Why Attend an Iris Convention?

by Heather Grace and Alleah Barnes Haley

Last week our family joined 260+ attendees for the 2022 American Iris Society (AIS) National Convention in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This was the first national held since restrictions forced groups to cancel or postpone iris events during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Wilson’s “Iris Inspire Us” garden hosted attendees for two convention lunches and featured wonderful raised beds with aril and arilbred irises.

Three bus loads of convention attendees rush down a path through a pecan orchard to see guest irises at their first tour stop. After many years of preparation, this invasion of iris enthusiasts was a welcome and wonderful sight to behold.

Attendees were unable to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of AIS in 2020 in the same room where the organization started at the New York Botanical Garden; but we got to celebrate with our 2022 convention hosts, the Mesilla Valley Iris Society. In a wonderful twist, our first national convention in New Mexico coincided with the 50th anniversary of our affiliate host.

Welcome banquet celebrating 100 years of AIS and 50 years of the Mesilla Valley Iris Society. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz. 

Alleah, Heather and family thought about why we like attending conventions like this, and came up with the following:

Make new iris friends from other states or, in fact, all over the world.

Liz Schmidt of the Schreiner family (right) happily introduced Heather (center) to her longtime friend Judy Nunn of the Cooley family (left). Liz and Judy share a special connection as children of renowned iris growers in Oregon. Photo courtesy of Keren Olson.

Longtime friends Neil Houghton (left), Paul Black (center) and Eric Tankesley-Clarke (right) pause to capture their reunion and a memory on the opposite side of a camera lens. 

See the latest iris varieties from both noted and beginning iris hybridizers.

World of Irises blog editing duo Heather (left) and Alleah Haley (right) shared merits of their favorite convention irises. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz. 

Participate in discussions and hear experts on various types of irises and “hot topics."

Participants enjoyed listening to Jim Hedgecock, Tom Waters, Mike Sutton (at podium), Tom Johnson, and David, Ava and Evelyn Toth as they shared news from their gardens and hybridizing programs. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz. 

Bonnie Nichols shared iris pictures and informative commentary during the Novelty Iris Society rhizome auction. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz. 

Informative programs about special topics by Dave Ferguson (pictured), Gary White, Mike Reed, Neil Houghton, Jody Nolan, and Dawn Boyer helped attendees understand and enjoy all that the world of irises has to offer. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz. 

Take judges training from experts.

Dell Perry shares wisdom about aril and arilbred irises, including why it’s important to distinguish between these types when you are growing or exhibiting them in a iris show.

High Stout conducting in-garden judges training and leading participants on a thorough evaluation of intermediate bearded iris ‘Toffee.’

Eat regional cuisine you may not have had before.

Alleah’s friend and AIS Director Jean Richter couldn’t make the convention, but insisted that we enjoy popular quick bread sopapillas while in New Mexico. They are deep fried, puffy, and DELICIOUS with honey.

Visit outstanding public and private gardens featuring irises.

Attendees saw over 600 convention irises at Blue J Iris, home of the largest iris nursery in New Mexico. 

Convention co-chair Scarlett Ayres hosted attendees for a tour of hundreds of irises at her garden. Scarlett's garden art added whimsy and delight.

The garden at the Calhoun Flower Farm is dedicated to the memory of well-known local irisarian NaDeanne Calhoun. Owners Tiana and Lily and their mother Diane started the family-owned flower farm to provide locally-sourced cut flowers. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz.

Go to areas you have never visited.

An optional tour to White Sands Missile Range included a group photo op at Launch Complex 33. Photo courtesy of Howie Dash. 

Learn about new technologies.

Neil Houghton used this equipment to record interviews with noted irisarians throughout the convention. His efforts help preserve iris history for generations to come. 

Convention co-chair Howie Dash (left) with hybridizer Rick Tasco (right) examine irises together. We learned why Rick tells irises to “smile” for photographs: his cell phone camera responds to voice commands. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz. 

Learn more about how to grow your favorite or a new type of iris.

George Hildebrandt shared how he successfully creates desert-like conditions in Pennsylvania using raised beds with a removable plastic cover. 

Photograph many irises quickly and with ease.

Attendees enjoyed a variety of irises in bloom at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces. Photo courtesy Doug Chyz.

