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.

Iris Society of Australia National Convention hosted by the South Australian Iris Society

By Mel Schiller

The National Iris Convention for Australia is going to be hosted by the South Australian Iris Society on the 22^nd to the 27^th of October this year!

We are hoping that you all have your sights clearly set on coming to South Australia to visit our wonderful historic homes and gardens in and around Adelaide.

The lovely Mt. Lofty Botanic Gardens will be a delight to visit and the Mt. Lofty Summit will provide a local platter lunch with panoramic views over Adelaide.

Cleland Wildlife Park will showcase Australian Marsupials such as Kangaroos, Koalas, Wallabies and Wombats, along with Dingoes, Snakes and Reptiles, and maybe an Echidna. Many of the animals can be fed by hand and petted.

Accomodation will be at the Arkaba Hotel with a variety of activities and free time throughout the 5 days of convention.

The South Australian Iris Society Show is the largest Iris Show in Australia.  This year Bailey can take credit for producing the Convention Iris Mid North Star. A lovely strong lemon scented Emma Cook patterned iris which will be for sale at the show.

Mid North Star (B Schiller 2020)

An enlightening trip up North on the bus to visit Smokin Heights and Roots ‘N’Leaves will show our visitors our wonderful country side. There is every possibility of viewing Kangaroo’s, wombats and many Eagles in their natural habitat and as an added bonus of viewing Iris in these gardens!

Travelling through the picturesque Adelaide Hills to the Jacobs house to view the Trial Garden of the South Australian Iris Society you may even have the pleasure of seeing a koala or two and plenty of native birds in their natural habitat. Other gardens will be viewed throughout this day also, David Barrington and his Pacific Cost Iris. Colleen Modra grows a selection of natives, heritage tomatoes and Iris and Frosty Flats which is a lovely lush herbaceous garden full of over 800 roses as well as many flowering bulbs and plants.

We look forward to our visitors from overseas coming to South Australia for a fun filled 5 days of gardening fun!

A Preview of the 2019 American Iris Society Convention

by Jean Richter

In late April the American Iris Society will hold its annual convention. This year the convention returns to the San Francisco Bay area for the first time in quite a few years. The convention hotel is the San Ramon Marriott, and garden tours will feature five excellent gardens in a variety of microclimates throughout the greater Bay Area. Here is a preview of what you will see at the convention - for even more information, see the convention web site.

The first day of garden tours will feature two gardens in the greater Sacramento area. Frannie's Iris Garden is located in Elk Grove, near Sacramento, and is tended by Fran and Russ Shields. All the iris beds are flat with wide, smooth grassy pathways. If a little rest is needed there is a huge gazebo at the edge of the garden, and cold drinks are close by. The guest beds are laid out for perfect photo shots. Fran has added a few pieces of garden art here and there. Russ and Fran are members of the Sacramento Iris Society. Don't be surprised if, in addition to many beautiful iris, you encounter a llama or friendly papillon!

The patchwork quilt garden of Mary Ann and Ed Horton is spread over several acres of irises. This commercial garden is spotless. You will get a lot of walking done in this garden - walk quickly as this is a huge garden. There are vintage automobiles on the property that have been restored to original, working condition. Feel free to have your photo taken with them. AIS guest irises are on top of a slight hill. Mary Ann and Ed are members of Sacramento and Sierra Foothills Iris Societies.

The second day of garden tours takes you to the Sonoma Valley wine country to the C&L Vineyard Garden. This garden is owned by Joe Lawrence and Rudy Ciuca. The grapes will not be ripe but the vines are there, as well as 70 olive trees. This garden holds several hundred irises in addition to the guest irises. Rudy is a gourmet cook with a gourmet kitchen, so the possibility is good that he will whip up something good to nibble. Joe and Rudy are members of Santa Rosa Iris Society.

'Jade Moon' (O'Brien 1997) C&L Vineyard Garden has all of local hybridizer Lois O'Brien's introductions in their permanent collection.

On this day of the tour we will also be visiting Sonoma Plaza, located in downtown Sonoma in the heart of the Somona Valley wine country. There are a wide variety of things to see and do in the Plaza, including historic buildings (among them the northernmost California mission), over 30 wine tasting rooms, plenty of shops, and world-renowned restaurants. More information is available at the Sonoma Plaza Visitor's Guide.

The final day of garden tours will visit two gardens. The garden of Jim and Irene Cummins is located in Scotts Valley, not far from Santa Cruz, on a gently sloping hill overlooking a small valley. The Cummins' personal garden has hundreds of irises.Guest irises are well marked in a bed away from other irises. A very fun and interesting yard is filled with hundreds of pieces of whimsical garden art. With luck a flock of turkeys may be seen. The Cummins are Monterey Bay Iris Society members.

