Showing posts with label miniature dwarf bearded iris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miniature dwarf bearded iris. Show all posts

Saturday, August 26, 2023

The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Caparne-Welch Medal Winner

'BLACK OLIVE'

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 'Black Olive'
photo by Mid-America Gardens

'Black Olive' 
(Paul Black) Seedling #R278E. Height 7.5 in, (19 cm). Late bloom and rebloom. Standards bronze-dark-purple, purple-black midrib and textured veins; style arms mid blue-purple crests and midribs, rose-silver edge; falls red-black, hafts slightly lighter, veined white; beards mid greyed gold in throat, light greyed gold in middle, white end. 146. Parentage 'Fido' sibling X seedling #P146: ('Wish Upon A Star' x 'Bad Intentions'). Introduced by Mid-America Gardens in 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 on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Proportion, Proportion, Proportion

 by Tom Waters

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

                —Francis Bacon

It seems like devotees of the dwarf and median irises, myself included, are always talking about proportion. All the parts of the stalk, we are told, must be in proportion: the height and width of the flowers, the height and thickness of the stalk, even the leaves. Indeed, the American Iris Society’s Handbook for Judges and Show Officials gives measurements and ratios to define proper proportion for each class.


I’d like to raise a philosophical issue about proportion, and how it relates to two iris classes in particular, the border bearded (BB) and miniature dwarf bearded (MDB). These two classes face a similar problem: most BBs are produced by crossing tall beardeds (TBs), and most MDBs are produced by crossing standard dwarf beardeds (SDBs). Since the genetic background of these classes comes mostly from a different, taller class, it is not unusual to find flowers that are large, even when the height of the stem is short. Purists are very bothered by this situation, but short irises with large flowers seem to be popular with iris lovers and even judges. Are the many people who enjoy large-flowered BBs and MDBs just wrong? Should they know better?


The philosophical issue is this: is “good proportion” objective? Is there some numerical ratio of stem, flower, and foliage that is aesthetically optimal? Or is it just in the eye of the beholder? If it is just a personal, subjective preference, then the admonitions in the Judges' Handbook start to seem a bit arrogant and elitist. The classic example of a subjective judgment becoming judging gospel is the case of haft marks. In the mid-20th century, haft markings were the “fault” that everyone seemed obsessed with in TB irises. Yet, what if I think haft marks are interesting or pretty? Is this any different than preferring yellow to blue, or preferring plicatas to selfs? The condemnation of haft marks reflects the struggles of hybridizers. In those early years, it was very difficult to breed a true, clean, self-colored iris. Haft marks seemed to always turn up and distract from the desired purity. So the frustration felt by hybridizers was transformed into an esthetic standard that was promoted as something objective and universal. Once clean selfs were achieved, then people could start to enjoy haft marks for being “something different”!

Many, many “rules” that are enshrined in the Judges' Handbook are relics of the personal goals and frustrations of earlier generations of hybridizers, even though they are presented as objective aesthetic truths. I think proportion is one of those things. I say this despite the fact that I, personally, dislike large-flowered BBs and MDBs. If a BB blooms in my garden with TB-sized blooms and thick, coarse stalks, it does not stay here another year, no matter how pretty the color or form. However, in all honesty, I have to describe this as a personal preference.

Allium karataviense

If there were some objective, universally valid, proportion of bloom to stalk that looks best to everyone, then we would expect it to apply to all kinds of plants. But in fact, we enjoy flowers with all different ratios of bloom size to stem height, without thinking twice about it. Consider two alliums I grow: A. karataviense produces enormous globular flower heads right at ground level. I enjoy it immensely. A. caeruleum produces small, airy blue flower heads on tall slender stalks. I enjoy it also. These two could not be more different. And neither has the proportion of a “good” bearded iris. In fact, I think an iris proportioned like either of the alliums would inspire revulsion in a typical iris judge.


Allium caeruleum


It may seem like I am now arguing for a free-for-all approach to proportion. If it is all subjective, why should we worry about a BB with TB-sized flowers or an MDB whose bloom is twice as wide as the height of the entire stem? Perhaps judges should focus on more objective things, like plant vigor and bud count, and let people enjoy different proportions, just as we enjoy different colors?

No, that is not the approach I favor, although I think the argument should be made from time to time to provoke thought and debate. I believe there is a good reason for harping on proportion in the dwarf and median irises, but I don’t think it has anything to do with some objective, universal standard of beauty.

'Solar Sunrise' (Black, 2019),
a BB whose proportion I like.


What then? If small-flowered BBs and MDBs are not objectively superior to large-flowered ones, why should we care at all? I think the answer lies in something else: class identity. Consider this: although they fall in the same height range, miniature tall bearded (MTBs) are “supposed” to have smaller flowers and more slender stems than BBs. If one proportion is more attractive, shouldn’t all classes aspire to that same proportion?

