The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 DeBaillon Medal Winner

  'EYES WIDE OPEN'

The DeBaillon Medal is restricted to Louisiana (LA) irises. It is named in honor of Mary Swords DeBaillon (1888-1940). Mary DeBaillon realized how varied Louisiana irises were and what lovely garden plants they were. Mary DeBaillon 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.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Louisiana iris 'Eyes Wide Open'
photo by Howard Dash

'Eyes Wide Open' (Heather Pryor, R. 2006). Seedling 49/98-GHP. LA, 39" (99 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards creamy white, cyclamen blush at 1/4" edge, white rim; style arms pastel pink, lemon midrib, base and ends; falls medium cyclamen pink, white rim; signals very large yellow blotch, red eyeliner surround on falls only; recurved, triangular form; sweet fragrance. Seedling 11/94-A: ('Lemon Sorbet' x seedling 35/92-A: ('Volcanic Wildfire' x 'Spanish Ballet')) X 'Our Dorothy'. Introduced by Iris City Gardens in 2016.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Morgan-Wood Medal Winner

 'MY GIRL EMILY'

The Morgan-Wood Medal is restricted to Siberian (SIB) 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.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Siberian iris 'My Girl Emily'
photo by Heather Haley

'My Girl Emily' (Dean Cole, R. 2010) Seedling DC-04-300-4. SIB (tetraploid), 32" (81 cm), Early midseason bloom. Standards very light pink-lavender, thin red edge; style arms light lavender and pink, aqua midrib, thin red edge; Falls light blue, extra wide red edge, dark blue veins. yellow to cream signal, nicely ruffled. Seedling DC-02-207-1: ('Great Falls Love' x seedling McEwen T9 95-83) X McEwen seedling T8-92/24 WR5, 'Merryspring' sibling. Introduced by Fieldstone Gardens in 2012.

Classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES. 

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Eric Nies Medal Winner

'RED WARLORD'

The Nies 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 Iris 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 world's foremost breeder of spuria irises. Marion Walker took over his seedlings and breeding lines after he died in 1952.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Spuria iris 'Red Warlord'
photo by Bob Pries

'Red Warlord' (Lee Walker, R. 2015) Seedling# 98-7-3. SPU, 40" (102 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards gold, dark red veining, dark red-brown edge; style arms center dark red line and tip, edge cream-gold; falls gold center with dark red veining, same color to edge. 'Highline Topaz' X 'Duerme'. Introduced in 2016 Wildwood Gardens.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Payne Medal Winner

 'COLUMBIA CREST'

The Payne Medal is restricted to Japanese irises (JI). It is named in honor of W. Arlie Payne (1881-1971). W. Arlie Payne was at first especially interested in peonies, but in the late 1920s, he "discovered" Japanese irises. He started hybridizing Japanese 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.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Japanese iris 'Columbia Crest'
photo by Chad Haris

'Columbia Crest' ( Chad Harris, R. 2014), Seedling 02JC13. JI (6 falls), 50" (127 cm), Late bloom. Style arms multiple, upright, flaring crests royal purple (RHS 90A); Falls royal purple blending to hyacinth blue (93B) around the bright gold-yellow (7A) signal. 'Night Angel' X 'Frosted Intrigue'. Introduced by Mt. Pleasant Iris farm in 2015.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Randolph Perry Medal Winner

  'VIOLET SWALLOWS'

The Randolph-Perry 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, 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 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. hartwegii).

