IRISES Fall 2018 by JFM Publishing—(585) magazine / (585) Kids / Upstate Gardeners' Journal

CONVENTION COVERAGE

The Bulletin of the American Iris Society

Volume 99, No. 4

Fall 2018

Newsstand price $9.95 US www.irises.org

AIS 2018 Award

THE JOHN C. WISTER MEDAL WINNER

‘Notta Lemon’ (Tom Burseen 2010, TB) ,

‘Bottle Rocket’ (Michael Sutton 2009, TB)

perry dyer

THE JOHN C. WISTER MEDAL WINNER

KNOWLTON MEDAL WINNER

‘Strawberry Shake’ (Keith Keppel 2012, TB) ,

mike sutton

‘Sheer Excitement’ (Richard Tasco 2011, BB)

keith keppel

AIS Bulletin

rick tasco

Fall 2018

Winners Gallery

THE WILLIAMSON-WHITE MEDAL WINNER ‘Holiday In Mexico’ (Riley Probst 2012, MTB) ,

‘My Cher’ (Paul Black 2012, SDB)

riley probst

THE CAPARNE-WELCH MEDAL WINNER ‘Kayla’s Song’ (Donald Spoon 2009, MDB) ,

THE COOK-DOUGLAS MEDAL WINNER paul black

THE CLARENCE G. WHITE MEDAL WINNER ‘Byzantine Ruby’ (Lowell Baumunk 2009, AB)

ginny spoon

lowell baumunk

2018 Award Winners Gallery continued on page 16

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

IRISES: The Bulletin of the American Iris Society Volume 99, No. 4, Series No. 391, Fall 2018

Contents

2018 AIS AWARDS

DEPARTMENTS 5 Insurance 9 Bulletin Board 20 Section Happenings compiled by Phyllis Wilburn 21 AIS & Section Convention News 22 International Iris News compiled by Bruce Filardi 25 Youth Views by Cheryl Deaton 28 Remembering Friends by Jim Morris Front Cover: The Dykes Medal Winner ‘Haunted Heart’ (Keith Keppel 2010, TB)

, mike sutton

Back Cover: The Fred And Barbara Walther Cup ‘Black Lipstick’ (Keith Keppel 2016, TB) , keith keppel

FEATURES

2 AIS 2018 Award Winners Gallery 10 AIS 2018 Awards 17 AIS 2020 Centennial Issue Call for Content by Kathleen Sonntag

18 2019 AIS Spring Convention 24 Photo Tip #2: Ready for Your Close-up?

IN EVERY ISSUE 5 Editor’s Message / Errata 6 Officers/Masthead/Membership info 8 AIS President’s Message by Gary White 29 Donations 39 Photo Credits 48 Directory (includes committees, RVPs & sections) 49 Section Membership Rates 50 AIS Storefront 52 Shopping Section 57 Advertising Rates

by Neil Houghton

30 Coming to Terms with Arilbred Medians by Tom Waters; Reprint from The Medianite 2018 40 The Big Dig at the Mesilla Valley Iris Society by Scarlett Ayres 44 ImprovingYour Garden Soil by Wilbur L. Bluhm; Reprint from Tall Talk 2002

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Editor’s Message

JANE MILLIMAN, NEW YORK

Greetings, irisarians! This issue is small(ish) but mighty—in addition to the features that run in every issue, we have some science (“Coming to Terms with Arilbred Medians”), some club advice (“The Big Dig...”), some garden wisdom (“Improving Your Garden Soil”), and another of Neil Houghton’s great photo Editor Jane Milliman tips. Not every article will , tracy gugel be of interest to every reader, but every article will be of interest to someone.

My point is that whatever you know, whatever you are good at, please share it with your fellow club members by writing about it for IRISES. Even if you feel that there are folks out there who know more than you do about a particular topic—and it is certainly true that everyone knows more about something than each of us—that doesn’t mean that your experience won’t be helpful to someone. So if you have a great idea, pitch it! Congratulations to all of the 2018 AIS Awards winners! And special thanks to Keith Keppel for breeding the Dykes Medal winner, ‘Haunted Heart’, and the Walther Cup winner, ‘Black Lipstick’, the irises that grace our two covers this issue, to both feature that gorgeous purple..it made choosing our issue’s color scheme a breeze! Thanks, as always, for reading—

Connect with us! Subscribe to News & Notes OMISSIONS AND ERRATA From the Spring 1018 IRISES: Page 29 ‘Renaissance Place’ photo caption hybridizer should have been Anton Mego, not Gerald Richardson.

Join the AIS crowd on Facebook! Visit our website irises.org

From the Summer 1018 IRISES: Page 15 Future Section Conventions, Median Iris Society: the convention headquarters is in Oklahoma City, OK, not Hunt Valley, MD. See page 21 in this issue for correct headquarter information.

World of Irises, the AIS Blog theamericanirissociety.blogspot.com Follow us on Twitter irises@janemilliman.com

Insurance Below are instructions for obtaining Certificates of Insurance when required by the venue where an event is being held. Please be aware I DO NOT obtain the certificates of insurance for the local clubs, etc. It is the responsibility of the club, etc. hosting the event to obtain the necessary Certificate of Insurance. To obtain a Certificate of Insurance go to www.irises.org. Click on the Member Services link and then click on AIS Insurance and you will be taken to the page that has the instructions for obtaining the necessary Certificate. The form can either be downloaded and faxed to the number

shown or it can be completed electronically and sent via email. There is a statement that says “Is Certificate Holder requested to be named as an additional insured?” If you only need to show proof of insurance, circle No. If the venue needs to be named as an additional insured, circle Yes. As always, if there are any problems associated with obtaining the needed Certificate, or if you have any questions in general regarding insurance, please contact me at either 928-282-5867, or sammygiz@aol.com. —Michelle Snyder, Insurance Chair

Deadlines for receiving materials are February 15 (Spring Issue), June 15 (Summer Issue), September 15 (Fall Issue), and December 15 (Winter Issue). All images must be submitted electronically in a minimum 300 dpi resolution for publication. Failure to provide quality images at time of submission may result in those images not being published. Manuscripts should be submitted via email in MS Word format without excess formatting and nonstandard fonts. The editor reserves the right to schedule submissions for the appropriate issue regardless of the date of submission.

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

The American Iris Society is a non-profit institution incorporated February 2, 1927, in the County of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania. By the terms of the Charter, the Corporation has no stockholders and exists for the sole purpose of promoting the culture and improvement of the Iris.

OFFICERS

President: Gary White 701 Old Cheney Road, Lincoln, NE, 68512 402-421-6394 • in2iris@yahoo.com

IRISES: The Bulletin of the American Iris Society is issued and published quarterly by the American Iris Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Federal tax ID 43-0727372. *All editorial inquiries should be addressed to the Editor, irises@janemilliman.com. Reproduction in whole or in part of the publication including photos, articles, clipart and logos without the expressed, written permission of the editor is strictly prohibited. Such permission is hereby granted to the publications of the AIS Sections and Cooperating Societies, and to the publications of the AIS Regions and Affiliates.

First Vice-President: Jody Nolin 5184 County Road 20, Rushsylvania, OH 43347 614-507-0332 • jody.nolin@gmail.com Second Vice-President: Andi Rivarola 5654 Murietta Ave., Valley Glen, CA 91401 818-802-4188 • andinsky@gmail.com

Views expressed herein are those of the authors and contributors and do not necessarily represent those of the editor or The American Iris Society, its officers or members. The mention of any equipment, product, plants, companies or organization in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by The American Iris Society.

Secretary: Michelle Snyder 225 Sky Line Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336 928-282-5867 • aissecretary@irises.org Treasurer: Dwayne Booth 6117 150th Place SW, Edmonds, WA 98026 425-971-5607 • aistreasurer@irises.org fax: 480-248-2154

All rights in submissions sent to IRISES or its agents acting as officers of The American Iris Society will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes. The editor retains the right to edit all submissions, and may provide editorial comment. Compliance with this policy is assumed at submission by the author, editor, and all other agents acting as officers of The American Iris Society.

Immediate Past President: Jim Morris 682 Huntley Heights, Ballwin, MO 63021 636-256-3927 • morrisje1@aol.com

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS:

Registrar/Recorder: John I. and Joanne Prass-Jones 35572 Linda Drive, Fremont, CA 94536 510-795-9723 • aisregistrar@irises.org Membership Secretary: Tom Gormley PO Box 177, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130 386-277-2057 • aismemsec@irises.org

Printed at Sundance Press, Tucson, AZ

Publication Sales Director: John/Kay Ludi 35071 SE Hwy 211, Boring, OR 97009 503-826-8808 • aisstore@irises.org Recording Secretary: Claire Schneider 101 Steffy Lane, Ramona, CA 92065 760-331-8694 • Itsaclearday.claire@gmail.com

DIRECTORS:

Past Presidents: Ronald Mullin, James Rasmussen, Dave Niswonger, Terry Aitken, Jeanne Clay Plank, Judy Keisling Terms expiring in 2018: Alverton Elliott, Bob Pries, Lois Rose, Phyllis Wilburn

IRISES (ISSN 0747-4172) is published quarterly by The American Iris Society, Publishing Office, P.O. Box 177, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130-0177. Periodical postage paid at DeLeon Springs, FL and at additional mailing offices.

Terms expiring in 2019: Claire Schneider, Dawn Boyer, Howie Dash, David Cupps Terms expiring in 2020: Jill Bonino, John Ludi, Gerry Snyder, Anita Moran RVP Representative: Gary K. Slagle II (RVP Region 3) 59 S. Market St., Gibbstown, NJ 08027-1423 856-423-4477 • garyslagle@comcast.net

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to IRISES: The Bulletin of the American Iris Society, P.O. Box 177, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130-0177.

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

AIS Membership Information

Editor: Jane Milliman 390 Hillside Ave., Rochester, NY 14610 585-733-8979 • irises@janemilliman.com

(see page 49 for section membership information)

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP RATES Annual Single: $30.00 / Dual: $35.00 Triennial Single: $70.00 / Dual: $85.00 Life Single: $1000.00 / Dual: $1500.00

Obituaries Editor: Jim Morris 682 Huntley Heights, Ballwin, MO 63021 636-256-3927 • morrisje1@aol.com International Iris News Editor: Bruce Filardi 4244 NE Royal Court, Portland, OR 97213-1668 bfilardi@comcast.net

SENIOR LIFE (AGE 65+) 15% discount. (For Dual Senior Life, both members must be 65 or older.) 15% Senior Discount applies only to Life Membership.

Advertising Editor: Dawn Boyer 1900 Daws Drive, Amarillo, TX 79124 806-881-9775 • dawn.boyer@yahoo.com Scientiﬁc Liaison: Robert Hollingworth 124 East Sherwood Road, Williamston, MI 48895 cyberiris@att.net

YOUTH RATES (UNDER AGE 19) Youth, without Bulletin: $8.00 Youth, with Bulletin: $12.00

Image Coordinator: Neil Houghton 3873 Rush Mendon Rd., Mendon, NY 14506 585-301-8256 • neil.houghton@me.com

OVERSEAS RATES Annual Single: $35.00 / Dual: $40.00 Triennial Single: $75.00/ Dual: $90.00

AIS 2020 Centennial Editorial Board Managing Editor: Kathleen Sonntag 1521 Williams Avenue, Belmont, CA 94002 831-626-4151 • irises2020editor@gmail.com NON-EDITORIAL MATTERS Membership, Dues, Missing Bulletins: Tom Gormley PO Box 177, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130 Phone/fax: 386-277-2057, Cell phone: 314-607-1323 AISMemsec@irises.org

May be paid by check, VISA, or Mastercard. Overseas memberships include bulk air mail to country of destination followed by first class postage within the country, and is payable in U.S. currency.

Business matters of the Society: Michelle Snyder 225 Sky Line Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336, 928-282-5867 AISSecretary@irises.org SECTION EDITORS Dave & Deb Miller MIS • miller42@aol.com Bob Hollingworth SSI • cyberiris@att.net Darol Jurn SIS • djurn@prodigy.net Margaret Spence SJI • sjieditor@gmail.com Carole Buchheim RIS • cbuchheim@gmail.com Gareth Winter PCNI • wintergareth53@gmail.com Rodney Barton SIGNA • rbartontx@yahoo.com Nancy McDonald HIPS • editor@historiciris.org Jaime Cloud SLI • jaimeclouddesigns@gmail.com Kathy Wade NIS • nisnewsletter@yahoo.com

COOPERATING SOCIETY EDITORS Carolyn Ash ASI • carolyn.ash7@gmail.com ‘Perry Dyer’ (Paul Black 2017, AB, OGB-)

Judy Nunn TBIS • Nunnjk@comcast.net

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

mid-america garden

GARY WHITE, NEBRASKA

AIS President’s Message It has been my privilege to serve the American Iris Society as the 28th president to do so after its founding in 1920 in New York City. I think that we can safely now say that the formation of AIS nearly 99 years ago was a great idea. Somewhere along the way, the AIS board of directors voted to limit the terms of their presidents to three years. I’m not exactly sure what prompted that decision, but it was another great idea. John Wister, the first AIS president, served in this job for 14 years, and Dr. Harry H. Everett, the second president, served for five years. After that, the president’s job varied from two to four years through a few terms, but finally was restricted to three years. I know that times are very different and the society itself is different than in the first two decades of its existence, but might I say that I have great respect for John Wister.

“Everything has to come to an end, sometime.” —L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz So, it’s time for my term as president of this society to end at the close of the fall board meeting in Portland, Oregon on November 3rd. At that meeting, Jody Nolin will receive the president’s gavel and, with her officers and board, will guide this venerable society through the next three years and into its second century. We are lucky to have Jody at the helm and I am looking forward to the next chapter opening for the AIS during her administration… no pressure, Jody. It is the thousands of members of this society who make it what it is. Many people willingly giving of their time, energy, talents, and personal expense provide the necessary work of this organization. And that holds true for the 13 Sections and Cooperating Societies, the 22 Regions and nearly 160 affiliates as well. Without those thousands of volunteers across the decades, serving on local and regional and national offices and boards, we would not be planning to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the American Iris Society.

Information documentation and communication of that information are two of the important functions of any organization such as ours. Over the past three years, there are a number of ways that AIS has worked to increase information resources and to improve communication to our members and the public. We have authorized a new website and you will be hearing more about that in the next few months from Electronic Services. AIS educational programs are now free to iris clubs and AIS members. These programs are being updated and expanded and new ones are being developed. Contact Neil Houghton at images@irises.org for information on these programs. Photos are now part of the iris registration process, and Neil Houghton is managing those photo archives as well. This requirement is new in the past year and will improve image services as registration photos are received and archived. An online library, the AIS Hager/DuBose Memorial Online Library, is active and expanding and is accessible through the Iris Encyclopedia. This online library already contains thousands of articles, books, catalogs and videos. For more information about this online library, contact Bob Pries at robertpries@ embarqmail.com. Items that are still under copyright and cannot be included in the online library may be found in or added to the physical library in Molalla, Oregon. Future publications will include centennial supplements to IRISES in 2020. The four supplements will be mailed to AIS members and available to e-members of record in 2020. Please consider submitting articles, notes, and photos for this supplemental publication. A call for these centennial articles and information is included in this issue of IRISES. Kathleen Sonntag is editor of the centennial supplements. For the past two years, we have been holding six to eight electronic AIS board meetings in addition to the convention spring board meeting, all open to AIS members and to the public. These are typically held on the fourth Wednesday evening of most months, except for convention months, November and December. Check the AIS website for updates and contact information. Of course, in addition to this publication, IRISES, other information sources are continuing. News

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Bulletin Board and Notes continues to expand and increase its readership. This monthly online publication is free to AIS members, and is full of society reminders and links to all sorts of Iris information. Contact Wayne Messer or Bob Pries to subscribe if you aren’t now receiving News and Notes. There are far too many people for me to individually acknowledge in this space. I sincerely thank the AIS officers, administrative officers, directors, and all the committee chairpeople for their service, dedication and friendship. A few that I have worked closely with deserve special notice, however. The advice and guidance by Jim Morris, Jody Nolin, and Andi Rivarola is truly immeasurable. I could not have done this job without the help and reminders and dedication of Michelle Snyder...thank you! Finally, Jeanne Clay Plank has been a mentor to me for quite a few years…it was during Jeanne’s term as AIS president that I was elected to the AIS board, never thinking then that one day I would succeed the likes of Jeanne, then Roy Epperson, Judy Keisling, and Jim Morris. Those four past presidents, along with Bob Plank, are most responsible for my being where I am in this organization…it’s all your fault. Since this is my last letter as AIS president, let me say that the most gratifying part of being a member of the American Iris Society has been the many friends that I’ve met through the years; whether at home in Lincoln and Region 21, or in sections (I’ve been a member of all of them and president of HIPS), or through the AIS Foundation, or traveling to other regions, visiting gardens and hybridizers, or going to conventions…iris friends are the very best! I will be around, on the board for another three years, and I will be supporting AIS, of course. I hope to see many of you at the 2019 convention in San Ramon in April, and at the 2020 convention and 100th Anniversary Celebration in Newark and New York City. Thank you for the honor of serving as president of this wonderful society.

ONLINE LIBRARY Thanks to two editors I now have two current newsletters from two affiliates in the online library. Spread the word to affiliate editors that If they would like their newsletters archived in the online library to send them to robertpries@embarqmail.com. Back issues would be great also! —Bob Pries, Encyclopedia Manager, North Carolina STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP 1. Publication Title

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Publications)

Irises The Bulletin of the American Iris Society

4. Issue Frequency

2. Publication Number _

5. Number of Issues Published Annually

Quarterly

7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer) (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4 ®)

American Iris Society PO Box 177 DeLeon Springs, FL 32130

3. Filing Date

10/02/2018 6. Annual Subscription Price

$30.00 Contact Person

Thomas Gormley

Telephone (Include area code)

386-277-2057

8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer)

American Iris Society PO Box 177 DeLeon Springs, FL 32130

9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor (Do not leave blank) Publisher (Name and complete mailing address)

American Iris Society PO Box 177 DeLeon Springs, FL 32130

Editor (Name and complete mailing address)

Jane Milliman 390 Hillside Ave Rochester, NY 14610-9514

Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address)

10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address.) Full Name Complete Mailing Address

The American Iris Society

PO Box 177 DeLeon Springs, FL 32130

No stockholders The American Iris Society is a 501 c 3 nonprofit

11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. If none, check box x None Full Name

Complete Mailing Address

12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates) (Check one) The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months Has Changed During Preceding 12 Months (Publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement) PS Form 3526, July 2014 [Page 1 of 4 (see instructions page 4)] PSN: 7530-01-000-9931

PRIVACY NOTICE: See our privacy policy on www.usps.com.