Die hard photographers and evaluators spent lots of time with irises at the Fabian Garcia Science Center. As at most conventions, there was also a large contingent enjoying the view with cookies and conversation in the shade. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz.

Admire fantastic iris ephemera, clothing, and accessories.

The convention silent auction and boutique offered an opportunity to purchase iris goodies we can’t find anywhere else. Need more space? No problem. Donate your extra iris collectibles to your next regional or a national convention. Photo courtesy of Doug Chyz.

Our bus-mate and new iris friend Judson Pitts sports a stylish iris tie at the awards banquet. 

This hand-painted iris blazer was given to Heather by Facebook Iris Lover Susan Warren Chadwell. Susan’s friend Sheri painted the flowers on it in 1998, and they are still delighting iris enthusiasts 24 years later. Photo courtesy of Keren Olson.

We had great fun with our extended “iris family” in New Mexico and are looking forward to the 2023 AIS National Convention in Dallas, Texas. Heather’s husband Chris Broberg has a budding interest in hybridizing and is planning to join us for his first national convention. If you come too, you can meet the newest AIS member in our family and share in our excitement about all things iris.

AIS president Andi Rivarola (front) greets first time convention attendees. Photo courtesy Doug Chyz.

Past AIS president Jim Morris compiled photographs and historical information for 100 Years Bold!, a new book available through the AIS Storefront. He signed copies during the convention and recommends taking many pictures and identifying everyone you can. This photo, and others not specified are courtesy of Heather Haley.

You can see or share more convention memories using the hashtag #aisconvention2022 on Facebook or Instagram.

Growing Irises Out East: When It’s Time To Dig In

by Heather Haley and Alleah Haley

Heather’s first iris dig as a homeowner. 

If you grow irises long enough, they will need some care and attention. Many resources suggest digging and dividing irises, but few thoroughly describe doing either. Heather frequently sees questions about this on the Iris Lovers Facebook group. Since our family has been digging and dividing recently, it seems like a worthy topic to write about. 

Why do we dig and divide irises?

Irises reproduce asexually by forming new baby plants (called increases) on the sides of an older rhizome. Informally, we refer to the older rhizome as the “mother” and the smaller offspring as “daughters.” The mother plant provides a food source for daughters while they remain attached to her. 

Left alone, irises will form “clumps,” and their exponential growth habit produces crowded conditions after several generations. A favorite example is ‘Peggy Sue’: a lovely reblooming iris that produces two healthy increases each year like clockwork. After one year, she had two daughter rhizomes. After two years, 4 granddaughter rhizomes appeared. After three years, there were 8 great-granddaughters. After four years, 16 great- great granddaughters formed a complete circle around their ancestors. It was impressively dense and nearly a foot and a half in diameter.

Can you spot the original mother rhizome?

If irises grow undisturbed for a long time, rhizomes begin to grow on top of one another. If clumps are REALLY crowded, you might even see a daughter forming ON THE TOP of its mother. 

A new rhizome forming on top of a clump.

Genetics and growing conditions determine how many healthy increases a mother rhizome will make, and how many of her daughters survive. For this reason, it’s hard to say exactly how often your irises need to be dug and divided. For the popular tall-bearded type, the recommendation is every three or four years. 

When do you we dig and divide irises?

At Heather’s farm in Ramseur, North Carolina we try to dig, divide, and replant irises from mid-June to mid-September. In the heat of the summer, most irises go through a window of dormancy. During this time, irises can be removed from soil without disturbing processes vital to their growth and reproduction. We time digging to occur at least six weeks after bloom because irises use that time to set structures needed to bloom in the future. We try to finish replanting at least six weeks before first frost because irises need to grow new roots before temperatures get too cold. 

However, North Carolina can be extremely hot and humid in the summertime. Several years back, Heather got heat rash (also known as prickly heat) during July when trying to get a new iris bed established and planted in full sun. She couldn’t garden for several weeks after that and swore never to do it again—no matter how crispy and dry her iris rhizomes look. 