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Inter-species hybrid iris 'Violet Swallows'
photo by Mike Unser

'Violet Swallows' (Chad Harris, R. 2015) Seedling# 08SPCXL2. SPEC-X, 60" (152 cm), Late bloom. Standards white, small; style arms pale yellow (RHS 4D); falls pastel violet (85A), signal bright yellow (6A) surrounded by strong dark violet (86A) eyelash markings. 'Gubijin' X seedling# 97JD7: (Coble seedling# J90G: (seedling# J88A: (seedling# J86N: (seedling# J84J-7: ('Kyokko' x unknown) x seedling# J83A-6: ('Kyokko' x 'Rose Prelude')) x seedling# J84J) x seedling# J86DD: (seedling# J84J x seedling# J83A-6)) x 'Hime Kagami'). Introduced in 2016 by Mt Pleasant Iris Farm.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Sydney B. Mitchell Award Winner

'CAUGHT IN THE WIND'

The Mitchell Medal is restricted to Pacific Coast Native (PCN) irises. It is named in honor of Sydney B. Mitchell (1878-1951). Professor 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 Iris innominata and I. douglasiana. 

Previous award winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Pacific Coast Native Iris 'Caught In The Wind'
Photo by Leonine Iris

'Caught In The Wind' (Joseph Ghio, R. 2012) Seedling #LP-145B2. CA, 16" (41 cm). Early midseason bloom. Standards blue-violet, lighter blue edges; style arms dark blue-purple; Falls creamy white, petal edges lined blue violet; yellow blaze lined over with blue violet. 'Line Drawing' X 'This is It'. Introduced by Bay View Gardens in 2012.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Founders of SIGNA Medal Winner

 'LAVENDER MOONBEAMS'

The Founders of SIGNA Medal is restricted to species irises (SPEC) and is named to honor the founding members of the Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA). Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Species iris 'Lavender Moonbeams'

photo by Rick Tasco

'Lavender Moonbeams' (Richard Tasco R. 2014) Seedling #00-UNG-02-01. SPEC (unguicularis), 12" (30 cm). Midseason to late bloom. Standards light lavender, lightly veined; style arms light lavender, light golden maize sides; falls light lavender, lightly veined, white area veined lavender covers top half of petal on both sides of signal, signal orange-yellow halfway down petal; pronounced sweet fragrance. I. unguicularis alba X unknown, possibly I. unguicularis "Marondera". Introduced by Superstition Iris Gardens in 2014.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including award of merit and honorable mention, will be published in the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 William Mohr Medal Winner

'SIGNAL BUTTE'

The Mohr 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.' 

Arilbred iris 'Signal Butte'

Photo by Riley Probst

'Signal Butte' (Richard Tasco, R. 2016). Seedling#. 11-AM-02-10. AB (OGB-), 23" (58 cm). Early to late bloom. Standards spectrum violet (RHS 82B), lightly veined; style arms cream-white, light spectrum violet sides and crest; falls spectrum violet, dime-sized black signal surrounded by red-plum wash; beard hairs based white, golden brown in throat and middle, white ends; slight sweet fragrance. 'Energizer' X 'Replicator'. Introduced by Superstition Iris Gardens in 2016.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including award of merit and honorable mention, will be published in the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Sass Medal Winner

'LAKOTA'

The Sass Medal is restricted to intermediate bearded (IB) irises. It is named in honor of Hans Sass (1868-1949) and Jacob Sass (1872-1945). They bred irises, peonies, daylilies, lilacs, gladiolus, lilies and other garden plants. When they became charter members of the AIS, they had been breeding irises
for more than a decade. Their irises were famous for being strong growers because they used 'Amas' and I. trojana as tetraploid stud irises instead of the tender I. mesopotamica and I. cypriana.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Intermediate Bearded Iris 'Lakota'
photo by Judy Schneider

'Lakota' (Marky Smith, R. 2013) Seedling #09-16B. IB, 23" (58 cm), Early to late midseason bloom. Standards grey-orange (RHS 168D) petal edges, centers and rib lavender, greyer tan 86D; style arms grey-orange (167D); falls petal rims grey-orange, upper fall and shoulders darker smoke-orange (167B), fine veins flaring from beard, lower half of center violet, greyer than 80C, grey-orange veining ending in orange rims; beards greyed red-orange (180B); ruffled; luminata plicata. 'Musician' X 'Amusing'. Salmon Creek 2014.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES. 