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

AIS 2018 Awards

The American Iris Society is pleased to announce our 2018 award winners. Congratulations to all! THE DYKES MEDAL All iris classes, originated in US or Canada (Total votes cast = 374) 35 Haunted Heart - TB Iris - (Keith Keppel) Runners Up: 34 Sharp Dressed Man - TB Iris - (Thomas Johnson) 24 Sari’s Dance - MTB Iris - (Ginny Spoon) 18 Reckless Abandon - TB Iris - (Keith Keppel) 17 Ginger Twist - SIB Iris - (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks) 17 Snapshot - TB Iris - (Thomas Johnson) 17 Temporal Anomaly - TB Iris - (Richard Tasco) THE JOHN C. WISTER MEDAL Tall Bearded irises (Total votes cast = 951) 51 Notta Lemon (Tom Burseen) 38 Bottle Rocket (Michael Sutton) 37 Strawberry Shake (Keith Keppel) Runners Up: 35 Daring Deception (Thomas Johnson) 35 Insaniac (Thomas Johnson) 31 Spice Trader (John Painter) 30 Better Than Butter (Paul Black) 26 Double Platinum (Joseph Ghio) THE KNOWLTON MEDAL Border Bearded irises (Total votes cast = 184) 53 Sheer Excitement (Richard Tasco) Runners Up: 39 Banded Rose (J. T. Aitken) 27 Bohemian Rhapsody (Frederick Kerr) 27 Devil’s Waltz (Lynn Markham) 25 Whoopsidaisy (Jim Hedgecock) 13 Dance Card (Keith Keppel) THE HANS AND JACOB SASS MEDAL Intermediate Bearded irises (Total votes cast = 216) 59 Cat In The Hat (Paul Black) Runners Up: 56 Bahama Blues (Michael Sutton) 39 Soleil (Marky Smith) 36 Backlit Beauty (Richard Tasco) 25 Intoxicating (Paul Black)

THE WILLIAMSON-WHITE MEDAL Miniature Tall Bearded irises (Total votes cast = 237) 95 Holiday In Mexico (Riley Probst) Runners Up: 67 Hoosier Belle (Charles Bunnell) 40 Florence French (Mona French) 34 In My Veins (Charles Bunnell) THE COOK-DOUGLAS MEDAL Standard Dwarf Bearded irises (Total votes cast = 247) 50 My Cher (Paul Black) Runners Up: 23 Teagan (Donald Spoon) 20 Giggles And Grins (Carol Coleman) 20 Raspberry Ice (Keith Keppel) 17 Bombay Sapphire (Paul Black) 17 Pulsator (Thomas Johnson) THE CAPARNE-WELCH MEDAL Miniature Dwarf Bearded irises (Total votes cast = 114) 33 Kayla’s Song (Donald Spoon) Runners Up: 27 Be Brief (Paul Black) 27 Miniseries (Keith Keppel) 17 Keep Off (Paul Black) 10 Brevity (Keith Keppel) THE CLARENCE G. WHITE MEDAL Aril irises and arilbred irises with at least 50% aril content (Total votes cast = 104) 33 Byzantine Ruby (Lowell Baumunk) Runners Up: 31 Rare Breed (Richard Tasco) 23 Bhutan (Richard Tasco) 16 Fire In The Hole (Peter Mcgrath) THE WILLIAM MOHR MEDAL Arilbred irises with less than 50% but at least 25% aril content (Total votes cast = 115) 32 Sri Lanka (Thomas Johnson)

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Runners Up: 24 Babylon Prince (Lowell Baumunk) 24 Parable (Thomas Johnson) 19 Golden Compass (Thomas Johnson) 16 Flecks And Specks (Paul Black)

THE ERIC NIES MEDAL Spuria irises (Total votes cast = 118) 35 Lemon Chiffon Pie (Anna & David Cadd) Runners Up: 31 Missouri Copper Mine (Jesse Emmons) 22 Some Say It’s Pink (Lee Walker) 21 Comanche Moon (Charles Jenkins by Jim Hedgecock)

THE FOUNDERS OF SIGNA MEDAL Species irises (Total votes cast = 94) 24 Wildwood Willie (Michael Iler by Will Plotner) Runners Up: 22 Born To Be Wild (J. T. Aitken) 19 Sun Moon Lake (B. Leroy Davidson, deceased, by Carla Lankow) 18 Doubly Stylish (Barbara & David Schmieder) THE RANDOLPH PERRY MEDAL Inter-species hybrid (SPEC-X) irises (Total votes cast = 117) 30 Take No Sato (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner) Runners Up: 25 China In Springtime (O. D. Niswonger) 23 Ryugan (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner) 20 Date With Destiny (Paul Black) 19 Yukiyanagi (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner) THE SYDNEY B. MITCHELL MEDAL Pacific Coast Native irises (Total votes cast = 47) 17 Pacific Tapestry (J. T. Aitken) Runners Up: 9 Da Vinci Code (Joseph Ghio) 8 Line Drawing (Joseph Ghio) 7 Northwest Sunset (Patrick Spence) 4 Multiplicity (Joseph Ghio) 2 Area Code (Joseph Ghio) THE MARY SWORDS DEBAILLON MEDAL Louisiana irises (Total votes cast = 143) 32 Deja Voodoo (Patrick O’Connor) Runners Up: 24 Dark Dude (Ron Betzer) 18 Michigan Belle (Jill Copeland) 17 Edna Grace (Heather Pryor) 16 Blue Splatter (Wayland Rudkin) 13 Lafayette Moon (Hooker Nichols) THE MORGAN-WOOD MEDAL Siberian irises (Total votes cast = 184) 83 Miss Apple (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks)

Fall 2018

Runners Up: 36 Cape Cod Boys (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks) 33 How Audacious (Robert Hollingworth) 32 Encore Performance (Robert Hollingworth)

THE PAYNE MEDAL Japanese irises (Total votes cast = 98) 18 Kimono Silk (Bob Bauer/John Coble) Runners Up: 17 Bob’s Choice (Jill Copeland) 17 Cascade Rain (Chad Harris) 16 Dalle Whitewater (Chad Harris) 15 Angelic Choir (Chad Harris) 15 Evelyn White (John White) THE FRED AND BARBARA WALTHER CUP (Most HM votes in any category) 75 Black Lipstick - TB Iris - (Keith Keppel) Runners Up: 60 Black Cherry Sorbet - MTB Iris - (Chad Harris) 57 Ghirardelli Square - TB Iris - (Keith Keppel) 55 Flash Mob - TB Iris - (Keith Keppel) 50 Candy Basket - MTB Iris - (Chad Harris) 48 Ninja Warrior - TB Iris - (Lynda Miller) TB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 3957) 57 Tijuana Taxi (Douglas Kanarowski) 50 Good Morning Sunshine (Thomas Johnson) 45 Fire And Ice (Paul Black) 39 Gambling Man (Keith Keppel) 36 Cow Patty (Tom Burseen) 35 Arrivederci (Keith Keppel) 35 Jelly Bean Parade (Douglas Kanarowski) 34 Storm Rider (Richard Tasco) 33 Core Values (Joseph Ghio) 33 Edge Of Heaven (Thomas Johnson) 33 Rare Coin (Joseph Ghio) 30 Berserk (Thomas Johnson) 30 Grateful Red (Schreiner) 30 Waterline (Keith Keppel) 30 Why Be Normal (Thomas Johnson) 29 Global Crossing (Robert Van Liere)

AIS Bulletin

AIS 2018 Awards TB AWARD OF MERIT cont. 28 Brouhaha (Joseph Ghio) 28 Die Laughing (Paul Black) 27 Dewuc Whatic (Tom Burseen) 27 Gloriafied Glenn (Tom Burseen) 27 Sings With Frogs (Douglas Kanarowski) 26 Boston Cream (Keith Keppel) 26 Prissy Christy (Tom Burseen) 26 Redneck Girl (Schreiner) 26 Spiral Galaxy (Joseph Ghio) 26 Strawberry Freeze (Thomas Johnson) 26 Wishes Granted (Keith Keppel) Runners Up: 25 Care To Dance (Schreiner) 25 Fancy Ideas (Keith Keppel) 25 Golden Snitch (Robert Skaggs) 25 Ready For My Closeup (Paul Black) 24 Beth’s Blessings (Tom Burseen) 24 Betty Ford (Frederick Kerr) 24 Men Are From Mars (Paul Black) 24 Midnight Toccata (Frederick Kerr) 24 Patchwork Puzzle (Thomas Johnson) 24 Yours Truly (Joseph Ghio) 23 Alessandra’s Gift (Bryan Spoon by Donald Spoon) 23 American Original (Richard Tasco) 23 Bratislavan Prince (Anton Mego) 23 Calizona Gold (Margie Valenzuela) 23 Cher And Cher Alike (Paul Black) 23 Clydesdale (Marky Smith) 23 Common Thread (Thomas Johnson) 23 Coralina (Thomas Johnson) 23 Girl Gone Wild (Thomas Johnson) 23 Jazz Queen (Barbara Nicodemus) 23 Lady Leigh (Larry Lauer) 23 Mayan Mysteries (Robert Van Liere) 23 Three Part Harmony (Paul Black) 23 Urban Cowgirl (Schreiner) BB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 313) 45 What’s New Pussycat (Paul Black) 44 Boy Genius (Joseph Ghio) Runners Up: 37 Grapenut (Michael Sutton) 32 Dark Wonder (Richard Tasco) 30 Blueberry Treats (Lynda Miller) 26 Rustler’s Rhapsody (Paul Black) 25 Art Glass (Keith Keppel) IB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 361) 41 Code Of Honor (Thomas Johnson) 40 Witty (Paul Black)

Runners Up: 37 Safari Sunrise (Keith Keppel) 34 Dog And Pony Show (Paul Black) 33 Lakota (Marky Smith) 26 Apple Crisp (Paul Black) 26 Rust Never Sleeps (Larry Lauer)

MTB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 271) 76 Breakfast In Bed (Charles Bunnell) 54 Plum Happiness (Lynda Miller) Runners Up: 51 Speckled Spring (Stephanie Markham) 43 Pixel Packin’ Mama (Barbara & David Schmieder) 31 Cotillion Ball (Thomas Johnson) 16 Huggable You (Paul Black) SDB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 787) 62 Stop And Stare (Thomas Johnson) 33 Beckoning (Thomas Johnson) 29 Going In Circles (Paul Black) 27 Bluebeard’s Gold (Michael Sutton) 27 Brash And Sassy (Thomas Johnson) 26 Oh So Sweet (Paul Black) Runners Up: 24 Decorum (Keith Keppel) 24 Fairy Fireworks (J. T. Aitken) 22 Coyote Moon (Richard Tasco) 22 Lovable Pink (Paul Black) 21 Love Bites (Hugh Stout) 21 Orange Obsession (Paul Black) MDB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 120) 46 Black Olive (Paul Black) 45 Hot Coals (J. T. Aitken) Runners Up: 29 Alas (Thomas Johnson) AR & AB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 113) 46 Shaman’s Magic (Richard Tasco) 35 Alakazam (Richard Tasco) Runners Up: 30 New Vision (Richard Tasco) AB AWARD OF MERIT (No Award for AB >25%, <50% Aril; Only One Candidate) SPECIES AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 131) 56 Sushi (Jill Copeland) 38 Blue Rivulets (Chad Harris)

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

AIS 2018 Awards Runners Up: 26 Forest Haimati (Anita Moran) 11 Exeter (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks) INTERSPECIES AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 115) 33 Yarai (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner) 28 Kurokawa-Noh (J. T. Aitken) Runners Up: 22 Just Dotty (Bruce Filardi) 18 Roy’s Baby (J. T. Aitken) 14 China Mauve (O. D. Niswonger) CA AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 72) 20 Corralitos Creek (Joseph Ghio) 9 Saltspring Sunburst (Joyce Prothero) Runners Up: 7 Dracularity (Deborah Cole) 6 Air Waves (Joseph Ghio) 6 This Is It (Lois Belardi by Joseph Ghio) 5 Costanoa (Joseph Ghio) 5 Pacific Pixie (J. T. Aitken) LA AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast =252) 59 When Pigs Fly (Patrick O’Connor) 49 Watermelon Wizard (Hooker Nichols) Runners Up: 39 Melody Wilhoit (Hooker Nichols) 19 Lady Of Lometa (Jim Landers) 12 Ride For Dixie (M. & J. Wilhoit) 11 Katrina Dog (Patrick O’Connor) 11 Texas Toast (Joseph Mertzweiller, deceased, by Marie Caillet) SIB AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 283) 34 Hail To The Chief (Robert Hollingworth) 31 Fisherman’s Fancy (James Copeland) Runners Up: 28 Lemon Mousse (Robert Hollingworth) 26 Butterscotch Fizz (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 24 Blueberry Brandy (Bob Bauer/John Coble) 24 Cream Of Tomato (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks) 18 My Girl Emily (Dean Cole) 18 Sweeter Still (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks) SPU AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 166) 29 Ode To A Toad (Brad Kasperek) 25 Steely Don (J. T Aitken)

Fall 2018

Runners Up: 22 Going Wild In Missouri (O. D. Niswonger) 20 Sky Dancer (Jim Hedgecock) 19 Wapiti Citi (Brad Kasperek) 17 Lilting Lavender (J. T. Aitken) 14 As The Tern Turnz (Brad Kasperek)

JI AWARD OF MERIT (Total votes cast = 120) 24 Columbia Deep Water (Chad Harris) 18 Red Repeater (J. T. Aitken) Runners Up: 13 Neptune’s Trident (Chad Harris) 12 Artesian Spring (Chad Harris) 12 Dragon Tapestry (Chad Harris) 11 Alexisaurus (Jill Copeland) 11 Vintner’s Pride (Bob Bauer/John Coble) TB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 5532) 75 Black Lipstick (Keith Keppel) 57 Ghirardelli Square (Keith Keppel) 55 Flash Mob (Keith Keppel) 48 Ninja Warrior (Lynda Miller) 42 Blushing Grapes (Lynda Miller) 39 Table For Two (Schreiner) 36 Idle Rich (Keith Keppel) 33 But Darling (Schreiner) 33 Ravishing Ruby (Thomas Johnson) 31 Blind Ambition (Keith Keppel) 30 Daffy Duck (Paul Black) 30 Luminager (Hugh Stout) 30 Winter’s Smile (Paul Black) 27 Baby Duck (Douglas Kanarowski) 27 Mayan Sunrise (Thomas Johnson) 26 Go Berserka (Tom Burseen) 25 Chihuahuan Desert (Howard Dash) 25 Dark Energy (Keith Keppel) 24 Lilacs For Linda (Nancy Price) 24 Mixed Signals (Keith Keppel) 24 Quack Quack (Paul Black) 24 Sergey (Thomas Johnson) 23 Blame It On Rio (Michael Sutton) 22 Foreign Agent (Keith Keppel) 22 Husky (Paul Black) 22 Luxuriant (Paul Black) 21 Chivalrous (Joseph Ghio) 21 Let’s Misbehave (Lowell Baumunk) 21 Mango Meltdown (Michael Sutton) 21 Spring Starter (Tom Burseen) 20 Big Hat No Cows (Douglas Kanarowski) 20 Jupiter’s Rings (Paul Black) 20 Risk Taker (Thomas Johnson) 20 Vibrato (Lesley Painter)

AIS Bulletin

AIS 2018 Awards TB HONORABLE MENTION cont. 19 Band Of Brothers (Robert Van Liere) 19 Double Wedding (Joseph Ghio) 19 Gilt By Association (Paul Black) 19 Honky Tonk Rumble (Hooker Nichols) 19 I Meant To Doit (Paul Black) 19 Precious Halo (Frederick Kerr) 18 Al’s Gal (Tom Burseen) 18 Blackata (Bruce Filardi) 18 Coconut Snow (John Painter) 18 Exploding Galaxy (Joseph Ghio) 18 Huckleberry Pie (Michael Sutton) 18 Hugs And Kisses (Paul Black) 18 Infidel (Marky Smith) 18 Kaw (Ramon Jones) 18 Mac ‘N Cheese (Thomas Johnson) 18 Painted Love (Thomas Johnson) 18 Rick Ernst (Rick Ernst, deceased, by William Plotner) 18 Star Turn (Joseph Ghio) 18 Sweetwater Pie Burns (Tom Burseen) 18 Vanity Girl (Thomas Johnson) 17 All By Design (Joseph Ghio) 17 Banana Daiquiri (George Sutton, deceased, by Michael Sutton) 17 Call To Danger (Paul Black) 17 Cozy Cotton (Michael Sutton) 17 Dare To Return (Nancy Price) 17 Front Of The Line (Joseph Ghio) 17 Frozen Margarita (Tom Burseen) 17 Meteorite (Michael Sutton) 17 Molokini (Michael Sutton) 17 Ruby Tracery (Paul Black) 17 Simply Coral (Paul Black) 17 Walk That Walk (Tom Burseen) 17 Water Waltz (Thomas Johnson) 16 Decked Out (Tom Burseen) 16 Delphinium Sky (Steve Poole) 16 Dramatic Encounter (Lesley Painter) 16 Fashion Week (Thomas Johnson) 16 Gossett’s Gamble (Cheryl Deaton) 16 King’s Reign (Thomas Johnson) 16 Let’s Fly (Schreiner) 16 Not Broke This Time (William Tyson) 16 Phasers On Stun (Douglas Kanarowski) 16 Ruby Baby (Tom Burseen) 16 Snow Day (Michael Sutton) 16 Solar Burst (Michael Sutton) 16 Wildcat Madness (John Van Hook) Runners Up: 15 All About Me (Thomas Johnson) 15 Around The Sun (Paul Black) 15 Bob’s Pride (Robert Annand, deceased, by Rob Marshall) 15 Debutante’s Lace (Michael Sutton)

15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14

Gen Gen (Tom Burseen) Great Falls (Schreiner) Irresistible Charm (Richard Tasco) Morpheus (Lynda Miller) Mystic Image (Richard Tasco) Raindrops Keep Falling (Paul Black) Swirling Skirts (Tom Burseen) Swivel Hips (Thomas Johnson) Another Suggestion (Keith Keppel) Charmed I’m Sure (Paul Black) Crossed The Line (Michael Sutton) Fabulous Fortune (Paul Black) Gentle Soul (Joseph Ghio) Hard To Resist (Thomas Johnson) House Of Cards (Paul Black) Poem Of Love (Thomas Johnson) Procrastinator (Donald Spoon) Read Between The Lines (Thomas Johnson) Still The One (Thomas Johnson) Tainted Love (Thomas Johnson) Turtle (Nancy Price) When Angels Sing (Paul Black) Whisper In The Wind (Thomas Johnson)

