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HOW TO MARK YOUR BALLOT
New ballots for the 2015 bloom season will be included
as an insert in the Spring issue of Tall Talk. Be sure to vote
for your favorites, but please read through the following
“rules”. Not everything you grow qualifies for the competition.
1. All TBIS household memberships will receive one
ballot. If you have a Dual Membership, please either
split the lines or use the back of the form for the
second person’s votes.
2. All ballots must be postmarked no later than June 30,
2015.
3. Each ballot must be signed, dated, and include Zip
Code — OR — you may now vote by email. Be sure
to add your email address and state after your name
following your list of 10 choices.
4. Each household membership may vote for a maximum
of ten (10) Tall Bearded irises and each must have
been in commerce for at least five years.
5. To be placed on the ballot, a variety must have been
grown in the TBIS member’s garden for at least 2 years
and must be growing in their garden at the time of
voting. Recommending a variety that is not growing in
a member’s garden will be basis for determining the
ballot invalid.
6. Only Tall Bearded irises may be placed on the ballot
and the following guidelines of selection are impera-
tive.
a. It must be an easy, hardy, and healthy grower.
b. It must bloom consistently and floriferously each
year.
c. It must be disease resistant.
d. Performance evaluation must be based only on
performance in the voting member’s garden.
e. Beauty of the flower alone is not sufficient reason to
place a variety on this ballot.
Purpose: To determine varieties that dependably grow
and bloom in a variety of climates. The list should not be
lengthy and should consist of affordable varieties that will
appeal to the perennial gardener (a non-iris specialist). The
winning varieties should represent tried and tested varieties that will perform dependably across the country. This
list will be published in Tall Talk and possibly distributed
to writers of major garden magazines and commercial iris
growers.
All ballots must be received by June 30, 2015. To save
you postage, we now accept ballots via Email. You can simply list your favorites in an email, or fill out your ballot, scan
it, and send it as an attachment. Make sure it’s in .pdf format
or Word.doc. Please do not use “Works” as only those who
have that program can open the document.
AMERICA’S CHOICE
2014 Results
By Jerry James - Welling, Oklahoma
Voting this year “bunched things up,” with a three-way
tie for second place and a seven-way tie for fifth, which
means all of the top eleven iris qualified with a year of
eligibility for Hall of Fame consideration. Three of those,
GYPSY LORD, PAUL BLACK, and REVERE enter the Hall
of Fame and will now be retired from eligibility for future
balloting. With 27 of the consensus “truly greats” now in
the Hall of Fame, voting has become much more scattered.
A total of 517 different varieties received votes this year but
only 94 had more than one vote and only 40 more than two.
More than anything, I guess, that tells us how deep the pool
of truly wonderful tall bearded irises and how wide their
HALL OF FAME
CELEBRATION SONG
CONJURATION
DAUGHTER OF STARS
DUSKY CHALLENGER
FLORENTINE SILK
GOLDEN PANTHER
GYPSY LORD
HAPPENSTANCE
JESSE’S SONG
LADY FRIEND
LOUISA’S SONG
MARY FRANCES
MESMERIZER
PAUL BLACK
QUEEN’S CIRCLE
REVERE
RHONDA FLEMNG
SEA POWER
SILVERADO
SKATING PARTY
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
THAT’S ALL FOLKS
THORNBIRD
TITAN’S GLORY
VANITY
WORLD PREMIER
YAQUINA BLUE
Tall Talk ~ Fall 2014
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appeal to different tastes. Here are the eleven that made this
year’s “top ten:”
1. KATHY CHILTON (Fred Kerr, ’06), which tied for
1st last year in its first appearance as a finalist, was the runaway winner this year. And no wonder! A Wister winner
in 2012 and a runner-up for the Dykes Medal last year, this
beauty is a true show-stopper, with its golden-yellow standards, wide plush red-black falls and antique gold beards. It
is also hardy and prolific.