Now older (and wiser?), Heather avoids working in iris beds when conditions are too hot and humid for sweat to evaporate. We tend to dig iris clumps in the morning, quickly toss then into containers, and put containers of irises in the shade to divide, trim, and label. Shade is provided by a pop-up tent, carport, covered porch …the last being a joy of growing irises "Out East." Ensure access to cold beverages and a nice breeze—supplied by a construction-type battery-operated fan if Mother Nature doesn’t supply it.

What could be better than leisurely processing irises the way past generations would shell peas?

How do you dig irises?
Digging and dividing irises is a lot like riding a bike. With enough practice, your body will intuitively know what to do. However, if you have never seen it done it can be quite confusing. 

Our friend Bonita Masteller digging a clump for our local iris club sale.

First we look close to the clump, and take a good look at it while trying to imagine where the roots are underground and how daughters are attached to their mothers. If irises were planted too close together, it can be hard to discern where one clump ends and another one begins. Using your fingers to pull soil away from the clump can help you see and feel connected rhizomes and plan accordingly. 

In California, Alleah preferred to use an ergonomic digging fork in her sandy soil and raised beds. Heather likes digging with the fork, but also uses a sharp rounded shovel to dig irises in her clay soil. The irises don’t seem to mind either one, so feel free to use whatever medium-to-long handled digging tool is in reach. 

Favorite tools for digging irises

Place the tool about 6 inches away from the clump and press it deep into the ground. Next, push the handle down firmly to lift the clump of irises up. Don’t worry if this separates mother and daughter rhizomes; it was probably going to happen anyway. Place the tool in a new location and repeat until rhizomes can be picked up easily. Pulling on rhizomes can damage their leaves or roots so we avoid using too much force. 

If plants and soil seem stuck together, dropping or throwing a clump root-side down onto the ground from waist-height is quite satisfying and effective. We dig one variety at a time and place its permanent tag upside down in a large plastic pot or similar container. Irises of that variety are placed in the pot, and gently stacked for further processing.

Avoid stabbing irises with your tools, stepping on them, or throwing soil where it doesn’t belong. Don’t ask how this happens… digging can be really tiring. If at all possible, train a young person to help you dig. They might get really excited about plants which can withstand being torn apart and thrown on the ground and want to grow their own. Both Alleah and Heather got interested in irises by helping to dig them. It works! You very well could inspire a youth to become a member of the American Iris Society. 

How do you divide irises?

This is Heather’s favorite part. Mother and daughter rhizomes look like ginger root and can be snapped apart in a similar fashion. Some people cut rhizomes apart, but we avoid this because a knife should be cleaned between cuts. If a rhizome is soft or really long, we may cut it with pruning shears or on a cutting board with a kitchen knife which is designated for permanent garden use.  

How do you replant irises?

Stay tuned for our next blog post… Growing Irises Out East: It’s Planting Time!

Getting irises ready for planting at Heather's farm

For comments: 

How do you dig your irises?

Growing Irises Out East: Meeting Up in Raleigh

 by Heather Grace and Alleah Barnes Haley

Alleah Haley and daughter Heather discussing irises at the 2021 Region 4 Spring Meeting.
Bee Happy Farm, Creedmoor, North Carolina

Last month Alleah, daughter Heather, and son-in-law Chris met up with about 40 other members of the American Iris Society (AIS) in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2020 our local iris club, the Eastern North Carolina Iris Society, postponed hosting the AIS Region 4 Spring Meeting due to COVID, so we were eager to make it happen in 2021… if this could be done safely. Orchestrating this regional meeting required a BIG tour bus filled at half capacity for garden tours, BIG meeting rooms for social distancing, and collectively BIG hopes that our iris friends could and would attend.

Enjoying irises together AND apart
(foreground left to right) Bob Pries, garden co-owner Dean Richards, immediate past RVP Doug Chyz, and Anita Moran

When the time came, our hearts filled with joy. We met new members who joined AIS during the pandemic when we were unable to meet in person. Familiar faces appeared from our nearest North Carolina neighbor club, the Charlotte Iris Society. From Virginia we were joined by members from the Fredericksburg Area Iris Society, the Shenandoah and Potomac Iris Society, and the Central Virginia Iris Society. Coming from Maryland were members of the Francis Scott Key Iris Society. We even attracted out-of-region celebrities: Doug Chyz of South Carolina and AIS President Jody Nolan and her husband of Ohio.