BB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 286) 25 Sicilian Orange (Michael Sutton) 21 Benedictine (Marky Smith) 19 Code Black (Jim Hedgecock) Runners Up: 18 Broken Border (William Tyson) 17 First In Line (Paul Black) 15 Love In The Air (Lynda Miller) 13 Hi Buddy (Lucy Burton) 13 Little Rosie (Ginny Spoon) IB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 311) 21 Brazen Gold (Paul Black) 21 Mescalero (Marky Smith) 20 Courtney Rucker (Mike Lockatell) Runners Up: 19 Great Escape (Thomas Johnson) 18 Broken Promise (Keith Keppel) 17 Magical Times (Paul Black) 17 Pink Blitz (Walter Moores) 15 Landscaping Made Easy (Allan Ensminger) 15 Mulligan (Michael Sutton) MTB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast =439) 60 Black Cherry Sorbet (Chad Harris) 50 Candy Basket (Chad Harris) 33 Coral Sunrise (Lynda Miller)

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

AIS 2018 Awards

Runners Up: 30 Pixi-Wan Kenobi (Charles Bunnell) 28 Raspberry Shocker (Lynda Miller) 27 Silver Ice (Paul Black) 25 Juvenile Joy (Paul Black) 24 Fairy Sprinkles (Stephanie Markham)

SDB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 1229) 29 It’s A Small World (Paul Black) 27 Blissful (Paul Black) 25 Bazinga (Paul Black) 21 Luminaire (J. T. Aitken) 20 Cat And Mouse (Paul Black) 19 Blazing Garnet (Paul Black) 19 Peppito (Paul Black) 17 Catnip (Paul Black) 17 Frankenberry (Hugh Stout) 17 Joyful Love (Thomas Johnson) 17 Lunatic Party (Lynda Miller) 16 Mister Mistoffelees (Paul Black) 16 Morning Hues (Richard Tasco) 16 Taz (Paul Black) 15 Breathtaking (Paul Black) 15 Fire (Paul Black) 15 Trey Stout (Hugh Stout) 15 Tweet (Thomas Johnson) 15 Web Of Desire (Paul Black) Runners Up: 14 Backtrack (Hugh Stout) 14 Lust For Lemon (Paul Black) 13 Arson (Keith Keppel) 13 Fruit Cup (Paul Black) 13 Gold Reward (Terry Aitken) 13 Huckleberries (Donald Spoon) 13 Little Love Song (Thomas Johnson) 13 Lucky (Paul Black) 13 Menehune (Marky Smith) 12 Dallas Alice (Lowell Baumunk) 12 Dinky Pinky (George Sutton, deceased, by Michael Sutton) 12 Divenere (Hugh Stout) 12 Feel The Heat (Richard Tasco) 12 Galaxy Quest (Thomas Johnson) 12 Little Stitches (Robin Shadlow) 12 Wild Whimsey (Donald Spoon) 11 Darn Cute (Paul Black) 11 Gottcha Good (Thomas Johnson) 11 I’m A Pepper (Denise Stewart) 11 Kisses (Paul Black) 11 Muppet’s Sister (Donald Spoon) 11 Parade Lap (Thomas Johnson) 11 Twerk (Thomas Johnson) 11 Valedictorian (Thomas Johnson)

Fall 2018

MDB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 153) 19 Small Token (Lynda Miller) 16 Storm Compass (Stephanie Chancellor & Cindy Rust) Runners Up: 14 Minifigs (Lynda Miller) 14 Princess Pele (Donald Spoon) 14 Short Note (Lee Walker) 12 Circa (Thomas Johnson) 12 Mini Stitch (George Sutton, deceased, by Michael Sutton) 12 White Ice (Donald Spoon) AR & AB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 106) 38 Bold Awakening (Richard Tasco) 22 Smokin’ Hot (Thomas Johnson) Runners Up: 17 Stolon Ginger (Cindy Rivera) 14 Topaz Talisman (Elm Jensen) 9 Kentucky Arabian (Sam Norris, deceased, by Jim Hedgecock) 4 Signal Freud (Peter Mcgrath) 1 Canticle For Caroline (Elm Jensen) 1 Trescols Eclipse (Lawrence Ransom) AB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 156) 34 Signal Butte (Richard Tasco) 23 Cindy Rivera (Lowell Baumunk) Runners Up: 22 Free As The Wind (Richard Tasco) 18 Galaxina (Paul Black) 17 Red Ahead (Paul Black) 10 Gold And Garnets (Elm Jensen) 9 Light Of Egypt (Marky Smith) 9 Soaring Falcon (Paul Black) SPECIES HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 91) 20 Brown Recluse (Walter Moores) 16 Lavender Moonbeams (Richard Tasco) 16 Precious Pearl (Barbara & David Schmieder) Runners Up: 15 Dash It All (Barbara & David Schmieder) 13 Ice Whisper (Karen Perkins) 6 Georgia Original (Darrell Probst) 5 Risc Reward (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) INTERSPECIES HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 131) 16 Aphylliated (Stephanie Chancellor & Cindy Rust) 16 Happy Traveler (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 16 Simply Cute (Jill Copeland)

AIS Bulletin

AIS 2018 Awards INTERSPECIES HONORABLE MENTION cont. Runners Up: 12 East Meets West (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 11 Wine Dark Sea (Lowell Baumunk) 10 Fauxmo (Jean Witt) 10 Ryumon (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner) 9 Ause (Carol S. Warner) CA HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 101) 11 Red Delicious (Deborah A. Cole) 7 Masked Man (Joseph Ghio) 7 Wilder Ranch (Joseph Ghio) 6 Blood Veins (William Plotner) 6 Follow The Money (Joseph Ghio) 6 Fruit Market (Emma Elliott) 6 Morticia (Jean Witt, by Robert Seaman) Runners Up: 5 Baja California (Joseph Ghio) 5 Salsa Picante (Emma Elliott) 4 Bonus Points (Joseph Ghio) 4 Funny Farm (Emma Elliott) 4 Mission Hill (Joseph Ghio) 4 Red Light District (Joseph Ghio)

SPU HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 178) 18 Mahogany Ember (Lawrence Johnsen) 16 Cast Of Walnut (J. T. Aitken) 13 Adriatic Memories (Kevin Vaughn) Runners Up: 12 Hawthorne Bridge (Nancy Price) 11 Admiral’s Braid (J. T. Aitken) 10 Angel’s Smile (Kevin Vaughn) 10 Wichita Lineman (Jim Hedgecock) 9 Morrison Bridge (Nancy Price) JI HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 111) 18 Columbia Crest (Chad Harris) 14 Pure Emotion (J. T. Aitken) Runners Up: 11 Little Bit Yellow (Jill Copeland) 11 Pink Moon Shadows (Lee Walker) 9 Essence Of Summer (J. T. Aitken) 8 Jewel Of The Nile (Bob Bauer/John Coble) 7 Enchanted Island (Bob Bauer/John Coble)

LA HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 285) 26 Who’s Ya Mama (Joseph Musacchia) 19 Aqua Velva (Kevin Vaughn) 17 Peach Sorbet (Joseph Musacchia) 16 Heartbreak Warfare (Hooker Nichols) Runners Up: 14 Claire Fontenot (Patrick O’Connor) 14 Mariners Hymn (Hooker Nichols) 12 Everything That Rises (Patrick O’Connor) 12 Late For The Party (Joseph Musacchia) 11 Changing Shadows (Pat M. Norvell) 11 Cone Of Uncertainty (Patrick O’Connor) 11 Little Gangster (Hooker Nichols) 11 Valentine Passion (Hooker Nichols) SIB HONORABLE MENTION (Total votes cast = 316) 30 Solar Energy (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 29 Hot Hot Hot (Robert Hollingworth) 26 Carnivalito (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) Runners Up: 17 Colonel Mustard (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 17 Crimson Fireworks (Jeff Dunlop) 17 Sugar Sprite (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 17 Wynne Magnolia (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) 14 Old Vine Zin (Bob Bauer/John Coble)

THE HANS AND JACOB SASS MEDAL WINNER ‘Cat In The Hat’ (Paul Black 2009, IB) ,

paul black

2018 Award Winners Gallery continued on page 58

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

AIS NEEDS YOU! Don’t miss the chance to be part of the AIS 2020 Centennial issue!

AIS was founded in 1920, so we are approaching the centennial of the American Iris Society. There are plans for several events underway to celebrate this anniversary. A keystone is publication of centennial supplements to the quarterly bulletin to document the society’s activities spanning the last one hundred years. In order to do justice to one hundred years of history and plans for the future, there will be four separate volumes, each containing articles about AIS history and development, science, hybridizing, record keeping, award winners, and outstanding irisarians who have contributed to AIS over time and who will continue to encourage the development of interest in growing iris. And there will be photos—lots of photos! This is a call for AIS members to contribute to this publication. There are several ways to get involved. 1. Draft an article 2. Write a brief personal memory*

3. Suggest that an article published previously in the quarterly bulletin be reprinted

The following is from John C. Wister’s article suggesting a program for the newly established American Iris Society published in The Flower Grower January 1920 issue… The American Iris Society is the result of a long felt need among Iris growers, both amateur and professional, for a central body to assemble all available information concerning lrises and Iris growing, to conduct research, to ascertain additional information, and to encourage in every way Iris growing in all parts of this country. AIS has grown and developed in the last one hundred years, and especially in the last twenty-five years the changes in communication, recordkeeping, and scientific research have been enormous. Focus on the last quarter century is doubly important since the 75th Anniversary Bulletin was published in 1995. Previous anniversary bulletins have addressed early history, so we need to document the last quarter century. The focus is in the ways AIS members have engaged in these activities. You may contact the editor, Kathleen Sonntag, with questions or ideas and send your contributions in MS Word only to the email address below. Please note that the AIS 2020 Centennial Editorial Board reserves the right to include/exclude articles for publication.

4. Submit photos, historic preferred, for use in a collage illustrating AIS activities over time

— Kathleen Sonntag, Managing Editor,

AIS 2020 Centennial Publication; Irises2020editor@gmail.com

* We would like to include your memories about joining and participating in AIS and on why you love iris.

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

CONVENTION INFORMATION

2019 AIS SPRING CONVENTION

The Sun Sets on Rainbows San Ramon, California

April 23–27

BY SHIRLEY TRIO-PROBST, CONVENTION CHAIR, CALIFORNIA

Region 14 of the American Iris Society proudly hosts the 2019 American Iris Society's 99th annual convention. We invite all of you to come to the Pacific Ocean side of the country.

Convention Gardens: Fran and Russ Shields Garden in Elk Grove, two plus acres flat land Mary Ann Horton Garden in Loomis, four acres slight hill and flat land Joe Lawrence & Rudy Ciuca in Sonoma, two acres flat land Irene and Jim Cummins in Scotts Valley, one acre both flat and slight hill Dry Creek Garden Public Park in Union City, several acres flat on top of hill

Convention Chair: Shirley Trio-Probst 2701 Fine Ave. Modesto, CA 95355 209-551-6323 shirleyjtrio@gmail.com Convention Registrar: Jean Richter 1226 High Street Alameda, CA 94501 510-864-7962 (after 5:00pm Pacific time) richter@eecs.berkeley.edu Convention Website: www.aisconvention2019.org All of the latest updates are on the convention website including registration form, event schedule and information regarding the tour gardens and optional tour.

Convention Hotel: San Ramon Marriott 2600 Bishop Drive San Ramon, CA 94583 925-867-9200 Please state that you are with Region 14 of the American Iris Society. Write down your confirmation number and KEEP IT for future reference.

Our five gardens are all fairly large and all wheelchair accessible. There will be two optional Joe Ghio gardens and a guided tour through hybridizing and growing greenhouses of gerbera daisies on our optional tour April 22. We will take a short tour through a Sonoma winery on April 26. If there is enough interest, we’ll arrange a tour of San Francisco for Sunday, April 28 Sunday, the day after convention. If interested, contact Shirley Trio-Probst, convention chair.

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

American Iris Society Convention Registration April 23-27, 2019

San Ramon Marriott Hotel 2600 Bishop Drive, San Ramon, CA 94583

Hotel room reservations are separate from convention registration! Contact the San Ramon Marriott (925) 867-9200 – ask for the American Iris Society – Apr2019 room rate.

Please complete and send this form so that it arrives no later than April 15, 2019. Registrations will be acknowledged by email. You will receive a packet with additional information, name tags, and event tickets at check-in. PLEASE PRINT – Fill out one form per person attending. Name to appear on name badge: _______________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________ City: ______________________________________________ State: _________________ Zip: ______________ Email: _______________________________________________________________ AIS Region: ____________ IF POSTMARKED BEFORE AFTER MAR 1 MAR 1 Full Adult Registration $330 $350 = Includes Welcome and Awards banquets, Garden Tours, Judges Training, and convention book Full Older Youth Registration (ages 9 – 18) $165 $165 = Full Younger Youth Registration (age 8 and below) $125 $125 = Optional Tour to Joe Ghio’s gardens (includes bus and lunch) $ 85 $ 90 = Older Youth Optional Tour to Ghio’s $ 65 $65 = Younger Youth Optional Tour to Ghio’s $ 55 $55 = TOTAL Enclosed

TOTAL

Payment Method: Check – make payable to “AIS 2019 Convention” Credit Card: Visa Mastercard Card number: ______________________________________________________________ Card holder’s name (as it appears on the card): ___________________________________ Refunds for cancellations requested on or after March 1, 2019 will be made at the discretion of the Convention Committee. NO REFUNDS AFTER MARCH 15, 2019 Meals Please select from the following choices Welcome Banquet - April 24 House Rubbed Bone-in Ribeye Steak Pacific Sea Bass Vegetable Paella Awards Banquet – April 27 Beef Tri-Tip Salmon Selection of Vegetarian Vegetables and Salads SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS: Gluten Free Lactose Intolerant Diabetic Other – please describe here: _____________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL NEEDS: If you have mobility issues for the tours, please describe here: Wheelchair or walker Unable to walk incline Other – please describe here: ______________________________________________________________ GEEK DINNER: For reservations contact Joanne Prass-Jones (510) 795-9723 joanne@usjoneses.com Send Registration and Payment to: Jean Richter, 1226 High Street, Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 864-7962 jeanrichter@berkeley.edu Visit the AIS Convention web site for more information: http://www.aisconvention2019.org

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

Section Happenings

COMPILED BY PHYLLIS WILBURN, CALIFORNIA

HISTORIC IRIS PRESERVATION SOCIETY Cathy Egerer, President The HIPS Rhizome Sale was a big success! Over 4,000 rhizomes went out to 200+ happy buyers. We’re very grateful to all our wonderful donors, and of course, our wonderful customers. Enjoy your irises! At their August meeting, the HIPS Board of Directors approved the creation of a HIPS Breeder Collections Program. This is another avenue to preservation, and will complement the efforts already underway by the Guardian Gardens program. Interested members will be encouraged to create a collection of irises by their favorite hybridizer(s), and try to assemble the remaining irises. Collections may be large or small, depending on the number of cultivars introduced and still available. Collections should also include modern introductions, as those will eventually become historic. As long as one cultivar is historic (introduced more than 30 years ago), the collection will qualify as a HIPS Breeder Collection. Iris lovers are generous folks, and we anticipate a lot of sharing as we work to fill out collections. Duplicate collections will be strongly encouraged! Having cultivars in many places is the best way to make sure they don’t disappear. Details of the program will be finalized over the winter. An introductory article will appear in the Fall issue of ROOTS. We hope this program will dovetail with the upcoming National Collections program of the AIS, which will focus on larger-scale core collections (all MTBs, all SDBs, etc.)

Congress Street, Lafayette. Make your reservations now at 337-291-1977 using group code IRIS. Additional information can be found on SLI’s web site, www.louisianas.org Congratulations to Patrick O’Connor who won the Mary Swords DeBaillon Medal for his iris ‘Deja Voodoo’. SPURIA IRIS SOCIETY Andi Rivarola, President The Spuria Iris Society would like to congratulate the winner of the Eric Nies Award, and runners up. We appreciate the work of hybridizers and spuria iris enthusiast alike.

‘Ode To A Toad’ (Brad Kasperek 2012, SPU) ,

aitken’s salmon creek garden

‘Steely Don’ (J. T. Aitken 2012, SPU) ,

aitken’s salmon creek garden

SPECIES IRIS GROUP OF NORTH AMERICA (SIGNA) Will Plotner, President SIGNA is desperately looking for someone to be the editor of the SIGNA Bulletin. Anyone who thinks they might be interested please contact Will Plotner at: gardens@molalla.net SOCIETY FOR LOUISIANA IRIS (SLI) Ron Killingsworth, Treasurer The annual Society for Louisiana Irises convention in 2019 will be in Lafayette, LA, from April 4-8. The convention hotel will be the Hilton Garden Inn, 2350

AIS Bulletin

‘Cast Of Walnut’ (J. T. Aitken 2013, SPU) ,

aitken’s salmon creek garden

Fall 2018

Convention News AIS CONVENTIONS 2019: AIS Convention April 23–27, 2019, Northern California 2019 AIS Convention Chair: Shirley Trio-Probst 2701 Fine Ave., Modesto, CA 95355 (209) 551-6323 • shirleyjtrio@gmail.com

2020: AIS Convention May 18–23, 2020, Newark, NJ

2020 Convention Chair: To be determined

2021: AIS Convention April 12–17, 2021, Las Cruces, NM

2021 AIS Convention Chair: Howie Dash 1534 Arco De Goya, Las Cruces, NM 88007 (575) 541-4438 • howiedash@aol.com 2021 AIS Convention Co-Chair: Scarlett Ayres 5128 Hacienda, Las Cruces, NM 88011 home: (575) 382-9613 • mobile: (575) 621-0717 sdayres2@aol.com

‘Adriatic Memories’ (Kevin Vaughn 2009, SPU) ,

howie dash

TALL BEARDED IRIS SOCIETY (TBIS) Ron Cosner, President As we sit here during a somewhat quiet period, I am contemplating how strange and at times how violent the weather has been and how all this has affected our growing season. And while wrapping up many of the annual sales and dealing with the rhizomes and cutting back the fans we have an empty feeling. For among the many losses this year has brought us, for TBIS we have lost a member of our family and board, Perry Dyer. Perry was an ambassador for the iris breed. He was a mentor to many and a friend to all irisarians. He will be missed. This article is very brief but I would ask you to turn to the latest issue of the Tall Bearded Bulletin, Tall Talk, and a brief bio written by Perry by and about himself.

