American Iris Society Photo Contest

The American Iris Society invites you to participate in their Annual Photo Contest. This contest is free and open to everyone, with the exception of contest Judges and the contest coordinator, who are not eligible to enter.

Image by Bryce Williamson

The winning photo of each category will be published in the AIS Winter magazine and placed on the AIS web site.  

The 2019 winner of each category will receive a 2019 introduction (within USA only). The winners will also receive a single e-membership or annual membership extension to AIS. (Winners who are AIS life members will receive an e-membership or annual membership in an AIS Section of their choice.) Runners-up of each category will receive a 2017 or 2018 introduction (within the USA only).

The contest runs May 1st to August 1st. All entries must be received by MIDNIGHT- California Time--on August 1.

Please visit the AIS website (http://www.irises.org/Photo_and_Galleries/Enter_Photo_Contest.html) for further instructions and to download the contest entry form.

From a Painful Past Beautiful Irises Thrive

By Sabrina Penteriani

In the garden Le Iris di Trebecco, in the village of Credaro, Cristina Mostosi overcame the pain of her sister's violent disappearance 17 years ago.

Beauty is everywhere, all you need is your eyes to see it, and according to Dostoevsky [it] "will save the world". It can even be cultivated, as Cristina Mostosi does in her garden, Le iris di Trebecco, in Credaro, [near Bergamo, Italy] taking care of the flowers of her father Luigi — it is a demanding and tiring but powerful job, because over time she has treated the deepest wounds of the heart, making grief sprout, turning it into something different. The irises are gentle and fragile looking flowers, they are found many in the meadows, along the streams, and on the riverbeds. Not everyone knows, however, how tenacious and robust they are. There was a time when the peasants had sown them on the steep ground, because their thick rhizomes made a natural fence.

At the beginning

For the Mostosi family irises played an even more important role. In difficult years they have served as a barrier in the despair and void left by young Paola, the "little one," daughter and sister, barbarically killed seventeen years prior, when she was only 23. "A splendid girl," Cristina remembers, "intelligent, full of life."

The iris garden is in the country house, a small and cozy space set in a medieval castle. When the Mostosi family bought it, beneath its windows it layed, rugged, uncultivated, full of weeds, but still fascinating, well exposed to the sun, with a priceless view of the Oglio River and the Castle of the Count Calepio. "The idea of ​​the iris was my mother's,"  says Cristina. "Originally from Grumello, she remembered that the peasants planted them in the ditches because the rhizomes in time formed real dams and also compacted the ground."

The iris dedicated to Bergamo


That house is full of happy memories: Cristina and her brothers spent carefree summers of their childhood together, running through meadows and woods and bathing in the river. "Here the soul of my family is preserved. I still remember when we planted the first irises, of the most common type, which they call "Germanic". Over time, on their travels, my parents discovered other species, other stories related to these irises. My father was very passionate about gardening, he followed a hybridization course, he learned to create new species and colors for himself. He dedicated an iris, red and yellow, to the city of Bergamo. He also managed to obtain a particular shade of red, a very rare color for iris, and in 2004 he won a prize from the Italian Iris Society's Florence Competition. He was in close contact with other hybridizers throughout Europe. This passion supported him in the years that followed the death of my sister. Faced with such a great pain, impossible to express and overcome, one must still cling to something beautiful. My father really believed in it; he was a creator of beauty, and it helped him to survive, to get away from the horrors of the world and to find peace again. Every morning at 5:00 a.m., he was already in his garden. He considered it an open-air laboratory, his shelter, and then he returned home to Torre Boldone, at 7:30 a.m., just in time to be next to my mother when she got up. My mother, instead never managed to overcome her daughter's loss, and went from one exhaustion to another; nobody was able to console her, and she took refuge in a world of her own, where she remained until her death."

Paola's void

The life of the Mostosi family was hit hard by the murder of Paola, and everyone reacted differently. Cristina, who at the time had two young children, after a short time separated from her husband: "Such a great tragedy leads one to question one's own life. This can strengthen a relationship or hurt it by exposing its fragility. I rolled up my sleeves and went ahead." In the past, Cristina did not spend much time in the garden: "Sometimes I helped my father, with love but without a particular desire to do so. But, he knew me well, and he knew how he had chosen a positive activity for me." 