Attending a regional meeting is always a delightful experience. In addition to connecting with other iris aficionados, the scenery is a feast for the eyes. On Thursday evening the talented Anita Moran presented a program on “How to Photograph Irises.” It was fairly technical and included advice on how to properly focus the camera on iris and avoid extraneous objects while photographing.  Alleah is now inspired to take a follow-up at the community college when in-person classes resume. She believes some skills are best learned in the classroom.

Anita Moran photographing irises

This meeting did not disappoint where learning was concerned. New member Matt Liner brought his first entries ever for an iris show, which joined those delicately transported from distant gardens. The over-100-specimen turnout was impressive considering that most entries were grown in other states. ENCIS members with gardens on tour kept their blooms at home for everyone to enjoy. Apprentice Judge Ingrid Bray received show bench judges’ training under accredited judges Anita Moran, Jody Nolan, and Sue Shackelford. Heather enjoyed punching entry tags to record judges’ awards and place ribbons as a clerk for the iris show. Clerking is a great opportunity to learn more about irises, and she got to spend quality time with expert facilitator Lois Rose who served as Show Chairman. 

Entering an iris show is a fun way to share blooms from your garden and learn other varieties you might like to grow.

In a banquet room nearby, Alleah moderated a panel discussion of AIS Region 4 judges Ray Jones, Ginny Spoon, and Carol Warner on ethics of judging irises. This topic is one Alleah is passionate about. She has always been particular about following guidelines and doing things right---this applies equally to all aspects of her life. A key message was that judges are the backbone of AIS because they personify its mission and goals. The panel discussion concluded with a 15-question test. No worries. It was “open-book, open notes” which relieved the audience’s anxiety. 

After lunch, it was time for more learning! Carol Warner gave training on AIS Awards and Honors. This topic is a requirement for Apprentice Judges to be eligible for accreditation, and many were pleased to add it to their lists of completed training. When the two-hour session concluded, Heather decided it was time for a nap. Alleah and Chris stayed strong and attended the regional plant auction. They bid on many wonderful irises, herbs, shrubs, and succulents donated by members of the region. Chris got outbid by Jody Nolan on a beautiful historic Iris japonica 'Aphrodite’ with variegated foliage. Jody gave a piece of her new specimen to Chris, and it will be a plant with a story our family will treasure for many years to come. Iris friends are really the best type of friends a gardener could ask for. They instinctively share GREAT PLANTS!

 

Chris’ rhizome of Iris japonica ‘Aphrodite’ will spend a few years increasing in a pot so he can keep an eye on it.

Saturday brought more opportunities to learn, albeit away from classroom walls. At the first host garden, participants had their pick of four in-garden judges’ training sessions; and the trio of attendees from our family - Alleah, Heather, and Chris - trotted like ducklings behind instructor Anita Moran to a distant bed of medians (small types of irises). This was Chris’ first regional and first opportunity to experience in-garden training. After clear, concise, expert instruction from Anita, Chris set about evaluating an iris. He seemed to enjoy the exercise, and it was fun to hear another family member critique and praise iris features.

Reblooming iris ‘Peggy Sue’ (Lauer 2006) does well in our gardens, and formed impressive clumps for Diana Dudley and Dean Richards. 

It is important to see an iris growing and to know what attributes make irises a prized garden perennial. To the novice, all irises are equally worthy candidates for the home garden. However, for the trained eye, critical merits and faults can be discerned. Some lack pleasing proportions, whereas others have flowers and leaves that match their height. Colors catch the eye from a distance and beards contribute pizzazz. The petals can be pinched (a fault) or have forms that twist (ditto). In the garden, it becomes obvious which irises have good substance and are able to withstand adverse weather conditions without losing their stuff.

Intermediate Bearded iris ‘Concertina’ (G. Sutton 2000) bloomed wonderfully for our family this year, and was doing the same for Mary and Don Myers. 

Clues about floriferousness are present from "bud count" (the number of spent blooms, open blooms, and buds that have not opened yet). Comparing foliage and plants can reveal which cultivars have a good green color, are disease resistant, and will avoid bloom out. It is impossible to gauge these attributes from a photograph. They must be evaluated in a garden, and it helps to understand what you are looking at.