FUTURE SECTION CONVENTIONS Median Iris Society April 16–18, 2020: Oklahoma City, OK Guest Iris Chair: Louise Carson Convention Headquarters: Holiday Inn & Suites Oklahoma City North 6200 N. Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73118

AIS FALL BOARD MEETINGS

2021 November 5–6, Tulsa, Oklahoma Meeting Chair: Paul W. Gossett 3854 South Cincinnati Ave. Tulsa, OK 74105 (918) 853-6204 • pwgossett1@yahoo.com

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

International Iris News

COMPILED BY BRUCE FILARDI, OREGON

GERMAN IRIS SOCIETY We have received the results of the 2018 International Iris Competition in Germany. The first six places were as follows: 1. Simone Luconi (Italy): seedling 311-2009 2. Schreiner (USA): ‘Makin’ Good Time’ 3. Günter Diedrich (Germany): seedling 73-08-12-2 4. Augusto Bianco (Italy): ‘Mille Sei’ 5. Angelo Garanzini (Italy): seedling 2111-1 6. Richard Cayeux (France): ‘Terre à Silex’

Luconi seedling 311-2009 ,

simone luconi

‘Makin’ Good Time’ (Schreiner 2015, TB) ,

schreiner

BRITISH IRIS SOCIETY photos, page 23, by clare dawson

Plant Heritage has awarded Sarah Cook, who holds the historic National Plant Collection of iris introduced by Sir Cedric Morris, with the prestigious Brickell Award. On July 2, 2018, at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the founder of Plant Heritage, Chris Brickell VMH, presented the award to Cook. The Brickell Award recognizes the vital plant conservation work undertaken by collection holders to secure plants in cultivation, for example through the rediscovery and propagation of lost taxa, and is awarded to those considered to have demonstrated excellence in this field. Cook, formerly head gardener at Sissinghurst, in collaboration with Howard Nurseries, was awarded gold at the 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, for the display, which brought the fine vintage irises bred by Sir Cedric Morris back to the show once more after a 60-year absence. As a keen plantsman, Morris cultivated a great many striking forms of bearded iris, naming 90 varieties that he bred from seed at his home, Benton End, in Suffolk. Though many of these plants, sadly, disappeared over subsequent years, Cook succeeded in tracing 25 of Morris’s vintage ‘Benton’ collection. Since then she has worked with Howard Nurseries to bring these stunning varieties back to the market.

How the story began During her time at Sissinghurst, Cook found an iris with the label ‘Benton Nigel’ that reminded her of her childhood in Suffolk. After retirement she moved back to Suffolk and is once more living close to Benton End, where Morris had run the East Anglian School of Painting. She decided to find out more about Cedric Morris and his irises and look for the lost cultivars. Cook spent more than a decade tracking down the irises, collecting many from private gardens and some from as far afield as the United States. She spent time researching Morris, his irises, and also his paintings which often featured his plants. She found many of the irises had Benton in their name plus the name of a friend or of his cats and macaw.

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

‘Benton Bluejohn’ (Sir Cedric Morris 1950, TB)

‘Benton Cordelia’ (Sir Cedric Morris 1953, TB)

‘Benton Judith’ (Sir Cedric Morris 1958, TB)

‘Benton Olive’ (Sir Cedric Morris, TB)

‘Benton Nigel’ (Sir Cedric Morris 1957, TB)

’Strathmore‘ (Sir Cedric Morris 1948, TB)

Spreading the word Cook delights audiences with her fascinating stories on discovering the lost Benton irises when she gives educational talks at exhibitions of his paintings at the Garden Museum in Lambeth Palace Road, London, and Gainsborough’s House, Sudbury. The articles she has written for many journals and her interviews with local and national newspaper have enabled her to track down more of the missing cultivars through contact with people who have spotted them in their gardens. She has also worked with other National Collection holders to do educational displays.

Fall 2018

In 2016 Cook joined forces with Anne Milner, who collects irises introduced by Arthur J. Bliss, to set up a photographic display of British irises at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The display created a lot of interest in the history and variety of irises. She is now working with the Suffolk group Plant Heritage to search for some of the remaining and rapidly disappearing, pre-1960 British irises before they are lost for good.

AIS Bulletin

PHOTO TIP #2

Ready for Your Close-up? STORY AND PHOTOS BY NEIL HOUGHTON, NEW YORK

“M

‘Action Packed’ (Paul Black 2011, TB)

acro” is a term for an extreme close-up to explore this intricate beauty. Taste is a personal lens that has always seemed counter-intuitive to me. thing of course. My husband finds it “too busy!” It’s Macro refers to a large overview. I did some research one of my earliest acquisitions during the year of and the term stems from looking at a small feature introduction, which makes it a sentimental favorite. and making it large, sometimes to Here are two intimate shots. The the point of rendering an object first focuses on the throat. The unrecognizable. Perhaps you have gold and burgundy stripes of the seen “guess what this is” photos? style arm remind me of a circus Technically these photos may not tent. A swirl of motion is created be “macro,” but they do take a by the various components of this close-up look at a small feature or photo. The second is focused on portion of an iris. the heart of the bloom, rich and As the requirement for images clean. The surrounding heavily for registration is implemented, we veined standards frame it nicely. suggested alternative views. Iris in Rococo, don’t you think? catalogs show us the bloom, but The final photo is the flounce of many of us would like to see more. a seedling from the guest gardens Leroy Meininger seedling #S-11 The stalk and the clump growth add at the Des Moines Botanical to what we know about an iris and a photo of these Gardens. This feature is a work of art by itself. The would be helpful. We also suggested a close-up of small visitor enjoying it adds more interest and an unique features. A flounce, the ruffled and laced edge object of known size adds perspective. Harden garden of a fall, or an unusual style arm can distinguish a new labeling indicates this is seedling # S-11, from Leroy introduction from something that we’ve seen before. Meininger. I am fascinated by ‘Action Packed’, Paul Black’s 2011 When you are taking that closer look, take a picture Tall Bearded. Its rococo features provide ever new as well! d investigation. When it blooms I race, camera in hand,

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Youth Views

BY CHERYL DEATON, CALIFORNIA

It has been a very busy summer. It has been a tradition for more than 15 years for AIS youth members to receive irises from the AIS National convention committee. This year, Paul Gossett and Joe Musacchia, co-chairs of the convention, pledged to send the AIS youths Louisiana irises. Our youth members received Louisiana irises from some very generous members of the Society for Louisiana Irises (SLI): Robert Treadway, Joe Musacchia, and Ron Killingsworth (of Plantation Point Nursery). Robert Treadway is the president of SLI and was responsible for sending around 150 irises from his garden that went to the “independent” youth members (those who are not part of a Classroom Iris Program). Joe Musacchia sent about 60 irises to our program at Cobb Mountain Elementary School in northern California, and Ron Killingsworth sent more than 175 irises to CIPs in Missouri and northern California. I have gotten a few thank you notes and emails from some of our youth, and they are very excited to receive a new type of iris for their gardens. Mason Drummer wrote: “Dear Ms. Deaton, Thank you for the iris. I’ll plant it today with my Grandma.” Max Mohr wrote: “Ms. Deaton, Thank you for the iris.” Jessica and Samantha Hendrickson wrote: “Thank you so much for the irises! We are so excited to have them in our garden. It’s always fun to have new things to plant. We look forward to seeing them bloom. Happy fall!” I got a cute note from Max Redman that said, “Thank you Mrs. Deaton for the iris. I will enjoy watching them bloom.” Darby Redman drew a bird in the note that read, “Thank you so much for the iris! I will make sure to

AIS Youth members Max M. (left) and Mason D. ,

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kathryn mohr

plant them as soon as possible! They are very beautiful in bloom, and I will enjoy watching them grow. Thanks again. Darby.” All of the AIS Youth members planted the irises in late August to early September and are eagerly awaiting bloom in the spring. Many of them have gone on to the iris wiki to look up their irises and find out what they look like. I am sure that the CIP youth will be sending thank-you notes to these oh-so-generous gentlemen. The iris world recently lost a dear man, Perry Dyer. In 1973, Perry was the first recipient of the AIS Youth Achievement Award (the name changed to the Clarke Cosgrove Memorial Award for Youth Achievement in 1979). He was a wonderful contributor to the American Iris Society throughout his life and will be missed. Nominations for the 2018 Clarke Cosgrove Memorial Award for Youth Achievement are due by January 31, 2019. The AIS youth that should be nominated for the CCMAYA are: members who grow a fine iris garden; participate in local, regional, and national activities; promote AIS; hybridize; write articles for their club or regional newsletters; enter club shows; set up and/or work club sales; and/or provide information at their schools about irises. The youth members MUST be nominated by an adult AIS member. I know there are many young people who deserve a nomination, so put on your thinking caps and get the nomination to me either via the U. S. Mail to Cheryl Deaton, 27218 Walnut Springs Avenue, Canyon Country, CA 91351-3314, or as an attachment to email at region15kids@hotmail.com. Please try to limit your nomination to 500 words or two pages. The summer/fall issue of the youth newsletter, The Iris Fan, was sent to all the youth members. It contained the first place essays from the Ackerman Essay Contest written by Katharina Brase in the Junior Division, and Lewis Glasscock in the Senior Division. Debbie Strauss has made a few wonderful changes for the 2019 Ackerman Essay Contest. Now there will be three age groups: nine and under, 10—12, and 13 and over. She has also chosen the theme for the 2019 essay: “If you could plant an iris garden anywhere in the world, where would it be, which irises would you choose to plant, and what would you like visitors to your garden to learn?” Because the 2019 AIS Convention will be held in

AIS Bulletin

Youth Views mid-April, the deadline for entering essays is February 15, 2019, and they should be sent to Debbie Strauss as an attachment to debbie@loveirises.com, or mailed to her at 2213 Hereford Blvd., Midland, TX 79707-5012. There will be prizes awarded to the first, second and third place winners in each of the three age groups. Debbie asks that the essays be limited to 500 words (or fewer). Parents and adults can help with grammar and spelling, but the work must be that of the youth member. The 2018 annual AIS Coloring Contest is underway. Deadline for entries is November 1, 2018. The picture was included in The Iris Fan and is also available on the youth website, www.AISYouth.com. Any media can be

used and cash prizes will be awarded in all age groups. I hope to publish the winning entry in a future issue of the Bulletin. 2020 marks the centennial of The American Iris Society. I am always encouraged by the emails and messages I get from our youth members. They are an amazing group of young people with a huge variety of talents and abilities. I hope you will consider mentoring a young person in your neighborhood or club. They are the future of AIS and will be taking us into the next 100 years of our organization. Until we meet in a garden somewhere, Happy irising! d

THE AIS FOUNDATION ACKERMAN FIRST PLACE ESSAYS 12 YEARS AND UNDER

The Iris Remains the “Lovely Lady of the Landscape” by Katharina Brase, Region 21 As the American Iris Society is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary, we are reminded of a quote from its founder and first president, John Wister: “The iris is the mainstay of the hardy garden.” John Wister was a man who spent his life working with plants. Obviously they were his passion, because he joined about 50 different horticulture societies, was president of an arboretum, and spent over 50 years landscaping a college campus! With all of his knowledge and experience with so many different flowers, he still believed that the iris was an important part of any garden. This is as true today, as it was then. Irises have endured as a favorite garden flower because they are hardy, inexpensive perennials with large, colorful blooms that capture the attention of garden visitors. Irises are hardy garden flowers. They are capable of surviving on their own. Gardeners don't have to plant them from seed each year, or dig them up in the fall (like cannas and dahlias). Even people with very little gardening experience can keep a clump of irises that will cheerfully return each spring with fresh, fragrant blooms. Although they will survive on their own, irises will certainly thrive even more with some care. Weeding and thinning is important to keep down the competition for sunlight and moisture, and to give the rhizomes room to grow. A little bit of fertilizer will give

them a boost to produce some blue-ribbon blooms. Irises are inexpensive garden flowers. Although iris lovers can get carried away at auctions where they enthusiastically compete for brand new introductions, there are certainly cheaper alternatives. If you don't want to wait ten years for the new introductions to get marked down in price, you can start by finding some free irises from relatives or neighbors. Even smaller, older, unnamed historical irises have charm. Add some newer, named irises from your local iris club's sale. Even better, become a Youth Member of the American Iris Society, and you might possibly find a newer introduction from generous iris hybridizers and gardeners waiting in your mailbox. Irises put on a stunning display in the spring. They are one of the largest flowers in the garden. Their showy blooms appear in practically every color of the rainbow except true red and green. The bright colors will grab your attention when entering a garden. The hunt for fresh, fragrant perfume will encourage you to compare each variety. New shades and combinations of colors are being produced by hybridizers every year. Every garden needs irises! They are easy to grow. They are affordable. The size and color of their flowers is unsurpassed. John Wister would be amazed if he could see the result of the last hundred years of iris hybridizing. The iris is truly the “Lovely Lady of the Landscape.” d

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Youth Views

May 2018 Iris Show at Chesterfield Montessori School, Chesterfield, MO. Classroom Iris Program sponsored by the Greater St. Louis Iris Society. ,

13 YEARS AND OVER

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iris Essayâ&#x20AC;? by Lewis Glasscock, Region 7 John C. Wister, the first president of the American Iris Society, once said: "The iris is the mainstay of a hardy garden." I agree, irises are elegant, unique, and easy to grow. The iris family is a very elegant family as a whole. The flowers are an unconventional yet graceful shape that is not similar to any other flowers. The bluish, long, thin leaves are a beautiful sight even when the plant is not in bloom. In my garden, the tall purple bearded irises stand out because they are taller than the hostas, California poppies, and the lilies of the valley that surround them. Irises are common, yet look incredibly exotic. In my garden I grow mostly bearded irises - large, fragrant, colorful flowers that bloom typically in late spring to early summer. Once a yellow bearded iris in our garden bloomed in November, and the flowers were covered in snow. The show they put on was miraculous. Typically, when you think about a plant being elegant it's in reference to the flowers, not with irises! My favorite part has always been the rhizomes, I have always been amazed at how such a small rhizome can produce such a large flower. When I was little I thought the rhizomes looked like fat fingers. The iris family is also a very diverse group of plants. Whether you want a beautiful plant to spice up your

Fall 2018

erin chien

pond garden, or you're interested in a nice focal point for your drought-tolerant garden, irises can fit in perfectly. At a park near my house, bunches of bright yellow semi-aquatic irises grow in the creek there. Irises can be all different shapes and sizes, both plant size and flower size. Some irises are large and bushy, others are tiny with huge flowers proportionate to the plant, and some are in the middle. My bearded irises are huge compared to my tiny yellow Dutch irises, who are always first to bloom in early spring. Irises can be a whole array of colors ranging from reds and oranges to blues and purples. In all my years of growing irises I have never had any problems. Every once in a while, I'd have to remove a moldy section on a dormant rhizome, but that has only happened a few times. Once a few get crown rot, they recovered on their own and were fine. Irises are a great plant for beginners and are very tolerant, the main reason they are a mainstay of a hardy garden. The rhizomes live for a very long time, and naturally divide so that if one does die, it has a perfect replica to take its place. They're very forgiving compared with some plants I grow, and I never really have to care for them. The only thing I really do is put the rhizome in the ground, it basically just takes care of itself.

AIS Bulletin

Remembering Friends

BY JIM MORRIS, OBITUARIES EDITOR, MISSOURI

It’s hard to forget SOMEONE Who gave you So much to REMEMBER.

He told the story about this being the prayer for Alcoholics Anonymous. The iris grew and bloomed well and was seen by the owners, many garden visitors and judges. They wrote about it and voted for it. It was the top vote-getter the first year eligible for its HM (91), AM (93) and CDM (95). Dyer was well known for his “Contemporary Views,” Perry Dyer (1955–2018) his annual published review and commentary on irises. The loquacious and talented Perry Dyer, 63, of He wrote these for many years after tape recording Blanchard, OK in Region 22 died of a second heart his comments during garden visits. Some of them are attack on September 3, 2018. He had just recently available via Google search. celebrated his birthday of August 17, 1955 and was Dyer was chairman of the “Median Spree in ’93” recovering from his first attack when he succumbed. in Oklahoma City, the second MIS mini-convention. He is survived by his sister Kathleen. He participated extensively in three national AIS Perry had a BA in Music majoring in Piano conventions in Oklahoma City in 1988, 1999, and 2007. Performance from the U. of Oklahoma in 1977. He was He was a two-term president a longtime pianist for the Disciple of MIS 2003—2008 as well as Christian Church in New Castle, the Society for Louisiana Irises OK. Perry’s career was with the 1994—1997. He judged the Premio Federal Aviation Administration Firenze iris competition in performing in a lead inventory Florence, Italy in 1993 and 2000. management position. This was He helped the Italian Iris Society a high pressure job, and was one develop their judges’ training of the reasons he hadn’t issued program in 1993/1994. a catalog or done any serious During Perry’s tenure as hybridizing the past dozen years. MIS president, he championed He retired in 2013 after 36 years of establishment of the Bennett service. Perry Dyer C. Jones Outstanding Median Facebook postings by his , anna cadd Hybridizer Award in 2006, which friends and former co-workers he was awarded at the AIS convention in 2017. He was depicted him as funny, sincere, dramatic, profane, surprised by this because he had stopped hybridizing zany, and unpredictable, yet someone who was very and had neglected his garden for a number of years. serious and knowledgeable about irises—someone to But with the assistance of Hugh Stout, he had recently be remembered. started getting his garden back in shape and started Perry’s intense interest in irises was begun in grade hybridizing again. His eye for quality was still good school with strong support from his mother Kitty. He as evidenced by ‘Prince Of Egypt’ (2007, ABMedian, was the first winner in 1974 of the AIS Clarke Cosgrove OGB-) being awarded the Mohr Medal in 2015. Youth Achievement Award. He was a talented His last article on the 2018 iris bloom season, hybridizer who registered 44 irises, introducing 38 of reminiscent of his “Contemporary Views,” was published them via his Contemporary Gardens listing. He had in the fall 2018 issue of Tall Talk on pages 18–21. He had a early success with 21 HMs, and 9 AMs. ‘Silent Strings’ way with words that will be missed. (1979, IB) won the Sass Medal in 1985; ‘Soft Spoken’ (1980, BB) won the Knowlton Medal in 1988; and, d ‘Serenity Prayer’ won the Cook-Douglas Medal in 1995. The latter is the classic example of excellent marketing IN MEMORIAM of a new introduction. Perry knew he had a winner John Albert, Salem, OR when he first saw it as seedling L-4. He increased the Patricia J. Herron, Sanger, CA stock and sent it free to almost all the 65 Median Iris Jack Cournyer, Mio, MI Society display gardens for the year of introduction.

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Donations to the AIS and the AIS Foundation June 16, 2018 through September 16, 2018

IN MEMORY OF

FUND CODE

Nancy Pocklington (IL) Region 9 of the AIS

100th ANNIV

Rene Burns (IL) Region 9 of the AIS

100th ANNIV

Betty Wilkins (TN) Twin States Iris Society

AISG

Marion Break (KS) Kathy M. Cline

R&S

Carlotta Segovia (CA) Hi Desert Iris & Daylily Society

GYF

Julia Loyall (AR) Central Arkansas Iris Society

AISG

DID YOU KNOW that you can designate the Required Minimum Distribution each year from your IRA to a charitable institution and it will not be included in your taxable income? Please consult your tax advisor about this, and keep the AIS and AIS Foundation in mind should you choose to do it.

