The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Randolph-Perry Medal Winners

 'HAPPY TRAVELER' and 'LEMONY SNICKET'

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.

Species cross sibtosa iris 'Happy Traveler'
photo by Joe Bye Weed's Garden

'Happy Traveler' (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) Seedling SPx08-1-2. SPEC-X (sibtosa), 36" (91 cm), Midseason to late bloom. Standards mid violet-blue flushed darker in center; style arms pearly violet-blue; Falls violet-blue veined darker especially at signal, signal green-yellow with dark violet veining. 'Riverdance'; X 'Tourist'. Introduced through Joe Pye Weed's Garden in 2015.

Species cross pseudata iris 'Lemony Snicket'

photo by Mikey Lango

'Lemony Snicket' (Jill Copeland, R. 2014) Seedling HP-3. SPEC-X (pseudata), 44" (112 cm), Late bloom. Bright yellow self, signal golden yellow (17A) edged lighter, burgundy eye lash. unknown: ('Chance Beauty' x unknown) X 'Himeno'. Introduced by Ensata 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 2021 Founders of SIGNA Medal Winners

'BLUE RIVULETS' and 'SUSHI'

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).

Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic last year, the American Iris Society Board of Directors suspended garden awards. As a result, and for only this year, two medals will be award in this area. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

BLUE RIVULETS (Chad Harris)

'Blue Rivulets' (Chad Harris, R. 2012) Seedling #O7LAK1. SPEC (laevigata), 30 (76 cm). Midseason bloom. Standards white, center blue-violet (RHS 104C) vein; style arms blue-violet, white center line rib, crests same, edged white rim; falls white, blue-violet veins radiating from lemon-yellow signal almost to fall edge. Parentage unknown, seed from SIGNA, 2004, Shimizu. Iris laevigata. Mt. Pleasant 2013.

SUSHI (Jill Copeland)

'Sushi' (Jill Copeland, R. 2013) Seedling #T-1. SPEC, 39 (99 cm). Early midseason bloom. Standards and style arms white (RHS 155B); falls cream to very light yellow (3C to 4D), signal lines violet (83A-83B). I.pseudacorus X self. Ensata 2013.

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 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.