Betty Ward Wilkerson

It is with sadness that The World of Irises announces the death of our longtime blogger, Betty Ward Wilkerson. Betty was a hybridizer and proponent of reblooming irises that grow and bloom in colder climates. Over the years, Betty shared her insights with our readers as she created new hybrids in her taxing climate in Kentucky, using the best of mild climate rebloomers with cold climate parents. She released her introductions through her Bridge in Time garden.

Summer Radiance

Her enthusiasm and expertise will be missed by all. Although in treatment for cancer, Betty had started a new blog when she became too ill to finish it. She stopped in mid-sentence, but we are posting it since it shares her last thoughts on reblooming irises. After working so many years to expand the reblooming gene pool, Betty wanted others to take up the banner of reblooming cold weather rebloomers. The World of Irises extends our sympathy to her family.

All Revved Up

In her unfinished blog, Betty wrote:

“Winter seems to come twice a year these days!  Guess I should be happy since that's twice as many musings and less hot sweaty garden days?  Not really!  I thought it was time I get down to one of my serious problems with irises and the way rebloomers reported.

About Tomorrow

“If I were to build a program by which rebloomers are reported throughout the country it would look something like this. 1:  All rebloomers would be listed according to the areas in which they were developed 2.  They would be reported based on where they have rebloomed.

“For instance, my own 'Cool Character' would be listed to for KY, CA and VA.  These are the areas that have reported so far and it's a relatively new introduction. As other states report, they would be added.

All About Tranquility

“You say this is not realistic?  It would take too much work on the part of the people that produce the catalogs?  I would have to agree.  It depends on too many variable, not the least of which is the interest of the people doing the work.  If a problem isn't important to their interests most people will not get involved.

“This is why the rebloom society has worked so hard to create the Reblooming Checklist and to keep it updated. This work has, primarily, fallen on the hybridizers and the reblooming royalty, the crew to which we owe this wealth of information.  The hybridizers use the information to create the next generations of rebloom.  Simple?  It's really a bit more complicated than you might expect.  There are a lot more ugly ducklings than you might imagine.  Just for fun, let’s look at some of the ugly ones first!  No?  Okay, I'll spare you the agony!

About Tomorrow

“Let's talk about…”

All photos by Betty Wilkerson except the final one by her son Chris.

Working With Selfs-Reblooming Iris Program-Ky Zone 6

by Betty Wilkerson

Once again I've found an article to wrap around 'Summer Radiance.'  I'll never forget the first time I saw it bloom.  I was coming home from a Region 7 spring meeting.  The first stalk of what was to become 'Summer Radiance' was showing lots of bright yellow when I left for the meeting.  When I arrived back home, I dropped my suitcase on the back path and tore off down the hill to the bed by the pond.  I was thrilled with the blooms and have found more things to love about it in the 20 years since its introduction!

I was just as thrilled six weeks later when it put up a summer stalk.  That sealed its fate!  It would be with me forever! Twenty years after its introduction, I'm still using it in breeding.  I've done the research and know it does not produce plicatas.  A part of that research was growing nearly 200 seedlings from 'Summer Radiance' X 'All Revved Up.' Not a plicata in the bunch. This makes me happy, since I'm not fond of haft marks.

When breeding with pastels, this is one of my top contenders.  I can also use it when I want to inject some yellow into another line, with full understanding that I may get all kinds of rebloom, too.  I still want to turn the beard red, but I haven't decided what to use it with, yet.  'Summer Radiance' is from 'Lemon Reflection' X 'Hindenburg,' so it's only one step away from a red beard.  I would already have some results of breeding for red beards,  but I lost all of the seedlings from 2013. Maybe next spring.    

As 'Summer Radiance' grew in other climates, we discovered that it can fall or cycle bloom. It bloomed here in early July as repeat bloom.  Then, it bloomed early fall further north.  In Virginia, Mike Lockatell reports that it reblooms often and well, which is simply proof that you should never give up on a reblooming iris.  

When crossed with 'Radiant Bliss,' it gave 'Summer Honey' which can bloom from spring through fall frost. So, all told, 'Summer Radiance' is a pretty special reblooming iris.  It has probably taught me more about rebloom than any of my other seedlings.  

Hope your new year is filled with many gorgeous iris blooms.  Merry Christmas to all.  To all good iris dreams!