How to make your donation to one of the AIS or AIS Foundation funds: The AIS Foundation is managing donations collection on behalf of the AIS. Donations made for AIS causes, through the AIS Foundation, are immediately available to the AIS, and the tax benefits to the individual or organization are the same. Please print and fill out the form at www.irises.org/pdf/ AISdonations.pdf for submitting your donation. Please make all checks payable to “The AIS Foundation.” YOU MAY ALSO PAY BY CREDIT CARD, including VISA, Mastercard, Discover, and AMEX.

Anne Lowe (VA) Dave Silverberg

100th ANNIV

Mike Lowe (VA) Dave Silverberg

If you do not use the form, please clearly identify on a separate sheet of paper: 1. The recipient of the memorial or honor.

100th ANNIV

GIFTS

FUND CODE

Northern Oklahoma Iris Society

100th ANNIV GYF R&S

2. The AIS Fund or AIS Foundation Fund to which you wish the donation to be credited. Your AIS Donation will be reallocated to the AIS Fund you specify even though you are making your check out to the AIS Foundation.

DONATION FUND CODES The AIS Foundation LIB = Library Fund R&S = Research & Scholarship AISF = Foundation General Fund ENCY = AIS Online Encyclopedia Fund

3. The name of person(s) or organization making the donation. 4. The address of person(s) to notify that a donation has been made. Mail to:

Jill Bonino AIS Foundation Sec/Treas 3110 Kirkham Drive Glendale, CA 91206

jillbiris62@gmail.com www.aisfoundation.org

The American Iris Society AISG = AIS General Fund GYF = General Youth Fund INS = AIS Insurance Defrayment 100th ANNIV = AIS 100th Anniversary Fund AISC = AIS Calendar (NEW)

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

Coming to Terms with

Arilbred Medians STORY, PHOTOS, AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY TOM WATERS, NEW MEXICO | Reprinted from The Medianite, 2018

his article is presented as a sequel to “The Story of Arilbred Medians,” which appeared in The Medianite in two installments in 2013 and 2014. Whereas the first article describes the history of the smaller arilbreds and the hybridizing work that produced them, this article will focus on the terminology for describing them and how they may be most effectively sorted into useful categories. BACKGROUND The earlier article drew attention to two important types of smaller arilbreds that are most prevalent in the modern era. The first of these come from crossing SDBs with fertile arilbreds. These have a median height of 16 inches, and are the type most of us associate with the terms “arilbred median,” “aril-median” or “aril-med.” In terms of chromosome configuration, they are unbalanced tetraploids carrying one set of aril chromosomes, one set of Iris pumila chromosomes, and two sets of tall bearded chromosomes, represented as APTT. ‘Eye to Eye’ (Keppel 2009) may stand as an example of this type. About 148 of these were registered from 1950 to the time of this writing (2016). The second important type comes from crossing SDBs with pure arils. These have a median height of 11 inches. I have referred to them as “arilbred dwarfs,” although this is not a widely used term. They are triploids carrying one aril chromosome set, one pumila set, and one TB set: APT. ‘Loudmouth’ (Rich 1970) is an example of this type. About 33 of these were registered in the aforementioned timeframe. Fewer have been registered in recent years, probably because the most prolific hybridizers of small arilbreds today do not usually grow pure arils.

AIS Bulletin

Arilbred median ‘Eye to Eye’ (Keppel, 2009)

Arilbred dwarf ‘Loudmouth’ (Rich, 1970)

Fall 2018

In addition to these two major types, there are many smaller arilbreds without dwarf bearded species in their ancestry. In some cases, their small size derives from their bearded ancestry (which may involve diploid TBs, BBs, or MTBs). In other cases, the small size is a legacy of the aril species in their backgrounds or a mixture of influences from both aril and bearded ancestors. Quite a few were also produced from crosses that are more complicated, unknown, or difficult to categorize. CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS Different approaches have been used to classify garden cultivars of irises (and, indeed, other types of plants as well). Broadly speaking, these systems can be either botanical (based on the taxonomy of the species involved in their ancestry) or horticultural (based on the characteristics of interest to gardeners: height, season of bloom, flower size, and so on). The iris world knows both types of systems. The Aril Society International (ASI) has divided arilbreds into nine classes based on the amount and type of aril ancestry (more precisely, the type of aril ancestry and amount of aril chromosome complement, which is related to ancestry but not exactly the same thing). The bearded irises are divided into six classes based primarily on height, but also using season of bloom and flower/stalk dimensions as secondary criteria. Since the characteristic of most relevance to arilbred medians is height, I will for clarity refer to horticultural classification as “height-based”, and botanical classification as “ancestry-based.” Before we establish a classification system for the smaller arilbreds, we must face the choice of which of these two approaches to follow. Both have some advantages. Both have some problems. Since this choice is critical, I will take some time to outline the pros and cons of the two approaches. PROS AND CONS OF AN ANCESTRY-BASED SYSTEM Both botanists and hybridizers are inclined to see an ancestry-based system as more logical and better representing the underlying relationships of the plants. Two plants with the same ancestry may differ visually in superficial ways, but they share an underlying affinity in their chromosome configuration, in their evolutionary

Fall 2018

origins, and in the fundamentals of physiology and internal structure. They are like family members who may have different hair color, but still share the same parents and grandparents, go to the same family reunions, and (usually) bear the same surname at birth. Botanists (and botanically minded plant enthusiasts) tend to be quite interested in relationships, rather than appearances. Hybridizers are interested in information that helps them plan future crosses, and ancestry does this, particularly as it implies chromosome configuration and genetic makeup. An ancestry-based system also ensures against “creep” of unrelated irises with different characteristics into an established class. For some MTB enthusiasts, for example, the tetraploids will always seem like intruders in the class, the essential qualities of which they see expressed best in the diploids. Likewise, many MDB enthusiasts are concerned with the preponderance of “small” SDBs being registered as MDBs based on height alone, without reference to bloom season, ancestry, or the overall character of the plants. Although ancestry-based systems do not completely ensure that a class will remain faithful to the ideals envisioned at its outset, they have an advantage in resisting “invasion” by irises of different backgrounds and essential qualities. Some disadvantages to ancestry-based systems are pragmatic ones. What does one do if a parentage is unknown or questionable? What does one do when generations of breeding yield increasingly complicated pedigrees that become impossible to disentangle and sort into clean pigeonholes? And can one really impose scientific exactitude on the practices of hybridizers? The ASI classification of arilbreds technically requires a chromosome count in order to classify an iris properly, with no uncertainty. In practice, of course, hybridizers are allowed to use parentage and breeding behavior as proxies for chromosome configuration. That is not always as easy as it sounds in cases where the chromosome configuration expected to result from a given cross is not obvious. There have been a fair number of errors in classifying irises under this system. An additional drawback arises if an ancestry-based system puts irises in a particular class based on “any amount” of a certain type of ancestry. In reality, a minuscule amount of ancestry has little or no practical consequence, and the system ends up often making “a distinction without a difference.” Most OGB arilbreds,

AIS Bulletin

for example, are indistinguishable from OB arilbreds, even on a cytogenetic level. The distinction has become a pedantic complication devoid of meaning. An ancestry-based system does not usually adapt well to the development of new approaches to hybridizing, such as the incorporation of previously unused species or the emergence of new parental types from unexpected directions. When the SDBs were first developed from crossing TBs with Iris pumila, they closely resembled the dwarf species Iris lutescens in chromosome configuration and in general appearance. Yet in the ancestry-based system used at the time, the SDBs could not be called dwarfs; they had to be classified as intermediates, because they came from a dwarf species crossed with tall beardeds. The rigidity of this system, in light of new hybridizing developments, seemed to fly in the face of common sense. To sum up, ancestry-based systems are a natural and logical way of expressing relationships between new hybrids and their ancestors, particularly during the time when the initial crosses are being made and pedigrees are clear and simple. They lack adaptability as breeding progresses, parentages become more complex, and new unanticipated directions are pursued.

PROS AND CONS OF A HEIGHT-BASED SYSTEM A height-based system is, as stated above, a horticultural system. That is, it addresses the needs of gardeners first and foremost. Height is a critical element in understanding how a plant will appear in the garden and what uses it can be put to. Rock gardeners insist on small stature: MDBs suit them; BBs do not. TBs may be preferable along a long drive leading up to a house, while medians are better suited to a bed at the front door that is intended to be seen close up. It is not academic curiosity about their ancestral species that has kept iris sellers and growers talking about arilbred medians for all these decades, despite absence of official recognition. It is their horticultural distinctiveness from the tall arilbreds. We appreciate them for their small size, and we use them in different garden contexts, as we do medians. There can be little doubt that the largely heightbased classification of bearded irises embraced by MIS has been a great success in promoting each of the median classes and establishing their distinctive qualities. Each class has its own devotees and its own

passionate hybridizers. When was the last time you heard an arilbred hybridizer wax eloquent over the virtues of RB- or OB+? These are just technical labels to most arilbred enthusiasts, not categories to embrace or models of aesthetic composition to strive for. One disadvantage of a height-based system is also readily apparent and has been noted from the beginning of its use for bearded irises. The separation of similar irises based on minute differences in height seems arbitrary. Why is 28 inches a TB and 27 inches a BB? The distinction seems especially unhelpful when both may turn out growing anywhere from 24 inches to 32 inches or taller, depending on climate, weather, and culture. Such a system can also toss together irises of different background and invite unfair comparisons between them. And let’s be honest: height-based systems put pressure on hybridizers to “tweak” the height measurement of a borderline iris to put it into the class where it might be expected to be more popular, due to less competition or an audience with different priorities. Conversely, some hybridizers feel pressured against registering irises near the height boundary for fear they will be criticized for being “out of class.” To sum up, a height-based system sorts things into categories relevant to gardeners, on the basis of simple measurements than can be performed without any technical expertise. It provides a place for all irises, even when parentage is unknown, questionable, or complex. These systems rely on line-drawing, which is always somewhat arbitrary and can seem artificial. One might imagine combining both systems to get the best of both worlds. This can work if done in a very limited way and with great care. ASI imposes one horticultural requirement on its otherwise ancestrybased system: an iris must show two aril flower characteristics to be considered an arilbred. An “entry requirement” like this can work, but a general conflation of the two types of criteria usually fails miserably. At one point, the AIS divided dwarf, intermediate, and tall bearded categories by height, but also listed the species that qualified as dwarf and the species that qualified as tall, and stated that intermediates were defined as hybrids between the two groups. But there were numerous instances where the height criteria and the ancestry criteria did not align neatly, rendering the whole system unworkable.

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

WHICH SYSTEM IS BEST FOR THE SMALL ARILBREDS? This is inescapably a question that different people will answer differently. I favor a height-based system, for reasons grounded largely in the relative success of the horticultural classification of bearded irises, which has promoted enthusiasm for each of the classes and proven adaptable to increasingly more varied and involved types of breeding. In contrast, I think the ancestry-based system used for arilbreds remains a largely esoteric exercise that is not easily understood and has led to little special appreciation of any of the nine classes it uses. The smaller arilbreds present a few special circumstances that require attention in making such a decision. I outline these here: 1. An ancestry-based system was employed in the first “Checklist of Arilbred Dwarfs and Medians,” which I compiled and published in The Medianite in 1980. An iris with only dwarf and aril ancestry was called an arilbred dwarf (ABD), and an iris with aril, dwarf, and TB ancestry was called an arilbred median (ABM). This was a convenient expedient, especially for historic varieties (now almost all extinct), for which height data was not available, but parentage generally was. Some problems were immediately obvious. One such problem was alluded to above: Iris lutescens being considered a dwarf, but the very similar SDBs being considered medians. Both produced similar progeny when crossed with arils, which would sometimes be classed as ABDs and sometimes ABMs, a meaningless distinction. Other problematic examples of this sort arise: is Iris aphylla a dwarf or median? How much dwarf ancestry has to be present for it to count? What about MTBs and BBs, which are medians but have no dwarf ancestry? 2. Complex breeding projects have been undertaken for smaller arilbreds and many continue today. Although the SDB x aril cross typified by ‘Loudmouth’ is my model of the ABD class, there are also fertile ABDs from crossing Iris pumila with tetraploid arils and infertile ABDs from crossing Iris pumila

Fall 2018

with arilbreds. The fertile ABM ‘Anacrusis’ resulted from an arilbred whose only bearded ancestry came from the dwarf species Iris suaveolens but then crossed with an arilbred from only TB breeding. Its descendants are farther removed from the original dwarf parent but otherwise similar. Use of Iris aphylla and tetraploid MTBs also promises fertile arilbreds, although such work is still in its infancy. Increasing fertility in IBs in recent years means these will likely become involved in ABM breeding, with uncertain consequence. There is no way for an ancestrybased system to gracefully accommodate all of this variety in breeding, and this is a situation that will become more prevalent in the future, not less. 3. On the other hand, the arbitrary nature of line-drawing in a height-based system becomes more acute with the arilbreds, since there are many arilbreds with no dwarf or median ancestry that are smaller than TBs; in fact, many are shorter than 24 inches. The overlap between these and arilbred medians from SDB x AB breeding is a cause of difficulty in establishing an upper height limit for ABMs. The classification of bearded irises, of course, faces similar problems of overlap, but they are less frequent and less likely to be contentious. I actually see some advantage in classifying the smallest ABs from TB breeding as arilbred medians, since many of these are fertile and present a new avenue for creating fertile arilbred medians, should their potential in this regard be recognized. 4. Because 50 years or so has elapsed since the need for arilbred median categories became apparent, there have been conflicting definitions used and little consistency in how these irises have been described, promoted, and noted in registration data. This means any decision to stabilize the terminology and establish definitions at this point is likely to go against someone’s preconceptions of what the category is about (many someones, most certainly). But this problem will only get worse if we do not “come to terms.”

AIS Bulletin

DRAWING THE LINES Having decided that a height-based system, with its admitted faults, is preferable to an ancestry-based one, we now have to decide how many classes there should be, and where their height limits should be set. I believe that the arilbred dwarfs from SDB x aril breeding (and from other crosses resulting in similar plants) are sufficiently distinctive to warrant their own class. They fill a garden niche similar to that of the MDBs and SDBs, forming cushion-like clumps, whereas the arilbred medians from SDB x AB breeding (and other crosses) are more reminiscent of IBs. Some people have imagined that such thinking will lead to a whole system of arilbred classes corresponding to the bearded classes MDB, SDB, IB, MTB, and BB. This is not the case—those classes each arise from particular types of breeding that were undertaken in the bearded irises. The types of breeding used to create arilbreds are different, and there are no actual analogs to each of the bearded classes. The proliferation of classes beyond ABD and ABM would have no theoretical basis and no practical value. Although the height limits of the ABD and ABM classes will need to accommodate irises of many different types of ancestry, the limits should be set to give the familiar APTT (SDB x AB) and APT (SDB x aril) irises natural categories in which to reside. The upper height limit of the ABM class also needs to be set with

an awareness of the considerable overlap between the APTT types and arilbreds whose bearded ancestry is solely from TBs. When studying the question of height limits, it is convenient to refer to the different types of crosses by chromosome configuration, as introduced earlier in this article. Using A for a set of 10-11 aril chromosomes, P for a set of 8 pumila chromosomes, and T for a set of 12 TB chromosomes, we have the following: diploid aril (AA) x SDB (PPTT), the standard “arilbred dwarf” cross, gives APT. halfbred arilbred (AATT) x SDB (PPTT), the standard “arilbred median” cross, gives APTT. arilbreds from TB breeding are ATTT (“quarterbreds”) or AATT (“halfbreds”) I have looked at the registered height of all arilbreds in each of these categories, from 1950 through 2016, when height data was available and when the chromosome configuration could be inferred with confidence. The data is summarized in the graph below. (I have binned the raw data into 2-inch bins. For some reason, hybridizers seem to strongly prefer even heights to odd heights, creating a sawtooth pattern in the data that needlessly distracts. The Y axis shows the percentage of irises of the given type that fall in each height bin.)

Arilbed Height Distributions 0.50 0.45

percentage percentage

0.40 0.35 0.30 0.25

AATT, ATTT

0.20

APTT

0.15

APT

0.10 0.05 0.00

18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50

registered height in inches registered height in inches

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Let’s first address the boundary between ABDs, represented by the APT chromosome configuration (blue line), and the ABMs, represented by APTT (green line). These curves cross at around 13 inches, and this seems the obvious dividing line. There are still a number of APTs taller than this, including a curious peak around 20 inches. But I don’t think anyone would have qualms about placing these in the ABM class. Finding the best dividing line between the ABM class and the remaining tall arilbreds (which I shall call ABT for the sake of clarity here) is a more involved task. These curves do not cross clearly at a single point but rather are quite similar throughout the 20–22 inch range. This represents a difficult judgment to make, since there are a substantial number of APTT, AATT, and ATTT irises whose classification will be affected by the placement of the height limit. The rationale used is to minimize the probability that an iris will be placed in a class that is counterintuitive with respect to its chromosome configuration. We would expect APTT irises to be classed as ABM and AATT and ATTT irises to be classed as ABT. The best height limit is the one that minimizes the chance of a “misplacement” for both types. The table below shows how the rate of misplacement changes with the height limit chosen. If the boundary is set either between 22 inches and 23 inches or between 23 inches and 24 inches the

total of the percentages misplaced is minimized. At 22.5 inches, 12% of APTTs are misplaced into the ABT class and 11% of the AATTs and ATTTs are misplaced into the ABM class. These percentages are reversed at 23.5 inches, but the average remains the same (11.5%). Moving the line either up or down from this “sweet spot” results in a higher percentage of irises assigned to the counterintuitive category. In view of the fact that the total number of AATTs and ATTTs is considerably greater than the total number of APTTs, it seems sensible to favor them slightly and set the height limit between 22 and 23 inches. How should we think about the “misplacements,” as I have called them? We must keep in mind that these irises are “misplaced” only with respect to what a hybridizer might expect, given their parentage. In a height-based system, they are not wrongly classified, they are just classified in the appropriate height class. No height limit is “wrong,” but the height limit that minimizes such departures from expectation is the most congenial and the least disruptive to those accustomed to thinking in terms of parentage. Those familiar with the 1996 revision of the checklist and the accompanying article “The Smaller Arilbreds” (The Medianite, vol. 38, no. 3) will note that this analysis is similar to that employed in that earlier publication, but that the upper height limit for the ABM class has increased from 20 inches to 22 inches. Three factors

height limit used (inches)

percentage of APTTs over the height limit

percentage of AATTs and ATTTs under the height limit

average of percentages “misplaced”

16.5

49.3

2.2

25.8

17.5

43.2

2.5

22.8

18.5

26.4

3.9

15.1

19.5

23.0

4.5

13.8

20.5

18.9

7.4

13.2

21.5

17.6

8.7

13.2

22.5

12.2

11.0

11.5

23.5

10.8

12.2

11.5

24.5

5.4

19.2

12.3

25.5

3.4

22.2

12.8

26.5

1.4

28.2

14.8

27.5

1.4

31.3

16.3

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

produced this change. (1) In the earlier publication, I used a random sampling of the AATT and ATTT height data, whereas the present analysis uses all of the available data. (2) I had previously included arilbreds with more than one-half aril complement in the analysis, even though I excluded them from the ABM class. This inconsistency introduced a small bias toward a lower height limit. (3) Most importantly, the twenty additional years of data have changed the distributions slightly. In particular, the median height of APTT irises has increased slightly.

