TALL BEARDED IRIS, OLDIES, DYKES MEDAL WINNERS BEFORE 1985

by Dawn Mumford

My focus this time will still be on the "Oldies" before 1985 but I will focus on those 'historic' irises that won the Dykes Medal.

Our iris patch in peak bloom. 

There is a lot of information about the Dykes Medal found on The American Iris Society's website, as well as a really nice slide show showing all the Dykes Medal Winners.  Just click here:

http://www.irises.org/Photo_and_Galleries/Galleries/DykesMedal_Winners.html

From the AIS website:

Dykes Memorial Medal:  First awarded in 1927, The Dykes Medal is the highest award of the AIS.  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. 

Medals:  Each year there are medals awarded to irises of each specific classification type.  This is the top award for each AIS iris classification type.  Irises are eligible as a candidate for a medal the second year after they receive an Award of Merit (AM),  One medal for each classification is given each year (except for the very popular tall bearded which awards 3 Wister Medals each year).   

Some years no award was given.  Those years were 1930, 1931, 1934, 1946, 1960, 1969, 1987, and 1985. Once an iris is eligible it is only eligible for 3 years and then is no longer eligible. It can take 17 to 21 years before an iris is eligible.

Here are the "historic" irises that won the Dykes Medal between 1958 and 1984.  

'Blue Sapphire' Schreiners Dykes Medal 1958

This iris was introduced in 1953.  It is a blue self with a light silvery color.

"Swan Ballet' by Muhlestein Dykes Medal 1959

Photo courtesy of Mike Unser

'Eleanor's Pride'  by E. Watkins Dykes Medal 1956

photo courtesy of Mike Unser

'Whole Cloth' by P. Cook Dykes Medal 1962

 Photo courtesy of Sherry Austin

'Whole Cloth' by P. Cook Dykes Medal 1962

Photo courtesy of Carlos Ayento

'Amethyst Flame"  by Schreiner Dykes Medal 1963

photo courtesy of Cathy Dudley

'Amethyst Flame' by Schreiner Dykes Medal 1963

Photo courtesy of Coleen Modra

'Allegiance' Paul Cook Dykes Medal 1964

Described as violet, ultra-marine, frosty blue.  Photographs close to true color.  Very tall in our garden.

'Pacific Panorama' by Sexton  Dykes Medal 1965
Photo courtesy of Carlos Ayento

'Rippling Waters' by Orville Fay Dykes Medal 1966

This iris is a favorite of mine because of the ruffles and flutes.  I like the contrasting beard as well.  It really was ahead of its time for form, created nearly 50 years ago.  

'Winter Olympics' Opal Brown Dykes Medal 1967 

This is one of the first of all my irises.  I received it in a trade from a friend back in 1985.  Rather simple looking, but white shows so nicely in an evening garden.  I thought that I was going to get rid of it because it was too simple (no ruffles or lace or flounces) but I think I will have to reevaluate that decision.  A few years ago I told my husband that it had to go and he transplanted it to a part of the orchard where I rarely go.  I think that it is time to bring it back.  

'Stepping Out' Schreiners Dykes Medal 1968

This iris still wins awards today.  It has form, texture, contrast, substance and more.  Lovely in a vase with yellows and whites and deeper purples.  Forty-five years old and many iris growers still include it in their catalogs. 

'Skywatch' by Benson Dykes Medal 1970
Photo courtesy of Mike Unser

'Debbie Rairdon' by Kuntz Dykes Medal 1971

Not the best picture because it was taken indoors.  Among its attributes are vigorous habit and heavy substance. 

.

'Babbling Brook' by Keith Keppel Dykes Medal 1972

This iris is described as a remarkable French blue.  It stands out in my garden.  It has veining which enhances the iris. 

'New Moon'  by Neva Sexton Dykes Medal 1973
photo courtesy of Colleen Modra

'Shipshape' by Sanford Babson Dykes Medal 1974
A massive medium blue flower that takes little care but stands out in a crowd. 