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Caparne-Welch Medal Winner

 'WEE DRAGONS'

The Caparne-Welch 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.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Miniature Dwarf Bearded Iris 'Wee Dragons'
photo by Jeanette Graham

'Wee Dragons' (Lynda Miller, R. 2016). Seedling# 6311A. MDB, 4.5"-5" (11-13 cm). Early midseason bloom. Standards deep red-purple; style arms butter yellow, rib red-violet; falls velvety dark burgundy; beards yellow-orange in throat, light blue middle and end. 'Mosaic' X 'Snips'. Mid-America 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

 'CHEERFUL CHIPMUNK'

 The Cook-Douglas 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, the most notable being 'Keepsake,' 'Tampa,' and 'Promise.' 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: 'Baria,' 'Fairy Flax,' and 'Green Spot.'

Geddes Douglas was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1902. Douglas was a chemist and businessman. In the early 1950s, he founded the Geddes Douglas Garden Center in Nashville. He became a leader in the Tennessee Nurserymen's Association, and served a term as president of the Southern Nursery Association.

Previous awards winners can be found at: https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Standard dwarf bearded iris 'CHEERFUL CHIPMUNK'
Photo by Jeanette Graham

'Cheerful Chipmunk' (Michael Sutton, R. 2016) Seedling AZ-595-A. SDB, 10" (25 cm), Early to midseason bloom. Standards pale butter yellow; style arms cream; Falls pale yellow, chartreuse thumbprint with beech brown veining; beard hairs based white, tips yellow; slight spicy fragrance. 'Reddy Freddie' X 'Puddy Tat'. Introduced by Sutton's Iris Gardens in 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including  Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Williamson-White Medal Winner

  'CANDY BASKET'

The Williamson-White 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 1950s, Alice White of Hemet, California began a crusade to gain recognition for 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.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Miniature tall bearded iris 'CANDY BASKET'
photo by Jeanette Graham

'Candy Basket' (Chad Harris, R. 2015) Seedling 08MTB1. MTB, 22" (56 cm), Very early bloom. Standards warm caramel (RHS 166B), slight violet cast; style arms honey mustard-tan (163C); falls off white ground heavily veined black cherry-red (187A), faint golden rim; beards bright lemon-yellow (13A); slight spicy fragrance. 'Redrock Princess' X . 'Butterscotch Wine'. Pleasant 2016.. Introduced by Mount Pleasant Iris Farm in 2016.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

 

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Knowlton Medal

 'SICILIAN ORANGE'

The Knowlton 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. Bennett Jones wrote in The World of Irises: "Harold Knowlton was among the first to make deliberate selections of smaller plants. Two of his 1950 introductions, ‘Pearl Cup’ ... and ‘Cricket’... display the desirable features we still seek in modern border irises." Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Border bearded iris 'Sicilian Orange'
photo by Christine Cosi

'Sicilian Orange' (Michael Sutton, R. 2016). Seedling# Z-2010-A. BB, 26" (66 cm). Midseason to late bloom. Standards yellow-orange, flushed peach-pink at midribs; style arms yellow-orange; F. ruby red, veined yellow-orange, ¼˝ yellow-orange edge; beards bright orange; ruffled; slight musky fragrance. 'Bottle Rocket' X 'Fruit Stripe'. Introduced by Sutton's Iris Gardens in 2016. 

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Wister Medal Winners

'RISE LIKE A PHOENIX' - 'BLINDED BY THE LIGHT'-

'NINJA WARRIOR'

The Wister Medal is restricted to tall bearded (TB) irises. It is named in honor of John C. Wister (1887-1982). Three medals are awarded each year. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

John C. Wister led the organizing meeting that created the American Iris Society and became its first president, a position he held for 14. He guided the Society through its formative years. He was widely recognized as a man of rare management skills, leadership ability, and the highest ethical standards. R. S. Sturtevant wrote of him: "Probably few current members realize that the AIS started through the efforts and initiative of one man, John C. Wister...."