In contrast, it seemed worthwhile to extend the ABD category into this realm, as a few have been produced in this range that are three-quarters aril and one-quarter I. pumila (AAAP) and do show their dwarf heritage. Only one AAT iris (and no AAAT) has been registered at less than 13 inches, so extending the ABD class into this range causes little disruption. The diagram below shows how the bearded irises and arilbreds can be sorted based on height and aril content. AND NOW FOR THE DEFINITIONS! The result of all this philosophical rumination and painstaking data analysis is the following proposed definitions:

ARILBREDS OF MORE THAN HALF ARIL COMPLEMENT These arilbreds, those in the OB+, OGB+, and RB+ categories used by the ASI, require special consideration. In terms of chromosome complement, they are mostly AAT or AAAT. Many of these irises are small in height, not because of their bearded ancestry, but because the aril irises themselves tend to be small in stature, and these arilbreds are mostly aril. It would be a mistake to place them in the ABM category when their affinity is more with the pure arils, both in ancestry and in garden effect, than it is with the medians. Therefore, the ABM category is best limited to irises of one-half aril complement or less.

ARILBRED DWARF (ABD): any arilbred with a registered height of less than 33 cm (13 inches). ARILBRED MEDIAN (ABM): any arilbred of onehalf aril complement or less, with a registered height between 33 and 56 cm (13 and 22 inches), inclusive. ARILBRED (TALL) (ABT): any arilbred with a registered height greater than 56 cm (22 inches), or any arilbred of more than one-half aril complement with a registered height of 33 cm (13 inches) or greater.

aril content none

< 1⁄2 aril

1⁄2 aril

> 1⁄2 aril

TB ABT

27.5 in IB BB MTB ABM

16 in 13 in

56 cm

41 cm 33 cm

SDB

8 in

height

22 in

70 cm

ABD

20 cm

MDB

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Fall 2018

(The word “tall” is placed in parentheses in the last definition, because it is not intended to create a new terminology for these arilbreds. The abbreviation “ABT” is just made available for situations in which it is needed to single out arilbreds that are not ABDs or ABMs.) Some have wondered why these terms are used rather than simpler ones like “aril-median” or “arilmed.” The main reason is that the terse terms can be misleading about the nature of the plants. The ASI has long made a concerted attempt to educate people that the term “aril” should be reserved for pure arils, oncocyclus and Regelia species and hybrids involving only those two groups. “Arilbred” is the correct term for any hybrid involving the bearded irises as well as arils. The terminology defined above makes this explicit. One might argue that “aril-median” can be taken to mean a hybrid between a pure aril and a median, but this does not describe the ABM irises to which the term is usually applied (they are hybrids between arilbreds and medians), and in any case confounds the basic premise of a height-based terminology, which does not refer to ancestry. It is my conviction that these definitions, although not without some drawbacks, represent the best possible solution to the problem of classifying the

Fall 2018

smaller arilbreds that can be achieved at this time. They are based on a clear line of reasoning and factual data about the plants themselves. The ASI has included them in its proposed revision to the aril and arilbred chapter of the AIS Judges Handbook, not as official categories for registration and awards, but as useful terminology for understanding the types and variations of arilbred irises. It is hoped that hybridizers, commercial growers, and the public will also find these definitions helpful and embrace their use. It is important that we come to a common terminology. FINAL THOUGHTS If the terminology proposed here is to become widely accepted, it is essential that people understand the philosophy and research behind these particular definitions. This article is intended to explain the rationale and honestly present both its virtues and its shortcomings. Although I believe a height-based system is best suited to cope with the present realities and potential future developments of the smaller arilbreds, I appreciate that it will present some initial discomfort for those accustomed to thinking in terms of parentage alone. I draw attention back to the classification system for median irises, which can produce similar discomfort

AIS Bulletin

in regards to irises that push the boundaries of their class, yet the system as a whole remains effective and useful. We should also remember that the gardening public cannot be expected to care about parentage or the technicalities of hybridizing. Rather, their need is for terms that reflect the differences one actually sees in living plants in the garden. I encourage everyone interested in these irises to avail themselves of the Checklist of Arilbred Dwarfs and Medians, which I maintain and make available on my website. This is an important resource for understanding how these definitions are applied in practice to specific irises. The scope of that work is intentionally wide; it includes not only irises that meet the proposed definitions above, but all arilbreds with dwarf or median ancestry, and even irises with aril ancestry that were registered in the dwarf or median classes rather than as arilbreds. Although no change to the official classification system for arilbreds is proposed at this time, it is hoped that the promotion of a uniform terminology for discussing the smaller arilbreds will result in an enhanced appreciation of their distinctive qualities and promote a wider recognition of their value and potential as garden subjects. d

REFERENCES “The Story of Arilbred Medians,” The Medianite, 2013 and 2014. The Aril Society International Illustrated Official Checklist 2012, Joseph Stringham, editor. Aril Society, 2013. Registrations and Introductions, American Iris Society, annually through 2016. A Checklist of Arilbred Dwarfs and Arilbred Medians to 1979, compiled by Tom Waters (Tom Little), The Medianite vol. 21, no. 1, winter 1980. A Checklist of Arilbred Dwarfs and Arilbred Medians Through 1996, compiled by Tom Waters (Tom Tadfor Little), ≠≠≠, vol. 38, no. 3, fall 1997. A Checklist of Arilbred Dwarfs and Arilbred Medians, maintained by Tom Waters, annually through 2016. www.telp.com/irises/checklist.htm The American Iris Society Iris Encyclopedia, wiki.irises.org/bin/view The American Iris Society On-line Registration Database, www.irisregister.com

Enjoying IRISES? Let the editor know what is on your mind. Can you write about irises? Do you have pictures you can send us?

This is your chance to be published! Choose a topic that interests you, and grab a pen, PC, or laptop. Send it to the editor and you may be reading YOUR article in the next issue. Jane Milliman, Editor, IRISES, 390 Hillside Ave., Rochester, NY 14610 irises@janemilliman.com

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Photo Credits Page

Description

Credit

‘Haunted Heart’

Mike Sutton

‘Bottle Rocket’

Mike Sutton

‘Notta Lemon’

Perry Dyer

‘Sheer Excitement’

Rick Tasco

‘Strawberry Shake’

Keith Keppel

‘Byzantine Ruby’

Lowell Baumunk

‘Holiday In Mexico’

Riley Probst

‘Kayla’s Song’

Ginny Spoon

‘My Cher’

Paul Black

Jane Milliman

Tracy Gugel

‘Perry Dyer’

Mid-America Garden

‘Cat In The Hat’

Paul Black

‘Adriatic Memories’

Howie Dash

‘Cast Of Walnut’, ‘Ode To A Toad’, ‘Steely Don’

Aitkens Salmon Creek Garden

Luconi seedling 311-2009

Simone Luconi

‘Makin’ Good Time’

Schreiner

All images

Clare Dawson

All images

Neil Houghton

AIS Youth members

Kathryn Mohr

Students

Erin Chien

Perry Dyer

Anna Cadd

30–38

All images and graphics

Tom Waters

40–43

All images

Scarlett Ayres

Slope

Wilbur L. Bluhm

‘Pacific Tapestry’

Terry Aitken

‘Sri Lanka’

Thomas Johnson

‘Take No Sato’

Brock Heilman

‘Wildwood Willie’

Will Plotner

‘Deja Voodoo’

Robert Treadway

‘Kimono Silk’

Ensata Gardens

’Lemon Chiffon Pie’

Jan Lauritzen

‘Miss Apple’

Jan Sacks and Marty Schafer

‘Black Lipstick’

Keith Keppel

Front Cover

Back Cover

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

The Big Dig at the

Mesilla Valley Iris Society O

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCARLETT AYRES, NEW MEXICO

ne week before the Mesilla Valley Iris Society annual rhizome sale, club members come together over Labor Day weekend in Las Cruces, NM, to clean the irises they have dug out of their own gardens and label them with name, price, type, and year introduced. It is an event we call the “Big Dig.” The iris roots and leaves are trimmed, then the rhizome is cleaned and lightly bleached. Cleaning more than 1500 irises for the sale is a lot of work—but many hands do make light work. Plus, this is a good time for gossiping. Members work on the Big Dig about six hours each day. Lunch is provided and in the past this included home-grilled hamburgers, purchased pizza, and pot luck. One year I brought fixings for English muffin pizzas. Everyone made their own and nuked them for a minute in the microwave. Club members who work the dig can get any $2 iris free the and other irises at half price. Iris prices vary from $2 to $7 depending upon year introduced. It is also a good time to find out what grows well: “You must take this iris; it reblooms all the time in my garden.” Previously, members would place the trimmed rhizomes on a large screen and spray them with water. They would then transfer the irises to a large bucket where they would be scrubbed before being transferred to bleach water. This led to muddy feet and sore backs and shoulders from bending over the buckets for hours. Past President Wes Wilson created a cleaning station that made cleaning irises much easier. The new method developed by Wes involved using reclaimed sinks (one dual sink and one single sink), lumber, PVC pipes, garden hoses, spray wands and saw horses to create a cleaning station of three sinks that would drain into nearby bushes so feet are kept nice and dry. A garden

Howie Dash, Lily Rawlyk, and Dale Ellis clean rhizomes at the iris cleaning station.

hose is hooked up to the contraption so that each sink has its own spray hose. The whole setup is placed on some sawhorses and can be transported easily by two people and a truck. The setup is not pretty but it is functional. It will never be featured on HGTV. The whole contraption is meant to be disassembled and stored away for future use. Most everything except the PVC pipes, spray wands, and some of the hoses are reclaimed, so the cost of the system is minimal. Most people thought this setup was much easier on the back and the sneakers, though the dual sink proved to be a little too close for comfort for some people. The couple that worked at the dual sink ended up spraying each other quite a bit. However, the temperature was in

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

A pipe drains water away from the sinks into nearby bushes, keeping sneakers dry.

A hose hooked up to pipes provides water for three cleaning wands. Reclaimed lumber and sinks kept the price low.

the high 90s (this is the desert), so they probably didn’t mind too much. In the past, the club purchased Sharpie markers which were used to mark directly on the rhizome leaves. Information written on the leaves included name, year introduced, type, RE, space ager, very brief color description, and price. As you can imagine, this could take a while to write, especially if the name was 30 characters. Why can’t hybridizers name the irises something short? Has anyone named an iris after Jupiter’s moon Io? The advantage of writing on leaves is that the rhizomes are washed afterwards. The ink doesn’t come off in the water. We now do things differently. We no longer write on the leaves but instead print with a laser printer on label paper. I have written code for Excel that can generate the labels. You tell it the name of the iris and the quantity of rhizomes. The program searches for the iris name on an Excel worksheet that contains more than 6,000 irises the club has owned throughout the years. It pulls the relevant information and writes it to another worksheet that has been formatted to match whatever paper we are using for

Fall 2018

Labels are printed on a laser printer and added to tags. Twine is used to attach the tags.

the labels. If you have 50 ‘Dusky Challenger’ rhizomes, it will create 50 ‘Dusky Challenger’ labels. The page(s) are printed and the club can pull the label off the page and attach to the rhizome. In the past, we used labels that were 12 to a page and wrapped each one around a rhizome. However, they could come off. Last year we purchased tags with a hole in the top. We attached the label (20 to a page this time) to the tag and then attached the tag to the rhizome with twine. We didn’t like the twine, so our current president recommended pipe cleaners for this year. (Apparently they are cheap if you buy in bulk.) Hopefully, that will work better than the twine. We also no longer put the iris color on the tag. All of our rhizomes at the

AIS Bulletin

A labeled window blind slat follows this trimmed group of rhizomes around until the irises receive their tags. The quantity of rhizomes are marked on the tag.

The cart and iris flats are wrapped in cellophane for transport to and from the mall. It takes two men to lift the carts into and out of a truck. Once at the mall, the carts are simply rolled into the building.

Cleaned, trimmed and labeled rhizomes are placed on a cart. The cart rolls and is used to transport the irises to the mall.

sale have a picture of the iris attached to the flat holding the rhizomes. The picture also includes the name, type, SA, RE, year introduced, hybridizer and awards. Everyone uses smart phones to take pictures of our pictures, so they now have a record with the appropriate information. Our former President Cynthia Wilson made the picture holders by using two clothespins attached together with a popsicle

stick using wood glue. The disadvantage of this method is that the rhizomes have to be washed and bleached before the tags are attached. It becomes a chore to keep the name of the iris with each rhizome clump. We recommend that the name of the iris be written on a few rhizome leaves and on the bag used to bring the dug-up irises to the job site. Each clump gets its own flat once cleaned. We also write the name of the iris on a slat from old window blinds cut in half. The slat follows the clump around until the labels are attached. The advantage is that the labels are made quickly, providing they are on our worksheet. If not, I have to stop and look up the information and add it to the worksheet. It can take time. We ask club members to email me in advance the iris names. The first few years we would print out the labels in advance and then carry them to the job site. It became a hassle trying to match the labels with more than 200 irises. Sometimes we couldn’t find the iris and sometimes we couldn’t find the labels. People spent a lot of time searching, counting rhizomes and then recounting the rhizomes. Last year we put a laptop, a laser printer, my Excel program, and me at the job site. The labels were created on the fly and that was much better, though I found that people cannot count. “I need three more labels of ‘Dusky Challenger’! Make me three more!” I am responsible for making the pictures for the sale. Code was created in Excel that saves me a great deal of time. On one worksheet I create a list of irises for which I need to make a picture. The code opens up a PowerPoint file that contains a slide that has a text box and a 4˝ x 6˝

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Rhizomes are ready for the sale. Clothespins glued to a popsicle stick are used to attach the pictures to a flat.

box. It copies that slide, makes a new slide, and changes the text box to show the iris name, type, SA, RE, year introduced, hybridizer, and awards—all of which it obtained from that worksheet of 6,000 irises. All that is left is to find an actual picture of the iris and resize it so that it fits into the 4˝ x 6˝ box under the text box. Most people don’t know this, but you can save selected portions of a slide as a jpg file. To do this, select the 4˝ x 6˝ box, text box, and picture. Right click and choose “Save as Picture.” Change file type from PNG to JPEG. Rename picture and save.

A 4˝ x 6˝ picture is created and then sent to Walgreens. The club has found that a really good picture sells the iris. So if your club members clean and label their irises for your club’s annual sale all by themselves, consider coming together for a weekend at some central location. The comradery, iris talk, and good food can make this chore a pleasant experience.

“RIB TICKLER” I joined the Hutchinson Iris Club in 1979 after attending a show. My mother grew them. The club had pot luck supper and Iris auction at the years President’s backyard. I bought lots of iris and got home late. In the morning, I was in the kitchen getting breakfast for husband. He came in the kitchen, took one look at the mound of iris on the counter! Said, “I know I

Fall 2018

shouldn’t have given you the check book! Sucker born every minute! They saw you coming! Some of them even have your initials on them!” In the world of iris S.D.B. doesn’t stand for Sheryl Dalene Bradley! To date I have a yard of all iris initials.

AIS Bulletin

— Sheryl D. Bradley, Hutchinson, KS

An example of a slope.

Improving Your

Garden Soil

STORY AND PHOTO BY WILBUR L. BLUHM, OREGON | Reprinted with permission from Tall Talk, 2002

hat can you do to improve your garden soil? The question is as old as gardening itself. From the time man first tilled the soil and planted seeds he has tried to improve the performance of the plants he grew. Most basic has been improvement of the soil. Early settlers on the eastern shores of North America received a good lesson when planting seeds and growing plants. Native Americans showed them

that by placing a fish in a planting hole the plants would grow faster and yield better. At the time no one knew what the fish in the hole did, but it worked. They didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know the fish carcass provided nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, and other essential plant nutrients, often deficient in many rain-soaked soils. Our knowledge of soils and plant nutrition and growth has come a long way during the past four centuries since the fish-in-the-hole lesson.

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

The Soil That Is Ours The soils we inherit from earlier generations are often drastically altered from the original. Farming operations before our homes were built began the soil’s change. Native prairies and woodlands were converted to agriculture; if the land was originally a forest, logging and other operations had its impact on the soil. Both took their toll, either in loss of soil structure and perhaps plant nutrients, or compaction, or both. Years later home construction became the second phase in the change. Heavy equipment compaction layered the soil below the surface. Existing soil was dug to make room for basements or crawl spaces. This soil was then spread over the existing soil, putting layer upon layer. Fill soil was, and still is, often brought in creating further layering of the soil. As a result, few of us have the privilege of gardening in native, virgin soil. The soil we have has commonly lost much of its structure and ease of working. Some of us are working subsoil, underlaid with good, fertile topsoil. Often the soil’s fertility state has been changed, resulting in nutrient imbalances, with increased acidity or alkalinity. A redeeming feature is that there is much you can do to improve the soil you have. A number of practices can improve the soil and make it highly productive. Soil Layering and Compacted Layers First, let’s look at a compacted, layered soil that many of us have. If at all practical, thoroughly mix the layers of soil by spading or rototilling. If your lot or acreage is sufficiently large, a deep-running plow or backhoe will effectively break up compacted layers and mix the soil layers. Farmers use “subsoilers” to break through compacted soil layers, an alternative for larger lots. The downside of equipment is that it also can create compacted soil layers. Rototillers “beat” the soil, thus compacting it, at the lowest extension of the tines. However the compaction from rototilling is a “lesser evil” than the needed breaking of a more severely compacted layer and mixing of layers. Keep in mind that a rototiller never tills as deeply as it appears. Therefore the larger the rototiller, the more effective it will be. Plows and most other equipment also tend to create compacted layers at the lowest depth of their penetration. Again, the newly created compacted layer is seldom as severe as the one for which the equipment is used.

