Monday, August 27, 2018

Eric Nies Medal 2018


The American Iris Society
Announces
The Eric Nies Medal 2018
‘Lemon Chiffon Pie’

'Lemon Chiffon Pie'--image by Jan Lauritzen

'Lemon Chiffon Pie' (Anna and David Cadd, R. 2006). Creamy yellow self; large gold signal blending to cream; ruffled. 'Media Luz' X 'Candle Lace'. Cadd's Beehive 2006. Honorable Mention 2010; Award of Merit 2014.

This medal is restricted to spuria irises. It is named in honor of Eric Nies (1884-1952). Eric Nies was born in Saugatuck, Michigan, but soon after Nies moved to California, he became interested in irises of all types. He obtained his first spuria irises from Jennett Dean, who operated one of the first iris specialist nurseries in the U.S. Spurias were his special interest. His first cross was with I. orientalis with 'Monspur’ He interbred seedlings from this cross, and in the second generation there was a virtual explosion of color: blue, lavender, brown, bronze and cream. During his lifetime, Nies was recognized as the foremost breeder of spuria irises in the world. Marion Walker took over his seedlings and breeding lines after he died in 1952.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the 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.