Susan Miller invited attendees to offer suggestions that could help her identify a historic iris she received from her grandfather.  

When an iris does well in multiple gardens, it stands out in your memory.  Each visit is like seeing an old friend you have dearly missed. It was a joy to tour gardens of ENCIS members Diana Dudley and Dean Richards, Mary and Don Myers, Susan and Glenn Grigg, and Susan and Pete Miller. Each host welcomed the bus with enthusiasm, and shared quirks that make their gardens unique. Visitors took careful notes, and gardens will be described fully in a future issue of our regional newsletter, The Newscast.  

Host gardens identified irises introduced by a Region 4 hybridizer with white flags. ‘Cobra’s Eye’ (D. Spoon 2000) received the most votes on attendee ballots and received the regional D. C. Nearpass Award.

Bus captains Heather and Chris encouraged attendees to designate their favorite blooms on ballots, and regional award winners were announced during a banquet later in the evening. Guest speaker Jody Nolan shared short programs “Why You Should Grow Species Iris” and “How AIS Works.”  A key takeaway was that our directors wear many hats, and volunteers can apply their interests and skills to benefit everyone. This rallying cry inspired the technologically-inclined Heather to join AIS Social Media team. She wants to share the love of irises with gardeners who aren’t familiar with AIS yet, but might want to join and learn more.

Irises introduced by hybridizers outside Region 4 were also eligible for awards. ‘Wishful Thinking’ (Keppel 1996) received the most votes and won the regional B. Y. Morrison Award.

Alleah is already making plans to gather her descendants at the next national convention. Perhaps we should invite the iris-loving cousins too. We loved getting out of the house for a meetup in Raleigh, and can’t wait for the next opportunity to spend time with our iris family, new members, and old friends. 

Photo Credits:

Chris Broberg: Alleah Haley and Heather, Enjoying Irises, Anita Moran; 

Nadya Pysmenna: Entering an iris show

Heather Haley: ‘Aphrodite’, ‘Peggy Sue’, ‘Concertina’, Susan Miller historic, ‘Cobra’s Eye’, ‘Wishful Thinking’

For comments:

What do you enjoy doing with members of your region and local iris club? 

Growing Irises Out East: Labeling Our Treasured Things

By Heather Grace and Alleah Barnes Haley

Labeling Potted Irises in 2019

For members of our family, irises aren’t just plants. Irises are treasures intertwined in our family traditions, celebrations, and memories. Every time we see an iris, we are reminded of the people we dearly love and our hearts fill with joy. We honor the work that brought plants to our gardens by choosing proper and durable labels during cultivation and division.

Alleah and her daughters Heather, Susan, and Keren enjoying production fields at Schreiner's Iris Gardens in Salem, Oregon.

Alleah’s experience with irises has a parallel with her youngest daughter Heather’s experience with historic family photos. When Heather received a trunk filled with mementos from her paternal and maternal ancestors, she found the photographs both wonderful and problematic. Without informative and durable labels, our family photographs became mysterious treasures that were difficult to identify once passed along. With over 80,000 registered varieties and counting, the same can be said for irises.  Without informative and durable labels, irises become mysterious treasures that are difficult to identify once passed along. We share a powerful lesson inspired by our numerous and now unidentifiable family photographs: Labels help future generations understand and appreciate a treasure we pass along.

Although Alleah quickly recognized her mother, she could not identify the man on the left or the woman in the center. They could be iris society members or friends from service organizations in New Mexico.

Our trunk contained mementos of a mysterious irisarian Heather had heard about her entire life but never got to meet. Alleah was highly familiar with this person and dutifully started labeling photos from memory for Heather. For at least an hour Alleah told wonderful stories about the first bona fide iris lover in our family, Heather’s maternal grandmother Gertie May Barnes. Gertie’s passion for this particular plant is the reason her descendants instinctively “ooh and ah” and discuss them as if they were close relatives. Irises have been part of our lives for as long as we can remember.

Around 1944, Gertie and her husband Bernard Otto Barnes moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gertie sought out a hardy perennial that could withstand growing in that climate. What Gertie found was an extraordinary “garden diva” that inspired her membership in the American Iris Society (AIS), training to become an accredited AIS judge, and service as Regional Vice President for AIS Region 23 (New Mexico).