Fall 2018

Soil, when in distinct layers, frequently has another problem. Layering of soil, especially when done by man, often creates drainage problems. Downward water movement in soil is commonly impeded when soil is artificially put into layers. Thus the importance of mixing the layers of soil. Soil Drainage Poor drainage greatly restricts plant growth and what plants you can grow. Test the drainage of your soil by digging one or more holes to a depth of two to three feet. Fill the hole(s) with water. The water should disappear within 30 minutes or an hour. If it does not disappear within 24 hours, only shallow rooted plants will survive. Don’t confuse slope with good drainage. A sloping soil may be poorly drained internally. Use the test above to know for sure if your sloping soil has adequate drainage. The poor drainage of many garden soils is due to layering of soils and to compacted soil layers. Corrective measures discussed previously can correct many such problems. Soil drainage can be improved by tiling, or sometimes with “French drains,” ditches a foot or more deep filled with sand and/or small gravel with an outlet for the water to drain away. If you have a soil drainage problem, contact your local university Extension office, Natural Resources and Conservation Service (USDA) office, or business specializing in drainage problems for information and assistance. Adding Soil Bringing in soil is sometimes a solution to problems of low lying areas or providing a productive soil over one that is filled with rocks, debris, or other materials. It may help improve a soil of extremely poor structure or heavy texture, high in clay and poorly drained. To avoid creating layers, thoroughly mix the added soil with the top six inches or more of the soil below. Be sure to acquire good quality soil. Much available “topsoil” is the topsoil from the bottom of a hole, and is of poor quality. In most cases the best soil to acquire is that which is most like what you now have, even with its faults, to avoid layering. Topsoil from nearby excavations for home, business, industrial, or other construction is a good place to start your search for a source of good soil. In any case, try to acquire soil that is from the surface 12 inches, more or less.

AIS Bulletin

Enhancing Your Existing Soil “My garden soil is a poor, clay soil,” is an all too common complaint. Often poor soil structure is mistaken for high clay content. The soil is hard, crusty, and difficult to work. Some soils are “loose” and seem to have no body or structure. The solution is to add a good soil amendment to improve the soil structure. First, let’s allay some misconceptions about clay soils. Few, if any, soils are pure clay. Some are high in clay, and nearly every soil, except pure sand, has some clay in it. Clay is a very important soil component. It imparts many desirable qualities to the soil. Without clay a soil is likely to be less fertile, even infertile, and added nutrients are readily leached from the soil. Clay does this because of its cation, pronounced cat-ion, exchange capacity, an electrical process not unlike your car battery with its plus (+) and minus (-) charges, that attracts plant nutrients and holds them from leaching out of the soil. In the minds of some the solution to a soil high in clay is to add sand. This, too, is not without problems. Don’t add the right amount of sand and you will have made great concrete. The right amount of sand has to be determined for each site. There is no one easy answer to this. So, in most cases, sand is not the answer. How can you know if you have a clay soil? When the soil is rather wet, form a ball an inch or two in diameter. If the ball is rather sticky it may be due to clay. Then, with the ball between your thumb and forefinger, make a continuous thin ribbon about 1/8 inch thick. If the ribbon sticks together its full length the soil clay content is relatively high. If the ribbon breaks or crumbles after it is an inch, more or less, long you probably do not have a clay soil. It is likely a desirable silt loam, loam, or clay loam soil. If it crumbles immediately as it leaves your fingers, your soil is still lower in clay and higher in silt and sand content. This procedure may take a little practice before it works well for you. Benefits of Organic Matter Raw organic matter offers limited benefits. It’s in its decomposition that the benefits occur. Many products are formed within the soil that function to improve soil structure, aeration, water-holding capacity, and enhance plant nutrition. Partially decomposed organic matter is often called “humus,” the merits of which are known by many people. Adding organic matter to your soil is an excellent solution to poor structure, and a much better alternative

than sand. It also behaves much like the clay particles as described previously, enhancing soil fertility, without the structural problems of some heavy clay soils. Organic matter has an exchange capacity that often exceeds that of a clay soil. One of greatest values in mixing organic materials into a soil is its effect on soil structure. Organic material itself, or in its decomposition, binds soil particles together to form larger particles. This is especially important in heavier soils that are higher in clay. This improves the soil’s drainage ability and air holding capacity, both important for plant growth. The organic material itself, and the resulting effects of its decomposition on soil, improves the soil’s tilth. Organic material has great water holding capacity. So, while it improves drainage it also holds more water, keeping the soil moist longer for plant growth. In decomposition of organic matter the soil microorganism—bacteria, molds, actinomycetes, etc.— population increases manyfold, for it is they who are responsible for the decomposition. This releases nutrients from the organic matter, also benefiting plants, and provides the many other benefits from using organic matter. Plants themselves contribute organic matter to the soil. With a constant flux of new roots being formed and old roots dying, organic matter is added. However, it’s a relatively low amount with continual tilling of the soil for planting and replanting. Continuous grass growth over many years may add 5% to the soil’s original organic matter content, which is a significant amount. Organic matter will benefit most soils, regardless of texture or structure. Sources of Organic Materials Almost every community offers its unique types of organic materials. In forested areas sawdust and barkdust are readily available. Grain straw is available in most communities. Sugar cane, coconut, rice, nut, and other agricultural industries produce useful byproducts. Legume hays are not only good sources of organic matter but also of plant nutrients. Leaf mold, the partially decayed leaves from your trees or from the forest floor, has long been a favorite organic material. Garden waste and other composts have become much more available in recent years and, when well prepared, are free of weed seeds and plant pathogens. Of course, each of us can have readily made compost made from our lawn clippings, tree leaves, garden and kitchen

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

wastes, and other materials. Peat, aka peat moss, has been a standard organic source. It is still the same good product as in the past, but may occasionally contain weed seeds or pathogens, depending upon method of harvesting. Peat decomposes more slowly than most other organic sources and thus may give its effects comparably longer. Animal manures have for years been among the best organic sources. While providing organic matter they can also be a good source of plant nutrients. Partially decomposed “old manure” is a good source of organic matter but inferior to fresh manure in plant nutrients. The fear of “burning” with fresh manure is easily offset by applying less of the better product. Unfortunately manure may contain numerous weed seeds, including those of noxious weeds. When purchasing manure, inspect carefully for unwanted problems. One, garden centipedes (symphyllans) introduced into a soil can cause tremendous damage for years to come by feeding on plant roots. It’s best to avoid manure stored for any length of time on the ground. Older manures are more likely to come with these problems. Organic materials high in lignin, such as wood products, straw, grass hay, and hulls, can deplete soil nitrogen during their decomposition. Supplemented nitrogen, supplied by a fertilizer relatively high in nitrogen, will correct the deficiency. Wood products take up to four years of decomposition for the “softwoods”—pine, fir, spruce, etc.—before a nitrogen balance is reached in the soil. Hardwoods—oak, maple, beech, etc.—take about half this amount of time for decomposition. This is usually not a problem with peat since it naturally contains some nitrogen, or with composts, leaf mold, manures, and other such sources. Dealing With Sandy Soils A truly sandy soil will feel gritty when rubbed between the fingers. Most sandy soils have at least a little clay and silt in them, but insufficient amounts of clay, especially to hold nutrients and water. Structure of sandy soils may be either loose or, with an insufficient or “wrong” amount of smaller particles and organic matter, hard and crusty and impenetrable to water when dry. They are inherently low in plant nutrients and good tilth. Sandy soils can be much improved by “diluting” with good soil and/or organic matter. The amendment(s) should be thoroughly worked into the top six or more

Fall 2018

inches of the soil, as deeply as possible. It is wrong to assume that a sandy soil is well drained. If the sand is underlaid by a compacted layer, drainage can be a serious problem. Generally, in sandy soils fertilizer should be applied in lesser amounts but more frequently to avoid loss by leaching and contaminating ground water. This is more important with water-soluble inorganic than with organic fertilizers. Soil Testing Testing your soil is a good way to determine the pH (acidity or alkalinity), need for pH correction, and nutrient content of your soil, with suggestions. A good soil sample for testing is a composite of samples taken throughout your garden, then thoroughly mixed together when sufficiently dry by pouring back and forth from one clean bucket to another. Follow all instructions of the testing laboratory to which you will submit your soil sample. One thing you will not learn about your soil from the test is the soil’s texture; that is, if it is a clay, clay loam, loam, etc. A few labs, however, can make a texture test for you for an additional fee. Generally Speaking Organic matter will do as much, or more, to improve a given soil than most any other practice. Worked deeply into the soil, its effects can often be seen for years to follow. The only real “downside” in using organic matter is the nitrogen imbalance that high lignin materials can present, and the potential for insect, weed, and disease problems of some organic sources. Seldom do the problems outweigh the benefits. Keep in mind that working a soil when it is excessively wet or when excessively dry should be avoided. When too wet the soil structure is broken down, causing puddling or “plastic remolding.” When too dry, the soil is ground or pulverized into dust, also causing a breakdown of structure. In between lies a rather narrow range of wetness for optimal cultivation of the soil. Improve your soil—make it enjoyable and watch your garden grow!

AIS Bulletin

Directory Standing and Special Committee Chairs Affiliate Liaison: Jody Nolin 5184 Country Road 20, Rushsylvania, OH 43347 614-507-0332 • affiliatesliaison@irises.org Awards: Gerry Snyder 225 Sky Line Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336 928-282-5867 • geraldcsnyder@gmail.com

Gardens: Bob Pries 107 Brothers Drive, Roxboro, NC 27574 336-597-8805 • robertpries@embarqmail.com National Collections: Charlie Carver PO Box 392, Orcas, WA 98280 360-376-6109 • lefthandhorticulture@gmail.com Display & Test Gardens: Open

Bulletin Advertising: Dawn Boyer 1900 Daws Drive, Amarillo, TX 79124 806-881-9775 • dawn.boyer@yahoo.com

Honorary Awards: Jim Morris 682 Huntley Heights, Ballwin, MO 63021 636-256-3927 • morrisje1@aol.com

Calendar: Janet Smith PO Box 1585, Coarsegold, CA 93614-1585 559-683-0447 • gbyp456@gmail.com

Iris Program Resources (Speakers): Alverton (Al) Elliott 104 Saddle Trail, Georgetown, TX 78633 512-943-0687 • AISirisprogramspeakers@irises.org

Convention Liaison: Paul W. Gossett 3854 South Cincinnati Ave., Tulsa, OK 74105 918-853-6204 • pwgossett1@yahoo.com Electronic Services & Website: David Cupps 453 Hart Road, Lexington, KY 40502 859-396-9691 • aiselectronicsvcs@irises.org Encyclopedia Manager: Bob Pries 107 Brothers Dr., Roxboro, NC 27574 336-597-8805 • robertpries@embarqmail.com Exhibitions:

Iris Program Resources (Digital): Neil Houghton 3873 Rush Mendon Rd., Mendon, NY 14506 585-301-8256 • neil.houghton@me.com Image Coordinator: Neil Houghton 3873 Rush Mendon Rd., Mendon, NY 14506 585-301-8256 • neil.houghton@me.com Insurance: Michelle Snyder 225 Sky Line Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336 928-282-5867 • sammygiz@aol.com

Schedules: Lois Rose PO Box 30, Partlow, VA 22534 540-582-5799 • lowy222@aol.com

Judges: Judy Keisling 12119 Missouri Route A, Liberty, MO 64068-8114 816-792-1848 • AISjudges@irises.org

Supplies: Nick C. Stewart 2808 NW 21st Place, Lawton, OK 73505 580-917-3035 • nicolstew7@yahoo.com

Judges Handbook Revision Committee: Betty Roberts 9055 Melbourne Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80920 719-282-9642 • bettyroberts1@me.com

Show Reports: Wayne Messer PO Box 64 Huxley, IA 50124, 515-597-4240 • wrmesser@gmail.com

Legal Advisor: Howard & Johnson, LLC 906 Olive Street, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63101

Photo Contest: Open Policy: Susan Boyce 5123 South 3500 West, Roy, UT 84067 801-644-7172 • irisgal@hotmail.com Public Relations and Marketing: Bob Pries 107 Brothers Drive, Roxboro, NC 27574 336-597-8805 • AISpublicrelationsmktg@irises.org Susan Grigg 105 Trotters Ridge Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614 919-870-8345 • irismom1@att.net RVP Counselor: Howie Dash 1534 Arco de Goya, Las Cruces, NM 88007 575-652-7550 • howiedash@aol.com Scientific Advisory: Robert Hollingworth 124 East Sherwood Road, Williamston, MI 48895 AISscientificadvisory@irises.org cyberiris@att.net Section and Cooperating Society Liaison: Phyllis Wilburn P.O. Box 9, Rescue, CA 95672 530-642-9942 • abirder@aol.com Silent Auction: Open Social Media Manager: Andi Rivarola Valley Glen, CA • andinsky@gmail.com Symposium: Riley Probst 2701 Fine Rd., Modesto, CA 95355 209-551-6323 • rprobst02@earthlink.net

Foundation Liaison: Jill Bonino 3110 Kirkham Drive, Glendale, CA 91206 818-790-3256 • jillbiris62@gmail.com

Library: Dave Silverberg 32009 S. Ona Way, Molalla, OR 97038 503-829-2928 • sil1812@molalla.net

Youth: Cheryl Deaton 27218 Walnut Springs, Canyon Country, CA 91351 661-252-6771 • region15kids@hotmail.com

Regions & Regional Vice Presidents

7. Tennessee and Kentucky: Belinda Carroll 4938 Highway 78, Dyersburg, TN 38024 731-285-8207 • bjcarroll@cableone.net

15. Southern California and Arizona: Sue Brown 40756 15th Street West, Palmdale, CA 93551 661-947-8659 • irisfor15w@gmail.com

8. Minnesota and Wisconsin: Tim Moore 8293 157TH St., W Apple Valley, MN 55124-5151 952-431-5140 • irisguy@hotmail.com

17. Texas: Peggy Cathey 1115 Hcr. 1414, Covington, TX 76636-9720 254-854-2558 • natvtxn1@windstream.net

9. Illinois: Margaret Kelly 1708 Holiday Dr., Pekin, IL 61554-1925 309-347-8561 • dkelly558@comcast.net

18: Kansas and Missouri: Beverly Hoyt 1416 N. 16th St., St. Joseph, MO 64505 816-233-5821 • bhoyt@stjoelive.com

1. M aine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Newfoundland/Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island: Cheri Ellenberger 154 Port Rd., Kennebunk, ME 04043 207-967-3824 • kwcheri@roadrunner.com 2. New York, Ontario, Quebec: Dorothy Stiefel 260 Michigan Hollow Rd., Spencer, NY 14883 607-589-7465 • irisacher@aol.com 3. Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey: Gary K. Slagle II 59 S. Market St., Gibbstown, NJ, 08027-1423 856-423-4477 • garyslagle@comcast.net 4. Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina: Doug Chyz 6 Biscoe Court, Stafford, VA 22554-6437 540-659-6202 • dougchyz50@verizon.net 5. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Puerto Rico: Darlene Brantley 267 Pebble Hill Rd., Milledgeville, GA 13061 478-456-0256 • justpeach2005@yahoo.com 6. Ohio, Indiana and Michigan: Barbara Bunnell 7941 Peshewa Dr., Lafayette, IN 47905 765-296-6955 • store130@aol.com

10. Louisiana: Eileen Hollander 5436 S. Claiborne Ave., New Orleans, LA 70125 504-866-2381 • eehollan@bellsouth.net 11. Idaho, Montana and Wyoming: Jeannette Graham 1750 8th Ave. E., Twin Falls, ID 83301-3839 208-734-3613 • onthegograham@gmail.com 12. Utah: David Burke 4916 Havasu Way, West Valley, UT 84120 801-955-1585 • sl5kn@yahoo.com 13. Washington, Oregon and Alaska, British Columbia, and Yukon: Ann Booth 6117 150th Place SW, Edmonds, WA 98026-4121 425-743-3066 • annbooth_hr@hotmail.com 14. Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii: Phyllis Wilburn P.O. Box 9, Rescue, CA 95672 530-642-9942 • abirder@aol.com

AIS Bulletin

20: Colorado: David Miller 14425 W. 48th Ave., Golden, CO, 80403 303-277-0358 • dmilleririsx@gmail.com 21: Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, NWT, Nunavut, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba: Kelly Norris 1128 Riverview Drive, Des Moines, IA 50313 712-621-5399 • gardens@kellydnorris.com 22: Arkansas and Oklahoma: Nick C. Stewart 2808 NW 21st Place, Lawton, OK 73505 580-248-2755 • nicolstew7@yahoo.com 23: New Mexico: Scarlett Ayres 5128 Hacienda, Las Cruces, NM 88011 575-382-9613 or 575-621-0171 • sdayres2@aol.com 24: Alabama and Mississippi: Patricia Ramey 209 E. Main St., Falkville, AL 35622 256-784-5307 • bjramey790@gmail.com

Fall 2018

Directory Cooperating Societies

Reblooming Iris Society:

(1st line = Presidents, 2nd line = Memberships)

Riley Probst, 2701 Fine Rd., Modesto, CA 95355 209-551-6323 • rprobst02@earthlink.net

Aril Society International:

Howie Dash, 1534 Arco de Goya, Las Cruces, NM 88007 575-652-7550 • howiedash@aol.com Reita Jordan, 3500 Avenida Charada NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107 sjordan@unm.edu

Rose Kinnard, 1649 Madison 504, Fredericktown, MO 63645-8303 RKinnard@minesmo.org • website: www.rebloomingiris.com

Society for Paciﬁc Coast Native Irises:

Tall Bearded Iris Society:

Bob Sussman, 12142 Alison Drive, Santa Rosa Valley, CA 93012 matilija@gte.net

Ron Cosner, 23697 Hwy 15 N., Hutchinson, MN 55350-5405, 712-541-8938 • keighley15@msn.com Phyllis Wilburn, PO Box 9, Rescue, CA 95672-0009 531-642-9942 • abirder@aol.com

Kathleen Sayce, PO Box 91, Nahcotta, WA 98637-0091 ksayce@willapabay.org

Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA):

AIS Sections (in order by charter date)

Will Plotner, P.O. Box 250, Molalla, OR 97038-0250 503-829-3102 • gardens@molalla.net>

Median Iris Society:

Rodney Barton, 3 Wolters Street, Hickory Creek, TX 75065 rbartontx@yahoo.com

(1st line = Presidents, 2nd line = Memberships)

Hooker Nichols, 3365 Northaven Rd., Dallas, TX 75229 214-352-2191 • bjnhtn@aol.com Judy Eckhoff, 7911 S. Yoder Road, Haven, KS 67543 620-931-5114 • judy67543@gmail.com

Historic Iris Preservation Society (HIPS): Cathy Egerer, PO Box 456, Grand Marais, MI 49839 906-494-2570 • pr@historiciris.org

Society for Siberian Irises:

Judy Eckhoff, 7911 S. Yoder Road, Haven, KS 67543, 620-931-5114 • judy67543@gmail.com

Patrick Spence, PO Box 1062, Lake Stevens, WA 98258 patrick@CascadiaIrisGardens.com Lori E. Lanford, 3053 Willoughby Road, Mason, MI 48854 517-203-4050 • ssimembership@yahoo.com

Society for Louisiana Irises: Robert Treadway, 7619 Hwy 13 N., Carlisle, AR 72024 870-854-5456 • robert01@earthlink.net

Spuria Iris Society:

