The American Iris Society Announces the Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

'OH CANADA'

 The Cook-Douglas Medal is restricted to standard dwarf bearded (SDB) irises. It is named in honor of Paul Cook (1891-1963) and Geddes Douglas (1902-1993). Paul Cook's work with dwarf irises was truly pioneering. His early breeding of dwarf irises led to a series of I. arenaria hybrids, the most notable being 'Keepsake,' 'Tampa,' and 'Promise.' He was the first to use the true I. pumila in his breeding programs, and this resulted in the introduction of the first of the great stud irises in the standard dwarf class: 'Baria,' 'Fairy Flax,' and 'Green Spot.'

Geddes Douglas was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1902. Douglas was a chemist and businessman. In the early 1950s, he founded the Geddes Douglas Garden Center in Nashville. He became a leader in the Tennessee Nurserymen's Association, and served a term as president of the Southern Nursery Association.

Previous awards winners can be found at: https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Standard dwarf bearded iris 'OH CANADA'
Photo by George Bacon

'Oh Canada' (Thomas Johnson, R. 2015) Seedling# TE116A. Height 13 in. (33 cm). Early bloom. Standards and style arms light blue; falls blue wash, central maroon spot with white rays radiating from beard; beards yellow in throat, ends blue with white tips; slight fragrance. 'Riveting' X 'Capiche'. Introduced by Mid-America Garden in 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 on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Williamson-White Medal Winner

 'BLACK CHERRY SORBET'

The Williamson-White Medal is restricted to miniature tall bearded (MTB) irises. It is named in honor of E. B. Williamson (1877-1933), his daughter Mary Williamson (1909-1987) and Alice White (1886-1969). Although others had introduced irises that fit into the miniature tall bearded iris class before Williamson, he and his daughter were the first to breed them as cultivars in a distinctive class of irises. They were apparently byproducts of breeding for tall bearded irises. In the early 1950s, Alice White of Hemet, California began a crusade to gain recognition for the assets of these wonderful smaller irises. She organized table iris robins and wrote many articles for the AIS Bulletin and gardening magazines promoting their virtues.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Miniature tall bearded iris 'BLACK CHERRY SORBET'
photo by Heather Haley

'Black Cherry Sorbet' (Chad Harris, R. 2015) Seedling 08MTB2. MTB, 22" (56 cm). Early bloom. Standards black cherry-red (RHS 183A); style arms buckskin tan (164B); falls orchid (186C) ground heavily veined black cherry-red (187A); beards bright lemon yellow (13A); slight spicy fragrance. 'Redrock Princess' X 'Butterscotch Wine'. Introduced by Mount Pleasant Iris Farm 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 2023 Wister Medal Winners

 'BLACK LIPSTICK' - 'ROYSTON RUBIES' -

'CHIHUAHUAN DESERT'

The Wister Medal is restricted to tall bearded (TB) irises. It is named in honor of John C. Wister (1887-1982). Three medals are awarded each year. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

John C. Wister led the organizing meeting that created the American Iris Society and became its first president, a position he held for fourteen years. He guided the Society through its formative years. He was widely recognized as a man of rare management skills, leadership ability, and the highest ethical standards. R. S. Sturtevant wrote of him: "Probably few current members realize that the AIS started through the efforts and initiative of one man, John C. Wister...."

Tall bearded iris 'BLACK LIPSTICK'
photo by Jeanette Graham

'Black Lipstick' (Keith Keppel, R. 2015). Seedling# 09-104A. Height 35 in. (89 cm). Early midseason bloom. Standards black-purple; style arms dark purple (46-J-12); falls black; beards solid dark blue. Seedling# 04-95A: ('Oreo' x 'Hello Darkness') X seedling# 01-37B: ('Tangled Web' x seedling# 94-54B: (seedling# 90-82E, Oreo' pod parent sibling x 'Storm Track')). Introduced by Keith Keppel Iris in 2016.

'Royston Rubies'  (Adam Cordes, R. 2016). Seedling# C51-8. Height 32 in. (81 cm). Late midseason bloom. Standards old mauve; style arms same, honey-gold sides, lavender lip, crests toasted-brown; falls dark ruby red, black veneer overlay to the ¼˝old mauve edge, occasional slight lavender line at end of beard, faint white rays at sides of beard, mustard-orange base on shoulders; beards mustard-orange, lavender base. 'Prestige Item' X 'Cranberry Sauce'. Introduced by Mid-America Gardens in 2017.

Tall bearded iris 'CHIHUAHUAN DESERT'
photo by Howie Dash

'Chihuahuan Desert' (Howard Dash, R. 2015). Seedling# ADG 11-02-12. Height 37 in. (94 cm), Early to midseason bloom. Standards and style arms white; falls tan-violet veining over white base; beards orange, hairs based orange, tips yellow. 'Zesting Lemons' X Kelly seedling PFM-09-1: ('Pennant Fever' x 'Machismo'). Picacho Mountain Iris 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 2023 Dykes Medal Winner

'DON'T DOUBT DALTON'

First awarded in 1927, the Dykes Medal is the highest award of the American Iris Society (AIS). It is named for William Rickatson Dykes (1877-1925) and is awarded to no more than one iris per year. Irises are eligible as a Dykes medal candidate for three years following the winning of a classification medal. Only AIS registered judges may vote. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Tall bearded iris 'DON'T DOUBT DALTON' 
photo by Jeanette Graham

'Don't Doubt Dalton' (Tom Burseen, R. 2014). Seedling# 011-297A. TB, 35" (89 cm). Early to late bloom. Standards pure white, red-purple random splattering; style arms white, washed gold; falls pure white, yellow-gold washed hafts, random dark purple splatters; beards poppy orange, tattered and feathered white horns, gold stems; flared and ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. 'Miles Keith' X seedling# 09-79: (seedling# 07-167: ('Sammie's Jammies' x 'Enchanter') x 'McSeedman Sees Red'). Burseen 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 on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.