Gertie and the Barnes family's 1952 Packard

By the 1960s, Gertie had used almost two-acres surrounding the Barnes home to establish Willow Garden Nursery where she maintained a large collection of irises and sold perennials by word-of-mouth. Gertie used profits from her nursery to purchase new irises and attend annual National Iris conventions and those of another service organization. Aril and arilbred irises grow very well in New Mexico and were Gertie’s favorites. She became fast friends with aril fancier and hybridizer Howard Shockey and his wife Irene. Gertie also collected each American Dykes Medal winner and the yearly top 100 honorees of the AIS popularity poll (the “100 Favorites”). 

Gertie also enjoyed fishing, and she passed unexpectedly while doing this on Williams Creek Lake near Pagosa Springs, Colorado in late 1967. The boat she was fishing in with Bernard overturned and she was unable to swim. Bernard nearly lost his own life trying to save hers. Although we know the late Mrs. Bernard Barnes successfully hybridized irises and exhibited seedlings, we don’t believe any were formally registered with AIS nor introduced into commerce. Family oral history is that she didn’t feel her own hybrids were worthy of registration or introduction. 

The trunk Heather received contained nine iris show certificates awarded to her grandmother Mrs. Bernard Otto Barnes. It appears that Gertie exhibited iris seedlings starting in 1963 until her passing in 1967. 

We keep Gertie’s memory alive by growing irises like she did. Irises in our collection were purchased and/or received from members of an informal and extended “iris family.” We feel kinship to anyone growing labeled irises. Their combined effort makes it possible for us to enjoy and collect the irises we know Gertie had. Especially close to our hearts are owners of a garden toured during the 2019 AIS National Convention: Rudy Ciuca and Joe Lawrence of the C&L Vineyard Garden in Sonoma, California. Rudy and Joe are close friends of Alleah’s and have always been quick to aid efforts to keep her collection of American Dykes Medal winners complete and up to date. Most recently, they started helping Heather collect recipients of other AIS awards and notable cultivars her heart desires. At least 20 boxes of irises from various members of our “iris family” arrived at Heather’s farm during 2020, plus boxes of iris labels inherited as Alleah was downsizing. Perhaps only an iris lover would get as excited as Heather did about this inheritance! Each year, creating labels for irises we receive is our way of honoring our extended “iris family” and the traditions, celebrations, and days we spent together “oohing and ahhing’’ over our treasured plants. The names and dates appearing on iris labels prompt discussion and storytelling much like family photos do. Remember, labels help future generations understand and appreciate a treasure we pass along. 

As Heather was growing up, iris labels cemented her understanding of irises as a family  treasure. Her mother Alleah spent many hours commuting to work and supporting the activities her three children participated in. Alleah had little time to spare, and it often focused on caring for the 16 labeled irises in her garden. From her earliest age, Heather knew what irises were and of her mother’s and grandmother's love for them. The simple fact they were labeled sparked Heather’s curiosity. She wondered, why on Earth would anyone bother making little metal tombstones for their irises? None of the neighbors’ plants had these. Sometimes botanical gardens did, but those labels had strange sounding Latin names on them. Now, nearly thirty years later, Heather understands why Alleah was labeling her irises. It’s because Gertie did, and our extended iris family does. It becomes possible to share information widely, replace a plant you loved, and organize contests when many iris lovers know the identities of each “diva” blooming in their garden.

AIS Bronze Medal Certificates 

Grandmother Gertie May Barnes 1966

Granddaughter Heather Grace Haley 2019

Our family practices a labeling tradition started by Gertie May: using galvanized metal plant tags from See-Fine Flower Marker Company. The Idaho company was established in 1953 and its high-quality product accommodates engraved or printed labels. The name plate measures 1 ¾” x 3 ⅜” with rounded corners, held at a 45 degree angle atop a single sturdy galvanized wire. A similar stainless steel product with two upright wires is sold by Kincaid Plant Markers of Missouri, but our family has always used  See-Fine Markers. They don't twist when pushed into the ground and we get nostalgic about the botanical garden type markers Gertie liked. We also know See-Fine markers will survive battles against riding lawn mowers while maintaining readability and perhaps structural integrity. Alleah prefers the 20-inch size for median irises and submits orders through the U. S. Postal Service. Heather prefers the 26-inch size and submits orders by e-mail. Owners and pricing have changed at See-Fine over the years, but we are delighted the company is still in business.