Andi Rivarola, 5654 Murietta Ave., Valley Glen, CA 91401 818-802-4188 • andinsky@gmail.com Debbie James, 6634 Gaviota St, Lake Balboa, CA 91406-5943 818-922-9153 • dbabski1962@yahoo.com

Ron Killingsworth, 10329 Caddo Lake Rd., Mooringsport, LA 71060, 318-996-9969 • retmiagt@gmail.com

Novelty Iris Society:

Society for Japanese Irises:

Bonnie J. Nichols, 3365 Northaven Rd., Dallas, TX 75229 214-352-2191 • bjnhtn@aol.com

Patrick Spence, PO Box 1062, Lake Stevens, WA 98258 patrick@CascadiaIrisGardens.com Jody Nolin, 5184 CTY RD 20, Rushsylvania, OH 43347 jody.nolin@gmail.com

Kathy Wade, 4304 Vista Ridge Lane, Alvarado, TX 76009 nisnewsletter@yahoo.com

Section Membership Rates (contact information above):

If not noted, contact Section for overseas postage rates. All prices shown in U.S. dollars. Single Annual

Single Triennial

Dual Annual

Dual Triennial

$17.50

$50.50

$21.00 (family)

$54.00 (family)

$15.00 (overseas $22)

$39.00 (overseas $58.00)

$30.00 (overseas $52.50)

$13.50 (overseas $21.00)

$34.50 (overseas $57.00)

Novelty Iris Society $15.00 E-membership: $15.00 / Lifetime Membership: Single $150.00

$40.00

$20.00

$50.00

Reblooming Iris Society

$10.00

$25.00

$12.00

$30.00

Society for Japanese Iris

$10.00

$25.00

$12.00

$31.00

Aril Society International Lifetime membership: $150.00 Historic Iris Preservation Society

$13.00 (overseas $20) $33.00 (overseas $52.00) (youth $5.00) E-membership: $10.00 / Lifetime Membership: Single $225.00, Dual $250.00

Median Iris Society

$12.00 (overseas $19.50) (youth $10.00)

Society for Louisiana Irises

$17.00 (overseas $30.00)

$45.00 (overseas $82.00)

$22.00 (overseas $33.00)

$60.00 (overseas $90.00)

Society for PCNs Paper copies of Almanac Electronic copies of Almanac only

$15.00 (overseas $18.00) $7.00

$40.00 (overseas $48.00) $19.00

n/a

Society for Siberian Iris

$10.00

$25.00

$12.00

$30.00

Species Iris Group (SIGNA)* Lifetime membership: $300.00

$12.00 (overseas $15.00)

$32.00 (overseas $40.00)

$12.00 (overseas $15.00)

$32.00 (overseas $40.00)

Spuria Iris Society E-membership

$12.00 (overseas $15.00) $6.00

$30.00 (overseas $40.00) $15.00 $18.00

$50.00

Tall Bearded Iris Society $12.00 (outside USA $30.00) Organizations: $12.00 / Lifetime membership: $300.00

Fall 2018

$33.00

AIS Bulletin

AIS STOREFRONT Sale Items & Publications All prices include shipping and handling USA: United States - CAN: Canada - INT: International

The World of Irises Highly recommended! 32 pages of full color. Edited by Warburton and

Hamblen. 34 contributors and authors including international authorities. Published in 1978 and most authoritative book on all phases of irises. Scientific and popular. 6” x 9” hard bound cloth cover, 494 pages.

USA $19 - CAN $25 - INT $35 Handbook for Judges and Show Officials: Seventh Edition, 2007

Insert (new pages): USA $16 - CAN $22 - INT $32 Insert w/cover: USA $19 - CAN $25 - INT $35

Basic Iris Culture Booklet. Great

information for new iris growers. Ideal for clubs and shows. New and in color. Single copy: USA $7 - CAN $8 - INT $10 Packet of 25: USA $82 - CAN $105 - INT $119

Check Lists: Ten-year compilation

for registrations 1939, 1949, 1959, 1969, & 1979 Reprint. Soft Cover. USA $9 - CAN $15 - INT $25 1989 & 1999 (Hard Cover): USA $9 - CAN $15 - INT $25 2009: 941 pages Soft Cover Book: USA $25 - CAN $48 - INT $66 Hard Cover Book: USA $34 - CAN $57 - INT $75

Registrations and Introductions: Year 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017:

AIS Bulletins: Back Issues

Current year and last year: USA $8 - CAN $11 - INT $15 Older issues (not all available): USA $5 - CAN $8 - INT $12

USA $13 ea. - CAN $14 ea. - INT $16 ea.

Year 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009: USA $4 ea. - CAN $5 ea. - INT $8 ea.

50th Anniversary Bronze Medal:

Antiqued bronze. Suitable for pendants, show prizes and special awards. Each: USA $3 - CAN $5 - INT $8 Package of 10: USA $18 - CAN $21 - INT $26

RVP Pins (outgoing RVPs only)

Sterling silver with presentation box. Each: $35

Iris Post Cards (16 per pack)

3 packs: USA $4 - CAN $6 - INT $8 10 packs: USA $12 - CAN $16 - INT $25

AIS Seals: Self-adhesive ovals. Official design in blue and green on silver background. Pack (50 per pack): USA $5 - CAN $7 - INT $10 5 Packs: USA $12 - CAN $15 - INT $18

AIS Note Cards: five different themes

(packets) available. Each theme includes 8 different pictures, 8 envelopes and 8 AIS Seals. Each card is 4¼" x 5½" bifold. (Pictures of Theme #1-Garden Delight are shown on the AIS Website). Order by Theme # or Theme Name. Theme #1—GARDEN DELIGHT Theme #2—COUNTRY LANDSCAPE Theme #3—BEARDED WONDERS Theme #4—HAVE NOTS (beardless)

201 9 AIS Iris Calendars Each: USA $8 - CAN $10 - INT $14

Packet of 10: USA $50 - CAN $55 - INT $65

AIS Bulletin

Theme #5—GOING NATIVE Price per packet: USA $7 - CAN $8 - INT $11

Fall 2018

AIS “Invitation To Join” Flyers: Order in packets of 25.

Order from Exhibition Chair (Show Supplies) or AIS Storefront. First packet of 25 (1 packet per affiliate):

Free. Additional packet of 25: USA $7 - CAN $10 - INT $12

Convention Handbook:

Guidelines for planning/hosting a Spring National Convention and Fall Board Meeting. Free

Beardless Irises, A Plant For Every Garden Situation

by Kevin Vaughn USA $30 - CAN $40 - INT $50

Publications now available through the AIS Storefront: The Louisiana Iris, The Taming of a Native American Wildflower, Second Edition USA only $30 Marie Caillet (1915-2010) A special publication by the Society for Louisiana Iris honoring Marie Caillet. USA only $10 Median Iris Society 50th Anniversary History Edition of The Medianite USA $15 - CAN $18 - INT $20

For additional item descriptions and price updates, check the AIS Website: www.irises.org/member_services/storefront

ORDERING INFORMATION

Shipping and Handling is included in the item price. Prices are in US$. The AIS can now accept VISA and Mastercard (sorry, no other charge cards) for Storefront orders (minimum order: $10). When charging your order, please include card type and number, expiration date, name on card, and phone number. The Storefront ships via media mail where possible. Priority, overnight and UPS shipment charges paid by the customer. Make checks or money orders payable to The American Iris Society.

SEND ORDER TO: AIS Storefront John & Kay Ludi P.O. Box 956 Sandy, OR 97055 503-826-8808 AISStore@irises.org

Advertising in IRISES

The Bulletin of the American Iris Society

Sign Me Up! By advertising in IRISES, you will reach 5,000 dedicated iris growers, and secondary growers of at least five times that number in pass-alongs and botanical garden recipients. * Hybridizing, iris culture, awards and Convention reports * Exhibitions—who won what, where and when * Features—trends, events and varietal comments ...all are covered in this quarterly Bulletin, the official printed and on-line posting of the American Iris Society.

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

Shopping Section

BAY VIEW GARDENS of Joseph J. Ghio

1201 Bay St. Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Send $4.00 for catalog listing the newest and finest in Tall Bearded and Pacifica irises

4000 Varieties Specializing in Historics & Lloyd Austin Introductions

6940 Fairplay Road Somerset, CA 95684 530-620-5017 mhess1863@innercite.com www.bluebirdhavenirisgarden.com

BURSEEN IRIS 1513 Ernie Lane Grand Prairie, TX 75052-1106

The Latest Tall Bearded Iris Creations From Tom Burseen.

C and T Iris Patch Tall Bearded and Rebloomers 3200 varieties at reasonable prices Online and paper catalog 2600 iris pictures online 20524 CR 76 Eaton, Colorado 80615 (970)Â 454-0236 www.candtirispatch.com email us at: tfelte@aol.com

AIS Bulletin

Fall 2018

Shopping Section

Comanche Acres Iris Gardens 12421 SE State Rt. 116 Gower, MO 64454

Quality Tall Bearded, Spuria & Louisiana irises at reasonable prices *** Available online - Introductions by Jim Hedgecock and Don Murphy www.comancheacresiris.com 816-424-6436

Diversity Acres ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ -Sustainably Grown -Modern & Historic Cultivars -Free Downloadable Descriptive Catalog ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Grower & Hybridizer P.O. Box 7136 Woodbridge, Va. 22195 410-487-2796 irises@diversityacres.net www.diversityacres.net

Introducing Pseudatas by Hiroshi Shimizu 16815 Falls Road Upperco, MD 21155 (410) 374-4788 draycott@qis.net

www.draycott-gardens.com

Horton Iris Garden

IRIS CITY GARDENS

Mary Ann Horton P.O. Box 1054 7440 King Road Loomis, CA 95650 (916) 652-4351

800-934-4747 www.iriscitygardens.com info@iriscitygardens.com

Tall Bearded, Rebloomers, Historic, Newer irises, Medians, Space Age 1300 varieties Online Catalog:

www.hortonirisgarden.com

Fall 2018

Beardless Irises from Carol Warner

AIS Bulletin

Macey and Greg McCullough 7675 Younger Creek Road Primm Springs, TN 38476

We have antique and newer Bearded iris, Louisiana and other Beardless iris, and stainless steel garden markers Catalog available online

Shopping Section

Iris Hills Farm

Garden of youth member

Colin Campbell www.IrisHillsFarm.com 540-868-2123

Iris Sisters Farm

TBs and SDBs Many cold hardy rebloomers

www.iris-sisters.com

Specializing in Rebloomers, recent Blyth and Keppel introductions

Robin Shadlow – Salem, OR (517) 648-1920

Made in the USA 100% Stainless Steel Plant Markers www.kincaidplantmarkers.com info1@kincaidgardens.com Call us 816-324-4931 Discounts Available for Iris Clubs and Members

Lauer s Flowers

P.O. Box 183 Independence, OR 97351 (503) 838-1168 email: larry@lauersiris.com Website: lauersiris.com Send for a list of our introductions & newer irises. Or view our catalog on the website.

To advertise in the Shopping Section, email Advertising Editor Dawn Boyer at dawn.boyer@yahoo.com

Quality Louisiana Iris rhizomes grown in Upstate New York KEITH KEPPEL P.O. Box 18154 Salem, OR 97305 A Selection of Newer Keppel Tall Beardeds and Medians www.keithkeppeliris.com

P. O. Box 19; Boulder, CO 80306 www.longsgardens.com Since 1905 Iris from the “Top of the Wo rld” Featuring Irises from: D. Miller, Magee, Durrance, Hall, Hoage, Jorgensen, Moller, Olson, Stetson

AIS Bulletin

Wholesale pricing available on quantity orders Full catalog available online at www.louisianairisgardens.com Featuring Introductions by Joe Musacchia & Patrick O’Connor email: louisianairisgardens@gmail.com

Fall 2018

Shopping Section Mid-America Garden, LLC

Earth Friendly Garden Markers

of Thomas Johnson

BEARDED IRIS

Durable Recyclable Sustainably Made

featuring the intros of

MADE IN USA • PATENTED

*20% Better or Different *Good Growers *High Curb Appeal

Three sizes: 9” 13” 24” and four colors

Thomas Johnson Paul Black Lorena Montonari & Lynda Miller

info @ mcgbiomarkers.com 319-378-0077

Douglas Kanarowski www.mariposairis.com grapeorbit@sti.net

Full color catalog with over 400 photos

$6 for US & Canada Overseas $15 U.S. Funds www.mid-americagarden.com P O BOX 9008 BROOKS OR 97305-0008

Nola’s Iris Garden Specializing in Tall Bearded and Reblooming Iris Introductions by Margie Valenzuela and Robert Annand Viewing Gardens open April-May Gary and Nola Prevost

MT PLEASANT IRIS FARM JAPANESE LAEVIGATA “PSEUDATA”

Prevost Ranch and Gardens

4195 Sierra Road San Jose, CA 95132 408-258-2611 888-212-0811

AND OTHERS

On line Catalog with Photos

www.mtpleasantiris.com

info@walking-p-bar.com

PO BOX 346 Washougal, WA 98671-0346 (360) 835-1016

walking-p-bar.com/shopsite

SOLD

OUT!

1534 Arco de Goya Las Cruces, NM 88007 Growing and hybridizing iris is our passion

Howie Dash www.picachomountainiris.com hdash@picachomountainiris.com

Fall 2018

Blog with us! World of Irises, the AIS Blog http://theamericanirissociety.blogspot.com/

AIS Bulletin

Shopping Section

Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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SIG-PrintAd-AIS-Shopping-2017.pdf 1 11/14/2017 5:39:45 PM

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Suttonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Iris Garden

PO Box 790 Star, ID 83669

Quality bearded iris featuring introductions from the Suttons & Anton Mego Request a full color catalog phone~208-297-8995 email~info@suttoniris.com

website~www.suttoniris.com

Winterberry Gardens Don and Ginny Spoon 1225 Reynolds Rd. Cross Junction, VA 22625 (540) 888-4447

Find the Unusual We specialize in all types of Iris

Bearded, Beardless, Specie, & Specie-X

Wildwood Gardens

Website: www.wildirisrows.com e-mail: info@wildirisrows.com

P.O. Box 250 Molalla, OR 97038-0250 gardens@molalla.net http//www.wildwoodgardens.net Color Catalog $5.00

AIS Bulletin

Bearded Irises: Introductions Reblooming Irises a specialty Send $5 for descriptive color catalog e-mail: vspoon@aol.com www.winterberryirises.com

Fall 2018

Advertising Rates AD SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS To place an ad, please contact the advertising editor. The advertising editor has a list of specifications for digital submissions. We accept only .pdf, .jpg or .indd files. Photos must be sent separately from InDesign documents. All .jpg files must be high resolution (minimum 1600x1000). Payment is due when ad copy is submitted. Issues are published the first month of the quarter. The deadlines for ad submissions are: February 15 (Spring issue), June 15 (Summer issue), September 15 (Fall issue), December 15 (Winter issue). Send digital ad copy to the editor irises@janemilliman.com. Send payment (payable to AIS) to Dawn Boyer, 1900 Daws Drive, Amarillo, TX 79124; 806-881-9775; dawn.boyer@yahoo.com Reminder: Any display ad changes are due to the advertising editor by December 15 for the Winter issue. Send payment to Dawn Boyer (address above) • Email the files to irises@janemilliman.com or • Post files to share using a cloud file transfer (dropbox.com or other) or • Mail a DVD or flash drive to Jane Milliman, 390 Hillside Ave., Rochester, NY 14610 It is the responsibility of the advertising customer to insure any advertisement, display or shopping section, is submitted to the editor in the proper format, with pictures (if any) in the proper format, size and/or resolution. The editor will not assemble your ad for you. Payment must be received before the advertisement can be published. Please pay attention to submission deadlines, above.

SHOPPING SECTION ADVERTISING Found in the back of each Bulletin. Placement is roughly alphabetical. Rate is for four issues. All ads, color or black and white are same cost. 2” ad......................................................................2.25˝w x 2˝h..........................$60.00 3” ad......................................................................2.25˝w x 3˝h..........................$80.00 DISPLAY ADVERTISING 1/8 page, interior page...................................3.65˝w x 2.5˝h.......................$50.00 1/4 page, interior page....................................3.65˝w x 4.875˝h................$100.00 1/2 page, horizontal, interior page.............7.5˝w x 4.875˝h .................$200.00 1/2 page, vertical, interior page..................3.65˝w x 9.875˝h...............$200.00 Full page, interior page..................................8.5˝w x 11˝h.........................$400.00 Four consecutive issues discount 1/2 page, interior page................................$175.00 each Full page, interior.........................................$350.00 each COVER 1/2 page, inside front or 1/2 page inside back cover............................$300.00 Full page, inside front or inside back cover...........................................$600.00 1/2 page, outside back cover.......................8.5˝w x 11˝h.........................$300.00 3/4 page, outside back cover.......................8.5˝w x 9˝h.........................$600.00

Discount for ad placed in two issues within same year Take out any size and location display advertisement in any issue of IRISES for the normal price as listed and run that same size advertisement in any issue within the same year for 1/2 the price of the original advertisement. (The second advertisement within the same year is 1/2 price—it does not have to be the same advertisement.) AIS sections and cooperating societies may advertise their societies’ special events in any issue of IRISES for 1/2 the normal display ad price.

Fall 2018

AIS Bulletin

AIS 2018 Award Winners Gallery

THE WILLIAM MOHR MEDAL WINNER

THE FOUNDERS OF SIGNA MEDAL WINNER

‘Sri Lanka’ (Thomas Johnson 2010, AB) ,

‘Wildwood Willie’ (Michael Iler by Will Plotner 2007, SPEC)

thomas johnson

THE RANDOLPH PERRY MEDAL WINNER

THE SYDNEY B. MITCHELL MEDAL WINNER

‘Take No Sato’ (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner 2008, SPEC-X) ,

will plotner

Brock Heilman

‘Pacific Tapestry’ (J. T. Aitken 2010, PCN) ,

AIS Bulletin

terry aitken

Fall 2018

AIS 2018 Award Winners Gallery

THE MARY SWORDS DEBAILLON MEDAL ‘Deja Voodoo’ (Patrick O’Connor 2011, LA) ,

robert treadway

Fall 2018

jan sacks & marty schafer

THE PAYNE MEDAL WINNER

THE ERIC NIES MEDAL WINNER

‘Kimono Silk’ (Bob Bauer/John Coble 2008, JI)

‘ Lemon Chiffon Pie’ (Anna & David Cadd 2006, SPU) ,

THE MORGAN-WOOD MEDAL WINNER ‘Miss Apple’ (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks 2009, SIB)

jan lauritzen

AIS Bulletin

ensata gardens

POSTMASTER: send change of address to: Bulletin of the American Iris Society (ISSN 0747-4172) PO Box 177 De Leon Springs, FL 32130 Address Service Requested Periodicals postage paid De Leon Springs, FL and at additional offices