Garden Chit Chat
Chit Chat 2025
It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone, and that we are now halfway through another decade! Where does the time go? Whoever it was who said ‘the older you get, the faster time goes’ certainly knew what they were talking about.
Winter is always a great time to browse through seedling pictures taken from the previous bloom season, dream about iris crosses, and study parentages. Looking through my seedling books, it soon becomes evident that when the hybridizing bug bit, it took a pretty good chunk. My first year of making crosses was in Canada back in 1993. I planted over 150 crosses, most of which did not germinate because the seed rotted in the pots. Even still, two of those original crosses resulted in the Knowlton Medal-winning BB iris named Border Control, and my first TB AM winner, named Hook. One more year of making crosses in Canada, three years of making pollinations in Oklahoma, and then I landed in Oregon, and the rest is history.
It is fun to see the evolution of the iris in pattern and form over that time period, the width and ruffle, and all of the new and exciting color combinations. I remember that back in the day, a blend was a fancy word for a muddy or sort of dull-colored iris. Now blends, in my opinion, are some of the most exciting of the new hybrids that are coming out. After all these years, there is still nothing like the thrill of seeing a new seedling for the first time, especially one that has a pattern you have been trying for generations to perfect.
Some of you may recall that the iris Lovely Livvy was named for Olivia Newton-John, and that donations from the sale of the iris Lovely Livvy went to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. I was very honored to be invited to tour the facility, and was able to visit this past year, along with Barry Blyth and his partner Gwyneth Jones. It was very fitting for Barry to be there, for two very important reasons. First of all, Barry is a very dear friend, and an iris mentor to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude, for his years of encouragement and support. Secondly, Barry’s decades of hybridizing work on the pink amoena pattern led to his two seedlings that I crossed to create the iris Lovely Livvy.
We met the CEO and COO of the facility, and presented them with a large framed and matted photo of the iris Lovely Livvy, to be hung in the Centre. Then we were taken on an in-depth tour of the facility, seeing everything from the wellness centre to the research lab. The scientists in the lab even took the time to explain to us about the different kinds of cancer cells that they were studying at that moment, as seen through monitors attached to massive microscopes. Their main research is on breast cancer, but they also learn about other types of cancer along the way. Olivia’s dream was to find a cure for the disease that eventually took her life. Thank you to everyone who bought the iris Lovely Livvy, as you have contributed to furthering this important work.
On a more upbeat note, we would like to extend a huge congratulations to Paul Black for his Dykes Medal win with the iris named for his best friend and iris mentor Perry Dyer. A very worthy win for sure. Perry personally picked out his namesake and would be over-the-moon excited to know that it went on to win the Dykes medal. We know Perry is smiling down from above!
It was a very good year for the Mid-America Garden family of hybridizers in the awards department. In addition to the Dykes Medal, Paul also won a Wister Medal for Rise Like A Phoenix. Lynda won a Wister Medal for Ninja Warrior, and the Caparne-Welsh Medal for Wee Dragons. Thomas won the Walther Cup for Dare To Be Different. Thank you to all of the judges who took the time to evaluate and vote for our hybrids.
Thank you to all our wonderful customers world-wide for your continued years of support. Without you we would not be able to live our passion!! We hope that the 2025 iris bloom season is your best and most enjoyable ever……..Thomas
Thomas
