The 1922 Conference
by Sylvain RuaudAnyone familiar with the history of iridophilia knows that it originated in France in the early 19th century.The first cultivated variety of iris, by Mr. de Bure, dates back to 1822,...
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Stamp Out Binomial Abuse!
by Tom WatersIt is said that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. One manifestation of that pervasive truth is slapping botanical names onto plants where they don't belong. Is it perhaps...
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Growing Irises Out East: Celebrating New Milestones
by Heather and Alleah HaleyHeather's husband, Chris, once told her, "You can grow all of the irises you want if you can make money doing it." Four years after launching our backyard nursery operation,...
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IRISES: The Bulletin of the AIS - Spring 2024 Edition
By Andi RivarolaA warm welcome to those who are seeing IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. If you are a member of The American Iris Society I hope you enjoy this new...
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Tougher PCI Emerging On The East Coast
Kathleen Sayce, May 2024This spring I heard from two gardeners on the East Coast. Each is successfully growing Pacifica iris in very different geographic areas: Nova Scotia and North Carolina. PCI...
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IRISES: The Bulletin of the AIS - Summer 2024 Edition
By Andi RivarolaA warm welcome to those who are seeing IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. If you are a member of The American Iris Society I hope you enjoy this new...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Dykes Medal Winner
'Perry Dyer'First awarded in 1927, the American Dykes Medal is the highest award of the American Iris Society (AIS). It is named for William Rickatson Dykes (1877-1925) and is awarded to no more than...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Wister Medal Winners
'RISE LIKE A PHOENIX' - 'BLINDED BY THE LIGHT'-'NINJA WARRIOR'The Wister Medal is restricted to tall bearded (TB) irises. It is named in honor of John C. Wister (1887-1982). Three medals are awarded...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Knowlton Medal
'SICILIAN ORANGE'The Knowlton Medal is restricted to border bearded (BB) irises. It is named in honor of Harold W. Knowlton (1888-1968) of Auburndale, Massachusetts, a tireless promoter of the border...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Williamson-White Medal Winners
'CANDY BASKET'The Williamson-White Medal is restricted to miniature tall bearded (MTB) irises. It is named in honor of E. B. Williamson (1877-1933), his daughter Mary Williamson (1909-1987) and Alice...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner
'CHEERFUL CHIPMUNK' The Cook-Douglas Medal is restricted to standard dwarf bearded (SDB) irises. It is named in honor of Paul Cook (1891-1963) and Geddes Douglas (1902-1993). Paul Cook's work with...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Caparne-Welch Medal Winner
'WEE DRAGONS'The Caparne-Welch Medal is restricted to miniature dwarf bearded (MDB) irises. It is named in honor of William John Caparne (1855-1940) and Walter Welch (1887-1980). Caparne worked...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 C. G. White Medal Winner
'ENCHANTER'S SPELL'Since 1993, the Clarence G. White Memorial Medal has been awarded to the best arilbred iris with 1/2 or more aril ancestry. When Clarence G. White began his work with aril irises,...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Sass Medal Winners
'LAKOTA'The Sass Medal is restricted to intermediate bearded (IB) irises. It is named in honor of Hans Sass(1868-1949) and Jacob Sass (1872-1945). They bred irises, peonies, daylilies, lilacs,...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 William Mohr Medal Winner
'SIGNAL BUTTE'The Mohr Medal is restricted to irises of one-quarter or more aril content that do not meet the more restrictive requirements of the Clarence G. White Medal.It is named in honor of...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Founders of SIGNA Medal Winner
'LAVENDER MOONBEAMS'The Founders of SIGNA Medal is restricted to species irises (SPEC) and is named to honor the founding members of the Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA). Previous awards...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Sydney B. Mitchell Award Winner
'CAUGHT IN THE WIND'The Mitchell Medal is restricted to Pacific Coast Native (PCN) irises. It is named in honor of Sydney B. Mitchell (1878-1951). Professor Sydney Mitchell was an educator. He became...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Randolph Perry Medal Winner
'VIOLET SWALLOWS'The Randolph-Perry Medal is restricted to interspecies irises (SPEC-X). It is named in honor of Dr. L. F. Randolph (1894-1980) and Amos Perry (1871-1953).Dr. L. F. Randolph, or...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Payne Medal Winner
'COLUMBIA CREST'The Payne Medal is restricted to Japanese irises (JI). It is named in honor of W. Arlie Payne (1881-1971). W. Arlie Payne was at first especially interested in peonies, but in the late...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Eric Nies Medal Winner
'RED WARLORD'The Nies Medal is restricted to spuria irises. It is named in honor of Eric Nies (1884-1952). Eric Nies was born in Saugatuck, Michigan, but soon after Nies moved to California, he became...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 Morgan-Wood Medal Winner
'MY GIRL EMILY'The Morgan-Wood Medal is restricted to Siberian (SIB) irises. It is named in honor of F. Cleveland Morgan (1882-1962) and Ira E. Wood (1903-1977). F. Cleveland Morgan was a pioneer...
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The American Iris Society Announces the 2024 DeBaillon Medal Winner
'EYES WIDE OPEN'The DeBaillon Medal is restricted to Louisiana (LA) irises. It is named in honor of Mary Swords DeBaillon (1888-1940). Mary DeBaillon realized how varied Louisiana irises were and...
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IRISES: The Bulletin of the AIS - Fall 2024 Edition
By Andi RivarolaA warm welcome to those who are seeing IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. If you are a member of The American Iris Society I hope you enjoy this new...
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Chasing the Iris Rainbow in ’24: Binge Year
By Grahame WareOctober 2024Siberian iris ‘Banish Misfortune’ (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks, 1999)photo by Grahame WareAll of us have abiding interests in life. You get the photography bug or the...
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IRISES: The Bulletin of the AIS - Winter 2025 Edition
By Andi RivarolaA warm welcome to those who are seeing IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. If you are a member of The American Iris Society I hope you enjoy this new...
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