When Luigi died a few years ago, he chose, in fact, to entrust Cristina with the care of the iris garden: "It happened suddenly," she explains about his death, "from a heart attack; I stayed for a long time wondering what to do, saddened and lost. I enjoyed the bloom season, then left Castello Trebecco for a few months because I had to mourn — my father was my rock, my safe harbor, and now he was gone. By that time, my brother had lived in Monte Carlo with his family for over twenty years, so suddenly, without my father I felt really lonely. When I came back to Castello Tebecco the garden seemed like a deserted, abandoned place. I realized that as his age progressed, my father had neglected the maintenance work and so a radical garden restructuring was necessary. I called several gardeners, but no one wanted to accept the task, because it was a task too tiring, on a steep slope, with many steps to do. I understood that I would have to deal with it alone. I did not know enough, so I started studying, creating a small library. I realized that taking care of a garden does not only mean keeping the plants alive but also nourishing the garden's character and spirit." 

Cristina decided to keep the footprint her father Luigi had established: "I cleaned up the paths he had traced, I rebuilt the dry stone walls that supported the terraces and steps with the same material he had chosen. What I have chosen, volcanic tuff, comes from Tuscany, it is natural, it camouflages a lot, you almost do not see it, it gives the whole path a pleasant, harmonious look."

The bricks, however, are heavy: "It was a huge job, and I have yet to finish it. Fortunately, I had my friends and family with me. An incredible chain of solidarity has been activated. My cousins ​​helped me above all, and the company has become an opportunity to get together, keep in touch, do something together. Thus our bond strengthened."

The iris garden transformed Cristina's life: "I changed my life rhythms to follow those of nature. I earn a living working in a bank, so I live in the city, but for some years I obtained a part-time job that allows me to move to Castello Trebecco from Thursday to Sunday and get my hands on the ground. I get scars from the work, my skin gets cuts, I wear the marks of this work on my skin, but it gives me a lot of satisfaction. Every April I open the garden to the public, offering guided tours; and I started to participate in some trade fairs, like Orticola in Milan, an important and beautiful experience. I'm only at the beginning of this process but I've already had visitors from many parts of Italy, and even from abroad. Now my children Giulia and Fabio attend university and live in Milan, which means that I have more time available, and I dedicate it all to gardening. I am gradually discovering new possibilities. I have created new relationships with cultural associations, and tourist organizations in the area."

Important encounters


Thanks to meeting Mariagrazia Dammicco, president of the Wigwam Club Historical Gardens of Venice, Cristina participated for two years at the Festival of the Gardens of the Serenissima, where she brought her irises. On one occasion she met Luciano Cecchetti, curator of the Vatican Gardens and Castel Gandolfo, who transmitted the most important requirements for a good gardener: fertile soil, strong hands and a lot of patience. "His advice has helped me to revive the garden, trying to give it a personal touch, putting the emphasis on beauty and wellness, pushing me to enrich it with all that makes me feel good. Then, the garden has revived me, offering me new perspectives, unexpected thoughts and opportunities."

New ideas

Cristina never stands still: she organizes lectures, meetings, workshops of botanical and traditional watercolor in the open among the Iris of Trebecco, she lectures at school. "I talk to students about the care of plants as a way to take care of themselves, to reappropriate personal traditions and habits that are often lost by living in the city, where it is difficult to notice even the passing of time and the seasons."


The garden of Castel Trebecco is fertile, because it generates beauty in many ways, stable, thanks to its flowers, and symbolic: "I continue to generate ideas, for example I am thinking of starting some collaborations with community associations. I would like my garden to become a beneficial source not only for me but also for others."

The ground that — almost — collapsed


And to think that all began with the need to contain a land that was in danger of collapsing: "In Greek mythology iris is the name of the messenger of the gods, a winged girl who rides the rainbow. My flowers are sturdy, resistant and rustic, and at the same time spread delicacy and charm with their appearance, bright colors, and their beautiful scent. I tried to recover all the species of my father's, and in the future I would like to follow a hybridization course and maybe an internship in Holland or France. For now it is only a dream. I will realize it when I retire and I can devote myself to irises fulltime. The garden has changed my horizon, it has taught me that I need very little, it has brought me back to the essential, to what gives meaning to life."

[Editor's Note: Posted with permission. Originally published on Sunday, November 28, 2018 on L'ECO DI BERGAMO, which coincided with The United Nations General Assembly's  designation of November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Translated by Andi Rivarola]

The original Italian post on L'eco di Bergamo: https://goo.gl/BBrYHB

Le Iris di Trebecco on Instagram: @leirisditrebecco

Giardino Le Iris di Trebecco Facebook Page: https://goo.gl/YxynGR

IRISES, the Bulletin of the AIS - Summer 2016 Edition

By Andi Rivarola

I hope you enjoy the new edition of IRISES, cover below, which you will receive through the mail very soon. 