To most median aficionados, the answer is obvious: each class has its own aesthetic ideal. We like the fact that BBs look different from MTBs. They are like two different styles of music. In our minds, we may have a picture of the ideal, the prototype, as it were, for each class. It is these mental prototypes that give each class its identity, its center of gravity in the great sea of diversity that hybridizers have produced for us.

So I think what we are complaining about when we complain about out-of-proportion BBs or MDBs is the erosion of the identity of the class, the weakening of the mental prototype. The reason I have singled out BBs and MDBs is that the irises in these classes are mostly “spill-overs” from TBs and SDBs, respectively. There is a relentless pull on these classes to merge together with the larger classes that give rise to them. If a BB is just a TB that is short, why not call it a TB?

'Icon' (Keppel, 2008)
an MDB whose proportion I like.

Some have sought to strengthen the identity of these classes through breeding. Lynn Markham’s BBs
were produced intentionally to reinforce the distinct identity of the class. Ben Hager used a similar strategy to reinforce the identity of the MDB class. These were valiant efforts, but they were not sufficient to turn the tide. So many people are crossing TBs that the “accidental” BBs that emerge from TB crosses far outnumber the “intentional” BBs that are produced by the small number of breeders who are interested in the class as an end in itself. Exactly the same is true of the MDB class.
I wish I could end on some profound revelation or recipe for solving the conundrum of these classes, but I don’t think there is one. What it comes down to is simply this: do we (the entire iris-loving public, hybridizers, and judges) care enough about the identity of these classes to insist on maintaining their integrity? Perhaps we don’t. It’s not obvious that we “should”, after all. If we like the irises we’re growing, even when they depart from that mental prototype, maybe that is fine. Collective opinion is not something that can be easily predicted or controlled. It just is what it is.

But if nothing else, perhaps we can shift the language of the conversation a little. Instead of talking about “good” or “bad” proportion, perhaps we can talk instead of class identity. That seems more accurate and to the point.

 


Sunday, August 22, 2021

The American Iris Society Announces the 2021 Caparne-Welch Medal Winners

 'ELF ESTEEM' and 'FAIRY FIREFLY'

The Caparne-Welch Medal is restricted to miniature dwarf bearded (MDB) irises. It is named in honor of William John Caparne (1855-1940) and WalterWelch (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.

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.

‘Elf Esteem’

'Elf Esteem' (Paul Black, R. 2015) Seedling S259A. MDB, 7.5" (19 cm). Midseason to late bloom and rebloom. Standards green-white fading to white; style arms white, mid violet in heart; Falls white, dark burgundy spot bisected by white wedge stripe from beard to edge, white rays over haft surrounded by olive-brown veins; beards mid lavender; slight sweet fragrance. Seedling 0262CR, 'It’s Not Over' pollen parent, X 'Replicator'. 2015 Mid-America.

‘Fairy Firefly’

'Fairy Firefly' (Terry Aitken, R. 2016) Seedling 05M7D. MDB, 5" (13 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards brilliant orange crush orange; style arms brilliant orange; falls brilliant orange, red-orange spot, orange zonal spot at hafts; beards brilliant orange. 'Hot Coals' sibling. Salmon Creek 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 in the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

The 2018 Caparne-Welch Medal


The American Iris Society
Announces
The Caparne-Welch Medal 2018
‘KAYLA'S SONG’

'Kayla's Song'--image by Virginia Spoon

'Kayla's Song' (Donald Spoon, R. 2008). Standards lavender blue (RHS 92B); style arms same edged tan, darker at midrib; falls lavender blue, plum violet (77A) spot, darker (79B) veins; beards light lavender-blue tipped yellow orange (23A) deep in throat; slightly ruffled; slight spicy fragrance. 'Crown Of Snow' X 'My Kayla'. Winterberry 2009. Award of Merit 2015.

This 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.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day the other medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at http://irises.org/About_Irises/Awards_Surveys/AIS_Awards.html, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES. Pictures can be found at http://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards2018.

Monday, February 2, 2015

The Earliest Irises: Welcoming Spring

by Tom Waters

reticulata iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'

While I enjoy the rest and simplicity that winter brings to the garden landscape, by January or February I find myself looking ahead eagerly to spring. Most gardeners think of irises as late spring flowers, bridging the time between spring bulbs and summer perennials. But there are many wonderful irises that bloom much earlier, and help the impatient iris lover through the long wait for bloom.

I garden in what is now zone 6 in northern New Mexico. (The older USDA map had us in zone 5). Here the last frost is usually in May. Tall bearded irises bloom in late May and early June. But my iris season begins in February, or sometimes even earlier!