'Pink Taffeta' by Ruldolph Dykes Medal 1975
photo courtesy of Susanne Spicker

This is one of my favorite pinks.   One note however, it won't look right in a pink depression glass vase because it has too much shrimp color in it.   

 'Kilt Lilt' by Gibson Dykes Medal 1976

This ruffled and frilled plicata cries out for attention. The first plicata to win the Dykes since 'San Francisco' in 1927.  Plicatas are those irises that are stitched or stippled with a margin of color on white or dots or peppering.

'Dream Lover" by E. Tams Dykes Medal 1977
I'm always attracted to lavendars, orchids, and purples.  This iris reminds me of periwinkle- that pretty little blue/purple flower that is a ground cover. Picture below.  It has clean coloring which I love.

Photo credited to Perennials Image Gallery

'Bride's Halo' by Mohr Dykes Medal 1978

This one has a lovely precise 1/8 inch gold border around the falls, which unfortunately doesn't show well in this photo.

'Mary Frances' by Larry Gaulter Dykes Medal 1979

I spelled this wrong for years (Francis).  This grows vigorously for us and is a lovely pastel.  The graceful ruffling is beautiful. 

'Mystique' by Joe Ghio Dykes Medal 1980
This bitone (two shades of the same color) is said to be well liked by Californians (me too).

''Brown Lasso' by Buckles -Niswonger Dykes Medal 1981

Photo courtesy of Colleen Modra

Brown Lasso' by Buckles -Niswonger Dykes Medal 1981

Photo courtesy of  Gerard Sirius

'Vanity'  by Hager Dykes Medal 1982

photo courtesy of Susanne Spicker

I tend to gravitate to blues and pinks.  This one is a lovely delicate pink without any shrimp color in it. 

'Ruffled Ballet' by Elvan Roderick Dykes Medal 1983

I'm afraid this one doesn't increase well for us but the form and color is worth keeping anyway.

Another 'Ruffled Ballet' by Elvan Roderick Dykes Medal 1983

Susanne Spicker describes the falls that are wide and full as "cocker spaniel ears".  We like the generous falls on this one a lot. 

'Victoria Falls' by Schreiners Dykes Medal 1984
This one is very stunning with only one fault that I know of.  The stems are rather thin and in a wind storm they fall.

'Victoria Falls' by Schreiners Dykes Medal 1984
It made a beautiful clump for us this year. 


Do you grow any Dykes Medal winners?  Do you plant them all together in the garden or do you put them with other irises?  Which ones are your favorites?

I am very grateful to all my friends who so generously shared their photos.  They shared more photos than I had room for, so  I will do a continuation of this article in the future.

                                                  

Iris Bloom Season in Northwest Louisiana - Part 1

by Ron Killingsworth

It seems the "normal" bloom season is not the "usual" bloom season.  Bloom was late this year, very late, and when it arrived, the Dutch irises, Tall Bearded, i.virginica, Spuria irises and Louisiana irises all bloomed at the same time.  And when I say the Louisiana irises all bloomed at the same time, I mean the early, mid and late bloomers all bloomed at once.  We had a relatively short bloom but boy was it something with all the irises blooming at once!

I wanted to share some spring pictures with you.  Most of the pictures are irises but I have thrown in a few other things just to keep you interested.  Sue, my wife, increased the number of Tall Bearded irises she is growing so we had quite a few in bloom this year.

"Applause Line" Tall Bearded by Joe Ghio 2004

It is difficult to grow bearded irises in the heat of Louisiana, but Sue and I built some raised beds in an area of the side yard that is shaded from about 2 PM til dark.  We made sure the beds are well drained and are watered very little from the sprinkler system.  They seem to be doing quite well.  Time will tell.