A warm welcome to those who are seeing the gorgeous cover of this issue of IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. Those of us who were there in late May will recognize the image as that of Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. The Presby was one of the locations of the 2016 National Convention. 

The Spring 2016 issue of the AIS Bulletin will be available soon for online viewing within the Emembers section of the AIS website. Note: to access this area of the website you must have a current AIS Emembership. AIS Emembership is separate from the normal AIS membership. Please see the Electronic Membership Information area of the AIS website for more details.

It's all about Convention Beauties on this edition of IRISES, starting with the cover, the back cover and pages 2 and 59, all filled with fantastic Convention iris images. 

Wonderful shots of the Awards Banquet, on pages 22 and 23, showing AIS President Gary White presenting awards to a variety of winners, including Hybridizers Paul Black, Jill Copeland, Rick Tasco and Harry Wolford, but also a portrait of Virginia Keyser of Salinas, California who has the record for most AIS Conventions. Guess what the record is?

All Convention featured gardens are covered starting with the Glenara Gardens on page 24 — 26; the Hildengrandt Garden on pages 28 — 30; and an extensive coverage of the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens on pages 31 — 34, and then 38 and 39. People doing things on pages 40 and 41.

Don't miss the AIS Centennial Convention Visits described in word and beautiful pictures by Jill Bonino on pages 45 and 46. 

Please also read about the Morris Arboretum on page 47, written by Jim Morris. 

There's a lot more to see and read in this edition of IRISES, either in digital or print formats. If you are an AIS member know that you will receive the print edition soon (it's in the hands of the U.S. Post Office), or if you are an e-member, then that version will be a available online soon as mentioned above. 

Happy gardening!

Mt. Pleasant Iris Farms, Part 2

By Bryce Williamson

While my first blog on this amazing garden focused on Siberian irises, this time I want to highlight some of the other beardless irises growing in the garden that Chad Harris grows and, in two cases, hybridizes.

Last year, on my first visit to Mt. Pleasant Iris Farms, I drove up Highway 14 and onto Marble Road to the manicured garden, where I parked in the shade by the barn.  Immediately I was drawn to one of the water features of the garden— a lovely pond with naturalized irises. A spring on the north hillside provides the gravity feed to run sprinklers.



 Little did I know at that moment that almost 25 years of hard work has gone into this paradise.

Chad is careful not to plant any water irises that are fertile and might release seeds that would get into the Columbia River Basin ecosystem.



Chad has spent the last 15 years working with Iris laevigata, a native to North East Asia, Russia, and Japan. As the Mt. Pleasant catalogue notes, “A true water iris, Iris laevigata will look its best growing in shallow water or a large pot with a deep reservoir filled with water. It can also thrive in a moist to wet setting such as a rain garden."

“Iris Laevigata will grow from 24 to 36 inches tall with 4 to 6 inch flowers." To date, Chad has introduced the two hybrids pictured below:

'Lakeland Ghost'

'Blue Rivulets' photo by Chad Harris

Recently, Chad has also been growing "Pseudata" seedlings. These are, to quote from the catalogue, “a cross between plants with iris pseudacorus backgrounds and iris ensata (Japanese, Hanashobu). The iris world is very fortunate that Hiroshi Shimizu shared many years of his work; finding a good pod parent ('Gubijin') so all hybridizers could explore the possibilities that this cross may bring to the garden."

Harris pseudata seedling in a clump

Harris 08SPCX D photo by Chad Harris

Harris HPIM9403 photo by Chad Harris

Harris 08SPCX D photo by Chad Harris

Harris 08SPCX F photo by Chad Harris

During the National Convention of The American Iris Society  in which this garden was part of the tour, one other interspecies hybrid attracted much attention. In a huge, husky clump, Jill Copeland’s 'Do the Math' was impressive.



A surprise in the garden was Phillip Ramare's PC-1.  Usually Pacific Coast Natives bloom early, but this nicely colored seedling was still in good bloom.

Chad Harris's introductions can be found at two sources: http://www.mtpleasantiris.com and http://aitken-garden.goodsie.com. Both Mt. Pleasant Iris Farms and Aitken’s Salmon Creek also carry a wide range of other types of beardless irises.

More on Mt. Pleasant Iris Farms to come!

Please respect the copyright on these images by Bryce Williamson and Chad Harris.

AIS National Convention 2015 -- Portland, Oregon

By Andi Rivarola

I really love the AIS conventions held at Portland, Oregon; that is why I believe that if you can only attend one AIS convention in your lifetime, make it to the Portland in 2015.  

Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden

And, since it's never too early to make plans ahead of time, I'm here to tell you that registration is open, the hotel is ready to take registrations, and the gracious hosts are preparing the gardens for your enjoyment. Click below for the latest information about the convention, such as a registration link; also information about how to make your reservations early to make sure you get a room on site; and to find out about the fantastic program that The Greater Portland Iris Society has put together for us. 

Iris In Wonderland

Just about everyone is preparing to come to Portland, Oregon, for the 2015 AIS National Convention “Iris in Wonderland 2015”. The convention dates are May 18-23, 2015. Five of the six official host gardens on tour are well known commercial gardens and have been hosts for previous conventions. Also, stay a few more days for "Another Day in the Garden," the Siberian/Species Iris Convention to be held immediately following the AIS Convention, on May 24-25. 

Mid-America Iris Garden

Mt. Pleasant Iris Farm

At the AIS National Convention in 2015, some of the most exciting commercial gardens, such as Schreiners, Mid-America, Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden, Mt. Pleasant Iris Farm, and Wildwood Iris Gardens will be in full blooming splendor during the tour.  Many of the prolific and successful iris hybridizers including Keith Keppel, Paul Black, Thomas Johnson and Terry Aitken will show you around and personally describe their innovative work and amazing creations. What can one say about that? Come join us for the Convention.

'Roy's Repeater' Spec-X

2015 AIS National Convention at Portland, OR

Hope to see you there!

Sampling Hybridizers: My Favorite Photos of Louisiana Irises Part III

By Ron Killingsworth

'Mississippi Eavesdropper' (Peter Jackson, 2011)

There are many species of irises throughout the world, and you can learn more about all of them by visiting the web site of The American Iris Society.  Our discussion today is limited to Louisiana irises, and you can quickly learn more about Louisiana irises by visiting the web pages of The Society for Louisiana Irises.

Peter Jackson of Australia has produced many beautiful Louisiana irises. 'Mississippi Eavesdropper' is certainly a great example of his work.  This flower form is very uncommon in modern Louisiana iris hybrids.  The yellow style arms standing tall matched by the same color halo around the petals makes this one of my favorite pictures and favorite irises!

'Montegut' (Joe Musacchia - 2010)

Joe Musacchia lives below New Orleans and if you pass his home you drive into the Gulf of Mexico.  Joe has recovered from several horrible hurricanes and now more and more of his hybrids are appearing each year.

'Miss Gertie's Bonnet' (Dormon Haymon, 1999)

Dormon lives south of Lafayette, LA, and although he is not active in hybridizing today, he produced many beautiful irises in the past.  This iris continues to be one of my favorites -- a beautiful iris -- a beautiful picture -- a beautiful name.  What more could you want?

'Nancy Tichborne' (Bernard Pryor, 2010)

Heather and Bernard Pryor of Australia have hybridized and introduced many award winning Louisiana irises.  I love this iris because of the yellow style arms, the green coloring at the throat of the style arms, the matching signals on all petals and the ruffling on the petals.  The color is very pleasing.

'Our Dorothy' (Bernard Pryor, 1997)

Another beautiful iris well photographed.  This iris is the pod parent or pollen parent in many recent hybrids.  It passes on some really great genes.  It remains one of my favorite Louisiana irises from year to year.

'Seminole Sunrise' (Harry Wolford, 2004)

Harry Wolford lives in Palm Bay, FL, after retiring from Ohio.  This iris is one of several in Harry's "Seminole" series and is a great garden iris with very beautiful colors.

'Shizuoka Sunrise' (Pat O'Connor, 2001)

Pat O'Connor lives in Metairie, LA, a northern suburb of New Orleans, and has produced some really wonderful irises -- most named for Louisiana landmarks.  This iris is obviously an exception to Pat's habit of naming his irises with distinctive Louisiana names.  If you want a red one, this is the one for you! 

'Starlite Starbrite' (Marvin Granger, 1985)

One of many "doubles" produced by Marvin Granger of south Louisiana.  It is my favorite double and even though it has been around quite a while, it continues to win blue ribbons and even "Queen of Show" when entered in iris shows.

'Tarnished Brass' (Frank Chowning, 1961)

Frank Chowning, Little Rock, AR, produced many hybrids during the 50's and 60's.  He liked to produce Louisiana irises that were particularly suited to colder climates.  This iris has a distinctive color and although it has the flower form of the older spidery type, it continues to be a favorite among Louisiana iris growers throughout the world.