 

The convention's master planting is the Dry Creek Garden, an historic cottage garden managed by the East Bay Regional Park District, the largest urban park district in the United States. In addition to the large convention planting, you will have many other plants to enjoy over the garden's acreage. The convention planting is overseen by Jeff Bennett, a member of Sydney B. Mitchell and Mt. Diablo Iris Societies. The convention planting will remain a permanent iris planting in perpetuity with new plants added yearly and the historic garden expanded yearly. Any iris planted in this garden hopefully will still be somewhere on the grounds 100 years from now.

 'Cascade Trails' (L. Miller 2016) MTB

 'Crystal Ship' Lauer 2006 SDB

"Perry Dyer' Black 2017 arilbred

'Top Down' (H. Nichols 2015) novelty iris

If you'd like to join us at the convention, registrations are still being taken through April 15. You can register for the full convention, or for single events or tour dates. Price breakdowns and the registration form is available on the registration page. Lots of information and the latest updates are available at the convention web site. We hope to see you at the convention!

Joint American Iris Society and Society for Louisiana Irises Convention in New Orleans

by Patrick O'Connor and pictures by Ron Killingsworth

Plan now to attend the joint convention in New Orleans.  Perhaps this garden on the tours will tempt you!

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, New Orleans, LA

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is one of New Orleans’ brightest attractions.  Like the City, it is both old and young.  Designed initially to display a permanent collection of over fifty sculptures by twentieth-and twenty-first century American, European, Latin American, Israeli and Japanese artist, the nearly five-acre garden was dedicated by the New Orleans Museum of Art in November 2003.  It sits in a prime spot in historic City Park, adjacent to the Museum and not far from the confluence of Bayou St. John and the remnant of Bayou Metairie where the park’s extensive system of bayou-like lagoons beings.

Located in one of the Park’s oldest sections, the Sculpture Garden is itself transected by a lagoon and crossed today by modern bridges that offer beautiful views of the Garden.  The original landscape design for the Garden called for Iris pseudacorus, the European native, rather than Louisiana irises.  Hurricane Katrina took care of the anomaly.  The magnificent Live Oak trees survived, but the lingering brackish water destroyed much of the under-story planting in City Park, including the pseudacorus in the Sculpture Garden.

Live Oaks and Spanish moss

A virtual blank slate was created along the lagoon banks.  Several iris growers and enthusiasts were among the volunteers who emerged to participate in the Garden’s – and in the Park’s – rebirth.  These growers donated Louisiana iris rhizomes by the thousands. The plants were maintained in pools and tubs and planted out by multiple groups of volunteers in several waves over a couple of years.

State Flower of Louisiana

 

Coincidentally, the Garden occupies the site of an historic iris garden that was created during the frenzy of iris activity in 1930s New Orleans not long after the plants were “discovered” in the wild and promoted for the benefit of modern horticulture.  Dubbed a “Rainbow Memorial,” the original plantings are long gone, but it is fitting that the Sculpture Garden created a path for the return of native irises.

Lagoon in Sculpture Garden

 Today, the Garden boasts fabulous new sculptures and is embellished by Louisiana irises in every imaginable color along the banks of the lagoon.  A permanent Display Garden features named cultivars to accompany extensive mixed plantings.

Each Spring, the Sculpture Garden, along with the Greater New Orleans Iris Society, hosts a Louisiana Iris Rainbow Festival.  The Festival is a one day event that features music and presentations on the irises.  It offers the public an opportunity to stroll among the fabulous sculptures and the beautiful irises and to enjoy the Sculpture Garden at a particularly beautiful time of the year.  Admission to the Besthoff Sculpture Garden is free, a rare and wonderful gift to visitors and New Orleans residents alike.

The New Orleans Botanical Garden offers the richest, most varied display of plants in the City.  Opened to the public in 1936 as part of a Works Progress Administration project, the Botanical Garden’s twelve acres are home to 2,000 varieties of plants surrounded by the Live Oaks typical of City Park.  City Park is the sixth largest urban park in the country and boasts the nation’s largest stand of mature Live Oaks.

Theme gardens in the Botanical Garden are dedicated to aquatics, roses, native plants, ornamentals, trees, shrubs and perennials and shade plants.  The Conservatory of the Two Sisters features a simulated tropical rain-forest and a magnificent fern collection.  Irises are scattered throughout the Garden and include a planting of recent cultivars near the Shade Garden.

The Art Deco style is evident in the Botanical Garden, which also features sculptures by the celebrated WPA artist Enrique Alferez.  His original sculptures are spotted throughout, but two new and exciting garden attractions were added last year:  the Helis Foundation Enrique Alferez Sculpture Garden, with additional sculptures by Alferez, and a beautiful arrival garden with a green wall and an infinity water feature.

Front of Museum of Art

To learn more about City Park in New Orleans go to their website.

To learn more about the 2018 AIS and SLI convention in New Orleans, visit the convention website http://www.2018irisconvention.org

To make reservations at the convention hotel, visit the Hilton New Orleans Airport Hotel website (http://group.hilton.com/American-Iris-Society

For more information on the American Iris Society here.

To visit the Society for Louisiana Iris website click here