Tall bearded iris 'RISE LIKE A PHOENIX'

photo by Jeanette Graham

'Rise Like A Phoenix' (Paul Black, R. 2017). Seedling# U53A. TB, 46" (117 cm), Midseason to late bloom. Standards bright mid gold, mid auburn veining and wash over base, lighter and narrowing in mid ¹⁄₃ of petal and darkening to upper ¹⁄₃; style arms mid apricot-gold; falls dark velvety red-black, cream haft and center just below beard, veined dark red-black; beards dark marigold; pronounced sweet fragrance. Seedling# R76A: ('Opening Number' x seedling# M29DD: ('Ransom Note' x 'What’s My Line')) X 'Reckless Abandon'. Introduced by Mid-America Garden 2017.

Tall bearded iris 'BLINDED BY THE LIGHT'

photo by Jeanette Graham

'Blinded By The Light' (Larry Lauer, R. 2016). Seedling# A33-32. TB, 32" (81 cm), Early to midseason bloom. Standards nasturtium orange; style arms marigold orange; falls tangerine-orange; beards mandarin red; ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. 'Honeycomb' x 'Shivaree'. Introduced by Lauer's Flowers 2017.

Tall bearded iris 'NINJA WARRIOR'
photo by Christine Cosi

'Ninja Warrior' (Lynda Miller, R. 2014) Seedling# 8710B. TB, 27" (69 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards smoky pink blending to dark orchid center ribs; style arms smoky pink, striped plum-purple; falls velvet black, purple lines by beard; beard hairs based purple, tips sienna-tangerine; slight sweet fragrance. 'Royal Togs' X unknown. Introduced by Mid-America Garden 2016.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Dykes Medal Winner

 'Perry Dyer'

First awarded in 1927, the American Dykes Medal is the highest award of the American Iris Society (AIS). It is named for William Rickatson Dykes (1877-1925) and is 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-accredited judges may vote. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Tall bearded iris 'Perry Dyer' 
photo by Jeanette Graham

'Perry Dyer' (Paul Black, R. 2017). Seedling# T132F. AB (OGB-), 26" (66 cm), Midseason to late bloom. Standards palest lavender; style arms same, orchid ridge; falls palest cream-lavender fading to near white, dark plum-wine spot ¼ way out, darker extended veins; beard hair based light grey, mid-brown in throat and middle, end light brown. 'Galaxina' sibling.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

Spring Beginnings in Australia

by Mel and Bailey Schiller

Harvest Moon over a field of irises

A wonderful sight is the September Harvest Moon in Australia: September 29th 2023. Lighting the way for the next 6 months will be extra daylight that helps us get our chores completed. We give thanks and show gratitude for each of you that join our family on our bearded iris journey. We wish you all fulfillment and happiness in your lives as we enter the summer months in Australia.

Bloom season has started strong and early for us down under. Dwarf bearded irises have been blooming for the last 3-4 weeks. Over the last week or so the taller classes have started blooming as well. 

Miniature dwarf bearded iris 'Ribbit' (Johnson, 2020)

Opening on the first day of Spring was probably the best formed and most interesting miniature dwarf bearded iris we grow: the green-toned beauty 'Ribbit.' A fantastic grower and reliable bloomer, it has been a joy to grow since we imported it into Australia in 2020. 

Miniature Dwarf bearded iris 'Twinkle Little Star' (Black, 2020)

Following closely was another miniature dwarf; 'Twinkle Little Star'. This iris has been a very good performer for us since we imported it. Generally, dwarf varieties don't perform very well for us here in South Australia. Our Winters don't get cold enough for these little irises to truly thrive. Yet, we persist because we think they are absolutely adorable. We have also been hybridizing dwarf iris and selecting for those that perform well in our climate. 