'Twisted Sister' (Pat O'Connor, 2003)

Registered as "form twisted and fluted, stands erect", this flower is really different!  It usually lives up to its name and the "stands stand up -- falls fall down" form is one of my favorite forms.

'Wild Cajun' (Henry Rowlan, 1989)

Henry Rowlan, of north Arkansas, hybridized many irises and I love this one because of the red color and the wonderful name. 

'Word of Warning' (Heather Pryor, 2003)

Another great iris by Heather from "down under".  It has such striking signals and coordinated colors! It has 'Our Dorothy' as a parent.

I hope you have enjoyed some of these well photographed pictures of beautiful irises.  Grab that camera during bloom season and get out there and take some award winners of your own!

Aruba's Eye-Popping Clump Shots

'Amber Essence' in Brad's Garden c. Brad Collins

By Renee Fraser

We are a lucky generation of gardeners:  there are quite a number of talented photographers across the internet sharing their shots of our favorite flower.  In the days before internet sites such as Dave's Garden, All Things Plants, Gardenweb, and of course, the American Iris Society's Iris Encyclopedia, we had to anxiously await the year's catalogs from our favorite iris growing companies to drool over lovely images of irises.  So much has changed in the last few years!  So today I would like to share a few of the fine photographs of one of my internet heroes, Brad Collins (Aruba), who has designed and planted an extraordinary iris garden in Iowa and who liberally and generously shares his beautiful photographs of irises with the world on AllThings Plants and the Irises Cubit.  

'Purple Serenade' c. Brad Collins

I really love Brad's pictures because he often photographs the whole plant or a clump of irises, which gives me a better idea of what the variety will look like in the garden.  For instance, 'Petticoat Shuffle' never would have caught my eye (just another purple plicata) but Brad's clump shot sent me straight to the catalog to place the order.

'Petticoat Shuffle' c. Brad Collins

Brad became interested in photography through scuba diving, and when I complimented him on his talent, he dryly noted that taking pictures of irises is easy compared to trying to capture a three-foot-long fish moving like lightning 90 feet below water.  But I don't think it's easy to get a shot like this:

'There's No Place Like Home' c. Brad Collins

Brad comes from a long line of iris lovers.  It has become a cliché' in this blog, but once again, it was grandma who started it all.  Brad's father, Michael, also an iris lover and accomplished gardener, says that when he was a child the whole family would walk over to grandma's iris garden to eat a hearty breakfast cooked by grandpa over an open fire outside.  The scent of the first iris each spring brings those memories flooding back, and Michael is proud and happy that his son Brad caught the iris virus and is continuing the family tradition.  The first iris Brad planted in his garden was 'Stepping Out', a gift from his dad, who was given that very iris by his grandmother in 1975. 

'Drinks at Sunset' c. Brad Collins

Brad has designed several acres of gardens in Iowa.  He was inspired to plant his huge curving beds of irises after a tour of the Pacific northwest iris growers in 2009, including visits to Mid America, where he fell in love with the way the irises were set off by the conifers, roses, and small trees.  With advice and help from Paul Black, he set about creating his own Eden.  Many of his spectacular clump shots are taken in his own back yard.  He grows over 500 varieties of irises, mostly newer introductions from Paul Black, Thomas Johnson, Joe Ghio, Barry Blyth, and Keith Keppel, but many from other hybridizers as well.

Brad's garden featuring rare conifers

Year-round interest

Over 500 varieties of irises

Brad says "one of the things I enjoyed from visiting the commercial gardens on the west coast was the seedling beds, and finding something brand new in those gardens every day that I had never seen before. It was a lot of fun- I think I walked all of Schreiner's 200 acres in those few days and made numerous stops at Mid America and Keppel’s,  and I really enjoyed seeing all the new colors and patterns.  So I decided to try and make some crosses at home just to see if I could get some pods. The result was better than I had hoped and I came up with almost 40 crosses."  Over 800 plants are growing, and this year he planted 3,000 seeds.  Thank goodness his kind neighbors own a commercial garden, and they have given over part of a greenhouse for his use.  He'll need his own greenhouse soon!

Brad's Seedlings lined out

Brad has scheduled a trip to California this spring:  he will be visiting  Napa Country Iris, Joe Ghio's gardens in Monterey, and Superstition Iris Gardens this April.  I look forward to sharing his experience through his generosity with his time and talent and the wonders of the internet.  To hold you over until then, here are a few more of his wonderful clump shots.

'Catwalk Queen' c. Brad Collins

'Sweetly Sung' c. Brad Collins

'Romantic Gentleman' c. Brad Collins

Which photo will send you straight to the order forms?  Let us know below.