See-Fine Flower Markers

Thad Brinkley

1314 Alder Avenue

Lewiston, ID 83501

(208) 413-6238

Seefineflowermarker.com

Heather’s husband Chris originally didn’t understand her desire to label irises. He also wondered, why on Earth would anyone bother making little metal tombstones for their irises? Heather and Chris tried compromising on short plastic labels that were less visually obtrusive. Unfortunately, heavy rainfall in North Carolina saturates the clay soil and washes lightweight plastic labels out of the ground. This defeats the purpose of labels. Alleah quickly responded to Heather’s request for her first See-Fine plant markers as a birthday present and her husband couldn’t refuse the gift. Today Heather and Chris sink metal markers deep into the soil to preserve both iris identity and marital bliss. 

Heather’s inheritance: Metal plant markers from Alleah’s garden

While discussing labeling methods with members of our local AIS affiliate, the Eastern North Carolina Iris Society (ENCIS), members Diana Dudley and her husband Dean Richards suggested burying plastic backup markers. A young visitor to their Bee Happy Farm once collected up a whole handful of metal iris markers and presented them to Diana as a bouquet! Alleah and many others have shared similar stories. Heather now buries a plastic backup label with every iris in her garden and checks them against the metal tag when it’s time to dig and divide irises. She also uses her plastic labels to tag irises for resale. The pot provides good drainage and if a label floats up it doesn’t leave the pot.

ENCIS members Susan and Glenn Grigg also suggested that drawing a planting map can help keep irises labeled. Alleah made lists and planting maps of irises in her garden for many years. They were rough pencil sketches of each iris bed with names of each iris in its approximate location. During Heather’s early days planting irises in her own yard, she accidentally created planting maps by printing out pictures from the Iris Encyclopedia and taping them to paper as she planned iris beds. Heather has far too many irises to do this now, but it was fun when her collection was small.

We must not fail to mention Markers and Labels, a comprehensive review of plant markers and labels researched and edited primarily by Historic Iris Preservation Society (HIPS) member Charlie Carver. This wonderful article appeared in the HIPS publication ROOTS Volume 31, Issue 1 (Spring 2018). A six-page treatment that includes many photos of labels from 15 U.S. companies including See-Fine, Kincaid, and Paw Paw Everlast. The latter was mentioned by ROOTS editor Nancy McDonald, who lives in far northern Michigan where nature provides 200-300” of snow each winter. This kind of weight bends the zinc Paw Paw Everlast markers, so she now uses Kincaid.

The Markers and Labels article also describes many plastic markers. Alleahs’s iris hybridizer friends Ross and Barbara BeVier, formerly of My Wild Iris Rows nursery, recommend products from Macore Corporation in Oregon. The BeViers used 1.25” wide x 12” long heavy duty white plastic markers in their iris fields. Heather uses the smaller 1” x 6” version for her plastic backup markers.

Macore 

PO Box 338

Lafayette, OR 97127

800-331-9555

Macore.com

Family members differ slightly in how they create identification labels to adhere on plant markers, and methods reflect our needs and goals. If we need to quickly make a few labels, we all own Brother P-Touch label makers loaded with ½ in. wide TZ-231 laminated white tape with black lettering. Using laminated tape is important because labels need to be reasonably waterproof. If many labels are desired, we start typing away on a computer and find the nearest laser printer. Avery 5520 Weatherproof Address Labels are available from office supply stores and have thirty 1” x 2 5/8” adhesive labels per sheet. Ink-jet printing won’t stand up in outdoor conditions, and regular paper labels just aren’t durable enough. Some office supply stores sell their own brand of weatherproof labels, but in our experience Avery brand is best. Such labels have been known to last at least ten years!

Labeling supplies

Most of the irises we grow and treasure were created through hybridization.  At minimum, their plant labels include the registered name, hybridizer, and year of introduction. It is important to understand that the year an iris is introduced into commerce may be later than the year the name was registered with AIS. In the Iris Encyclopedia entries, the year of introduction appears next to a business name at or near the end of the description. The year of registration often appears with a capital R and is listed near the beginning of the description. AIS e-members can quickly access a database of iris introductions and registrations without pictures. This database is useful if you are trying to make labels in a hurry, or want to determine if an iris name is available. 

