by Maggie Asplet
For this article I was going to be a little nostalgic as I so missed my trip to Thomas Johnson at Mid-America Iris Garden, the visits to Lynda Miller’s of Millers Manor, the wonderful visits to Chad Harris at Mt Pleasant Irises, but Melissa and Bailey from Smokin’ Heights beat me to that…
via A Treasure From The Past – Jean Stevens — World of Irises
By Ron Killingsworth
Louisiana Iris ‘Adell Tingle’The real Adell Tingle surrounded by the irises that she loved ‘Adell Tingle’ (Hutchins, B 2006 LA) was the first iris we produced from hybridizing. It was named for my mother’s sister, Aunt Adell. Adell attended many Louisiana iris conventions and was an expert on plants native to Louisiana. Clump of Louisiana Iris ‘Her Highness’This picture shows…
By Kevin Vaughn
Amoenas and variegatas have long been favorites of iris growers. The early amoenas and variegatas were all derived from I. variegata and had many problems associated with that species, chiefly very veined hafts, and a pattern of striped falls rather than solid ones. Breeders were persistent in their work, despite poor germination of…
via Did We Give Up on the Recessive Amoenas too Early? — World of Irises
By Bryce Williamson
My second stop on the 2019 tour of iris gardens in Oregon and Washington was the garden of Keith Keppel in Salem. For many years, Keith Keppel’s garden in Stockton was a must visit destination. With his retirement from the US post office, Keith made the huge move to Salem, Oregon. While he was…
By Sylvain Ruaud In Italy iris hybridizing is not a new activity. But as you are about to find out, over the years it has taken its own — very original — dimension. Everywhere else in Europe it is men who have dedicated their lives to irises, certainly with enthusiasm and passion, but also as a…
By Ron Killingsworth and Patrick O’ConnorWhere, oh where, did that name originate? Iris names have always intrigued me. Some names are easy to figure out. Others defy reason. Another interesting subject is people’s names. Where in the world did the parents get the name they stuck on that poor child? Have you often wondered that? That subject…
via Louisiana Iris Names – Where did the hybridizer find that name? — World of Irises
Congratulations to Mike Sutton and Sutton Iris Garden!
The American Iris Society Announces the 2019 Dykes Medal Winner ‘Bottle Rocket’ (Mike Sutton 2009)
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…
Editor’s Note: In recent blogs, Bryce Williamson wrote how the first good pink plicata, April Melody (Iris Stories: April Melody and Iris Stories: April Melody 2), expanded the range of colors in that group. Today’s hybridizers have been combining plicata patterns with other tall bearded iris patterns, taking plicata irises in new and exciting directions. Keith Keppel…
By Bryce Williamson In “Iris Stories: ‘April Melody,’” I wrote about the hard work over many years Jim Gibson put into the creating of the iris. Being so difficult to achieve a good pink plicata flower, it was much to everyone’s surprise that ‘April Melody’ proved to be a prolific parent from him, leading to the…
For the Love of Iris 