Standard dwarf iris' Tallica' (Blyth, 2015)

Another iris blooming right at the beginning of Spring was 'Tallica.' Although this Australian-bred standard dwarf has never reached its registered height for us, it is a fantastic performer in our gardens. As you can see by the photo, it puts on a wonderful display!

Standard Dwarf bearded iris 'Done Me Wrong' (Baumunk, 2009)

'Done Me Wrong' is not the greatest performer in our climate. However, we love the look of large beards on a dwarf iris, so it gets to stay around. It is always very early and one of the first standard dwarfs to bloom.

Intermediate bearded iris 'Plasma' (Blyth, 2007)

Although not registered as a rebloomer, 'Plasma' has been a reliable rebloomer in our garden since we first acquired it. It has bloomed sporadically over Autumn and Winter and sent up its first Spring stems last week. Very popular with garden visitors, you can see why!

Intermediate bearded iris 'Lumistreak' (Black, 2022)

Imported last year from America, intermediate bearded iris 'Luminstreak' is proving to be an overachiever, blooming in its first Australian Spring. Normally, imported varieties only bloom in their second or third Spring, once they acclimate to our conditions. 

Miniature tall bearded iris 'Tic Tac Toe' (Johnson, 2010)

The best performing miniature tall bearded iris that we grow, 'Tic Tac Toe' always puts on a spectacular display. Most years it also blooms quite heavily in Autumn. 

Miniature tall bearded iris 'Say Red' (Craig, 2008)

'Say Red' is quite a vigorous bloomer for us, and it has been difficult to grow a decent clump. We have yet to have any success in using it in our hybridizing.

Arilbred iris (OGB+) 'Emerald Fantasy' (Tate by Shepard, 1983)

We absolutely adore the dramatic arilbred 'Emerald Fantasy.' If only this colour and pattern could be replicated in tall bearded irises. The arilbreds are a bit behind this year, normally starting to bloom at the beginning of September. We don't mind though--as there is more choice of iris to hybridize with!

Arilbred iris (OGB) 'Zizah' (Rich, 1983)

'Zizah' was the first arilbred to bloom this Spring, we almost didn't notice it as the stems are quite short. A classic colour combination in arilbreds, stunning!

Border bearded iris 'Stegosaurus' (Sutton, 2012)

'Stegosaurus' is the first border bearded iris to bloom each year. We love the unusual hard spikes along the edge of the standards. We have tried using it in our hybridizing with limited success. It is a very difficult parent but will occasionally set a pod. 

Border bearded iris 'Smiling Bright' (Ryks, 2020)

Close behind 'Stegosaurus' is the South Australian hybrid 'Smiling Bright'. A fantastic grower and increaser, it puts on a massive display of flowers each Spring. It makes quite a statement!

Blyth seedling A157-A:(X262-X:(Early Encounter sib) X Kiss The Princess)

Barry is known for breeding extremely early tall bearded varieties and this is one the earliest to date. Starting to bloom at the very beginning of Spring, it is probably not suitable for many American gardens but is perfect for us here in Australia. Late bloomers tend to burn in our hot Australian sun, so Barry worked on extending our season out in the other direction. This seedling has passed all the checks and will be introduced next year. 

Tall bearded iris 'Zofonic Dancer' (Schiller, 2022)

This one of Mel's introductions, 'Zofonic Dancer,' has been blooming since the end of July. We aren't sure if we should characterize this as extremely early Spring bloom or a late rebloom, as this variety has never rebloomed for us in the past. Nevertheless, it has put up more stems since Spring has started and will probably be in bloom for at least another month. 

Bloom season is exciting as we wander our field and garden with child-like awe, excitement, and exhilaration. Checking for new blooms, being reminded of varieties long forgotten about, and (of course) enjoying the new varieties that have been imported. We look for pollen and dream of what could be or should be---dreams that one day will come to fruition. Bearded iris season is the best!

Happy Gardening!