Sometimes our labels also distinguish between hybridizers with the same last name by adding a first initial. Alleah likes to add abbreviated descriptors next to cultivar name, for any iris other than tall bearded. For example, iris cultivar ‘Concertina’ is an intermediate bearded (IB), space age (SA), rebloomer (RE). If an iris is part of Alleah’s American Dykes Medal collection, she includes this honor and the year it won. Heather likes to include this highest AIS medal and other AIS awards on labels she makes for her nursery business, the Broley Homestead. She uses the various awards on her iris labels to describe the multi-year, multi-tier “Miss Universe'' like competition in which judges evaluate irises of all types for their worthiness in the garden. ‘Concertina’ earned the Award of Merit in 2006, so Heather’s label for it looks like this:

Weatherproof address label on galvanized metal plant marker

In 2020, our current family matriarch and iris expert Alleah Haley continued training her eldest daughter and two granddaughters in methods for digging and labeling our treasured plants.  The crew, including Heather, spent a week digging and processing over 300 bearded and beardless cultivars. Alleah had decided it was time to downsize, sell her home in Northern California, and move closer to family.  Luckily for the irises, she decided to sell during digging season. Like many long time iris lovers, Alleah seemed to be growing irises everywhere and in every way imaginable. It was a labeling adventure we will not soon forget. Remember, labels help future generations understand and appreciate a treasure we pass along.

Gertie’s descendants spent three summers digging irises together in preparation for Alleah’s move to North Carolina.

Labeling is just as important during division as it is during cultivation, perhaps even more so. Until Alleah’s oldest daughter and granddaughters started helping her dig irises, they were unable to appreciate how methodical the process is to keep the identity of an iris known. They developed a new appreciation for labeling irises, and were eager to inherit metal plant markers too. We dig one cultivar at a time and place its metal marker upside down in a large plastic flower pot.  Next, we break apart rhizomes and place those that have not bloomed in the pot with the metal plant marker. Digging is VERY tiring. When we want a break, we move pots holding each cultivar to the shade for further processing. To avoid confusion, the cultivars stored in one pot are processed by one individual and it is their responsibility to ALWAYS know the identity of what they are handling and labeling. 

Labeling irises in the shade is a lot more enjoyable than labeling in the sun.

After trimming iris roots and leaves to the desired length, we set about making temporary labels for our treasures. For bearded irises, we use rags to gently wipe away a waxy layer (a protective cuticle) and write the iris name on a single inner iris leaf using a black permanent marker. Beardless irises are “diapered” by wrapping the rootball tightly in wet paper towels with a rubber band. A plastic knife with iris name written in black permanent marker is added next, followed by a tightly wrapped plastic bag and another rubber band. 

Because labeling is so important, it helps to buy good permanent markers.  Some irisarians swear by Milwaukee Tool Company “Inkzall'' markers available in the tool section at Home Depot. If these are not available, a black Sanford Ink Co. Sharpie or  Bic Mark-It do just fine. However, it seems like the “Inkzall'' markers don’t dry out as badly when uncapped for long periods of time. Fair warning: labels made using porous paper or written with a permanent marker might not last long outdoors. It is important to create durable labels before the temporary one deteriorates. If you forget, your planting map quickly transforms into a treasure map!

Irises with temporary labels and Heather’s plastic backup labels

In our gardens, irises added to our collection receive a metal plant marker with weatherproof label soon after planting. By giving our treasured plants informative and durable labels we connect with people we love, even when they aren’t with us. Those outside our immediate family seem to appreciate knowing the heritage and community behind our iris collection, and eagerly support our effort by adding the plants from our extended “iris family” to their garden. Even gardeners who choose not to label irises from us recognize they are growing something very special. Our love of irises becomes intertwined with theirs. Remember, labels help future generations understand and appreciate a treasure we pass along. 

 

Alleah Haley with iris ‘Beverly Sills’ (Hager 1979)

For Comments:

What do you use to label your irises and why do you do it?

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