention 2006, Award of Merit 2008

This iris is unique.  We had over 600 different irises but while walking in the iris patch I never had to look at a list or map or marker to identify this iris.  This iris is interesting and fun in the garden.

'Golden Panther' Richard Tasco,  2000,  Honorable Mention 2002, Award of Merit 
2004, Presidents Cup at 2004 AIS convention,  Wister Cup in 2006, Dykes Medal in 2009

Beautiful in every way.  This iris looks different in different lights.  Highly recommended by me.  

'That's All Folks' William Maryott, Joseph Ghio, 2004, Honorable Mention 2007, Award of Merit 2009, Wister Medal 2011, American Dykes Medal 2013

Just perfect!  Whenever an iris wins the Dykes Medal you know it is a good one.  It is healthy, strong, disease resistant, able to grow in multiple climates around the country and many other criteria.  Only one iris per year wins the Dykes Medal and it is the top award of the American Iris Society.  Irises are eligible as a Dykes Medal candidate for three years following winning a classification medal.  Only AIS accredited judges may vote for the award. 

'Tiger Honey' Brad Kasperek, 1993, broken color 

This is still one of my favorite broken color irises.  This iris has nice form and colors.

Notice all yellow's catch your eye in the photograph above.  

'Golden Legacy' Gerald Richardson,  2013

This iris is one that I only had for a couple years before I moved.  It spaced itself nicely on the stem.  It is a little more muted in color than I usually go for.  Nice form.

'Sky Hooks' M. Osborne, 1979, Historic, Space Ager because it has horns on the end of the beard

This was one of the first irises I bought back in the 1980's.  I liked the hooks on the end of the beard.  Again a nice form too.  

When I first decided to write on yellow irises, I thought I didn't have very many.  I had 16 other yellow iris with nice pictures that I could have added.  I mostly looked in the photographs taken in the last few years.  It has been a pleasure to think and write about irises again.  I hope in the future to write about my favorite oranges and reds.  What are your favorite yellows?

Collage created for this blog as an extra