Reticulata Irises

Iris danfordiae
The earliest of all irises in my climate are the reticulata irises (sometimes sold as “rock garden irises”). They often bloom right through the snow! These grow from bulbs, resembling crocus corms. They bloom along with the crocuses too, which is usually March here. However, I have a warm flower bed along the southeast side of the house, where spring bulbs bloom a month or more before those in the main garden. Here the reticulata irises are in full bloom in February; in some years they begin late in January.
reticulata irises blooming in the snow

These are small flowers, about the size of crocuses, though a bit taller. Most of the widely available ones are shades of blue, violet, or purple, often with a contrasting orange or yellow stripe on the falls. The earliest of all is the yellow Iris danfordiae. This little charmer has almost no standards, the shape of the bloom being formed by its wide falls and style crests. Its bright yellow color is accented by small leaf-green dots.

reticulata iris 'Cantab'
The blue, violet and purple forms in commerce are mostly forms and hybrids of Iris reticulata and Iris histrioides. Some of my favorites are the light blue 'Cantab' and the dark blue 'Harmony'. There are also white ones, and a lovely pastel blend of sky blue, cream, and gray tones, 'Katharine Hodgkin'.

These wonderful irises are available inexpensively almost anywhere you can buy crocuses, daffodils, and tulips. In some gardens, they multiply from year to year. Elsewhere, they may dwindle away. (Planting deeply may help.) But they are inexpensively replaced and well worth it for the cheer they lend to the late winter garden. It’s surprising that they are not as widely grown as crocuses or snowdrops. They surely deserve to be!

Dwarf Bearded Irises

Iris pumila
Iris pumila
Among the more familiar bearded irises, the earliest to bloom are the miniature dwarf bearded (MDB). Although these grow from rhizomes like their tall bearded cousins, they are less than 20 cm (8 inches) In height! An established clump presents a carpet of color before the taller ones are even sending up their stalks. These are available in a wide range of colors, patterns, and flower shapes to suit every taste.

Iris pumila 'Steppe'
In my garden, the bearded iris season begins with the species Iris pumila. This little gem is native to eastern Europe, from Austria to the Caucasus. Bloom usually begins here around the beginning of April, and carries on for a full month. The dainty, perky blooms come in violet, blue, yellow, cream, and white, often with a contrasting darker spot on the falls. They have hardly any stem at all, blooming right on the ground, with the tops of the blooms just a few inches above the soil. There are some named cultivars of the species, such as the well-known 'Little Drummer Boy', 'Suslik', and 'Hobbit', as well as more recent introductions such as 'Steppe', 'Royal Wonder', and 'Wild Whispers'. To find this delightful species, you will have to turn to specialist nurseries, either iris enthusiasts are rock-garden aficionados who seek out wild plants from around the world. Beware that there is an unfortunate practice in the nursery trade of labeling any small bearded iris as “Iris pumila”; if you see such a label at a local garden center or home improvement store, it is almost certainly not the real species.
Iris pumila 'Royal Wonder'

Iris pumila comes from regions where it is cold in winter. It does fine in my garden, where winter temperatures down to around 0 F are normal, but growers in warmer-winter climates report that it does not persist well for them.

There are two similar species, Iris attica and Iris suaveolens, that come from the southern Balkans, Greece, and western Turkey. It seems these might do better in warmer gardens, but they are not widely grown. Again, you will need to seek them from specialists.


Iris suaveolens
MDB iris 'Rosa Brooks'
Easier to find are the hybrid miniature dwarfs, derived from Iris pumila but with some tall bearded irises in their ancestry as well. These tend to be a bit larger than Iris pumila, and bloom later. Their time is late April into early May in my garden. Although not commonly found at garden centers, many commercial iris growers list some of them. These are available in all the colors seen in Iris pumila, as well as other colors from their tall bearded ancestry, such as pink, orange, plicata, and sometimes contrasting red or blue beards! They are quite adaptable to different climates, although most appreciate a winter chilling.

Some favorites of mine are'Alpine Lake' (white with a gentle blue spot), 'Icon' (bright orange with a darker spot) and 'Dollop of Cream' (ruffled creamy white).

MDB iris 'Icon'


By the time the miniature dwarfs have finished, iris season is well underway, with medians and arilbreds beginning to bloom and the tall bearded not far behind.
MDB iris 'Alpine Lake'

MDB iris 'Dollop of Cream'

I do love the head start on spring these earliest irises provide, but I would grow them even if they bloomed later. Their charm and daintiness speaks to me, and I enjoy the variety and fun they add to an iris collection.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

2013 Caparne-Welch Medal Winner "Trimmed Velvet"

By Renee Fraser


The winner of the 2013 Caparne-Welch Medal for best miniature dwarf bearded reblooming iris is "Trimmed Velvet" by Donald Spoon.


'Trimmed Velvet' (Donald Spoon, R. 2006). Sdlg. 2001-52B. MDB, 6" (15 cm), EM & RE. Deep plum purple self, style arms lighter on edges, purple black spot on velvety F.; beards lavender blue tipped golden yellow in middle, orange in throat; ruffled. 'Senorita Frog' X self. Winterberry 2006. Honorable Mention 2008; Award of Merit 2011Caparne-Welch Medal 2013.

"Trimmed Velvet" Photo courtesy AIS Wiki


This 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).

For more information about median irises in general and Intermediate Bearded Irises in particular, visit the Median Iris Society Website.