"Blue Jean Baby" a Louisiana iris by Charles Arny 1987

 "Blue Jean Baby" is one of my favorites - it is so pretty, in part because of the name.  There is nothing prettier than "my baby" in blue jeans!  Charles Arny is no longer with us but he left a lot of beautiful irises for us to enjoy.

"Braggin Rights" a Tall Bearded iris by Tom Burseen 2004

 Sue and I love Tall Bearded irises but they just do not like the weather in Louisiana.  Too hot and too wet.  Basically the same reasons most PEOPLE do not like the weather in Louisiana!  But this is a beautiful iris and worthy of bragging about, and it is growing.

"Bullion Audit" a Louisiana iris by T. J. Betts (2003) of Australia

This is an example of a beautiful yellow iris that should be welcomed in any garden. I really like the veining and the green throat of the style arms. 

"Cedar Bayou" a Louisiana iris by K. Strawn 1993

Registered as a "violet-blue" iris, it is a beauty and a great garden iris.

"Chacahoula Fire" a Louisiana iris by Rusty McSparrin 2005

A really breathtaking iris with some fantastic coloring.  The signals are outlined in red while red veining continues to the end of the petals.  I like the color, the form -- the whole thing!

"Cherokee Rose" antique rose bush - climbing

This rose bush is a welcomed sight each spring.  It blooms early and then it is gone.  The flowers are really pristine white and beautiful.  They remind me that Easter is near.

"Colorific" a Louisiana iris by Joe Mertzweiller 1978

This is a beautiful bi-tone iris with green style arms.  Mertzweiller was a college professor and hybridized a lot of irises.  He also converted the first Louisiana iris tetraploids.

"Dixie Deb" a Louisiana iris by Frank Chowning 1950

"Dixie Deb" is an "oldie but goody".  It still wins high level awards at iris shows.  The older open form is favored by many, myself included.  That is "Dr. Dormon" in the background - see more about this iris below.

Double Poppy (We call them Marie's Poppies)

Marie Calliet was a charter member of the Society for Louisiana Irises and lived in Little Elm, TX, north of Dallas the last years of her life.  We obtained some poppy seeds from her on one of our visits to her garden and we grow them in NW Louisiana.  This is an example of a double that grows well and blooms during the Louisiana iris bloom season.

"Dr. Dormon" a Louisiana iris by Sidney Conger in 1972

This iris was named for Caroline Dormon, a famous conservationist and botanist, among other things.  She lived near Saline, LA, and started Briarwood Nature Preserve.  This is one of many irises named to honor Caroline Dormon.

"Dural White Butterfly" a Louisiana iris by John C. Taylor 1989

John Taylor has hybridized many Louisiana irises "down under".  He has produced many beautiful and award winning irises.  This iris, although registered in 1989, remains an award winning white loved by all iris lovers.

Dutch Irises

We grow many varieties of Dutch irises and they are usually the first to bloom in our gardens.  This year they bloomed quite late.

More Dutch irises in NW Louisiana

White Dutch irises growing in NW Louisiana

"Fire Alarm" a Louisiana iris by Caroline Dormon 1951

This is one of Caroline Dormon's earlier irises and is actually more red than shown in this picture.

"Elvis Dreamer" a Tall Bearded by Tom Burseen 2008

"Enviable" a Louisiana iris by M. D. Faith 2002

M. D. Faith is no longer with us but he left a legacy of beautiful Louisiana irises.  He started hybridizing late in life but that did not stop him from producing some beauties.

"Extra Dazzle" a Louisiana iris by Heather Pryor 2003

Heather Pryor and her husband Bernard have introduced many beautiful Louisiana irises.  They live "down under" and often visit the US during the American Iris Society conventions.  Heather is a blogger here on World of Irises.

I'll continue my pictorial of the bloom season in NW Louisiana with part two.  Meantime, if you are interested in growing Louisiana irises, or just want to know more about them, then visit the website at Society for Louisiana Irises.  If you want to know more about all irises, visit the website of the American Iris Society.  Hope you enjoyed the pictures.