ABSOLUTE TREASURE
KATHY CHILTON
2b. ABSOLUTE TREASURE (Richard Tasco, ‘06), a
gorgeous ruffled sky-blue beauty, was the top vote-getter for
the Wister last year, tied for 7th in our poll in 2012 and tied
for 5th last year. Here is a true treasure that must be seen to
be fully appreciated.
2c. STEPPING OUT (Schreiner’s, ‘64) a great historic,
wildly popular in its day, is making a comeback with voters.
It was one of five irises tied for 9th place last year and made
the top 10 four years running 2000 through 2003, but is
2a. GYPSY LORD (Keith Keppel, ‘06) was 2nd in 2012
and 4th last year. The top vote-getter for the Wister in 2012,
it was also a runner-up for the Dykes Medal last year. It is
the paprika red beards on a white blaze that literally jerk
the eye to this deeply ruffled confection with its blue-white
standards and blue-violet falls wire-rimmed in pale blue.
STEPPING OUT
GYPSY LORD
“stepping out” on a new journey toward the Hall of Fame
this year. One of the most popular plicatas ever, the standards and falls are snow white bordered by wide bands of
blue-black-violet; hardy, beautiful, and so faithful to bloom
almost every year.
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5a. BLACK MAGIC WOMAN (Richard Tasco, ‘08)
makes its first appearance on our winners list. With fringecrested dark red-violet standards, satiny jet-black falls, and
a burnt orange beard, it was an Award of Merit winner in
2012 and one of the two most recently introduced varieties
placing in this year’s poll.
5c. MONTMARTRE (Keith Keppel, ‘08) leaps from its
9th place tie last year into this six-way tie for 5th this year.
An Award of Merit winner in 2012, it is a stunning and
unique luminata with greyed red-purple standards that have
deeper red-purple mid-ribs and a ¼" straw yellow edge;
straw yellow style arms; and velvety dark red-purple falls
bordered oyster with a small white area around the chrome
yellow beards. Truly, it looks good enough to eat!
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
5b. MANGO PASSION (Larry Lauer, ‘05) is also new
to the list this year. An Award of Merit winner in 2009, it is
a luscious blend of cadmium and tangerine orange with a
lighter fall center setting off saturn-red beards and is guaranteed to light up your garden.
MANGO PASSION
MONTMARTRE
5d. PAUL BLACK (Thomas Johnson, ‘03), the 2010
Dykes Medal winner, was #2 in our poll that year and
placed in a 4-way tie for 5th last year. It is special among the
dark-purple irises for its unique bright orange beards. The
blooms are huge and the plants hardy; a “must have” in this
color range.
PAUL BLACK
Tall Talk ~ Fall 2014
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PICTURE BOOK
5e. PICTURE BOOK (Joseph Ghio, ‘07) is a heavily
ruffled light to medium pink self with tangerine beards and
wide, wide falls. This “early to bloom” beauty was an Award
of Merit winner in 2011 and continues to grow in popularity each year.
5f. REVERE (Joseph Ghio, ‘02) tied for 3rd in our poll
in 2012 and for 5th last year. The large blossoms have somewhat open white standards which, like the white style arms,
STARRING
WHISPERING SPIRITS
REVERE
have a pale gold edging; the ruffled falls are white with a
wide blue rim; the beards are bright golden orange. This
classic beauty blooms consistently, is wonderfully healthy
with good increase, show quality branching and staying
power.
5g. STARRING (Joseph Ghio, ‘00) is back, having appeared on our list once before in a tie for 4th place in 2010.
A Wister award winner in 2007 and a runner-up for the
Dykes Medal in 2008, it has crisp white standards with gold
fringed crests, dark purple-black falls, and brick red beards,
certain to get attention in any garden.
SOLAR FIRE
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Six iris were next in the balloting and deserve an
“honorable mention:” Italian Ice (Anna & David Cadd, ‘00),
Solar Fire (Richard Tasco, ‘03), Barbara My Love (William
Maryott, ‘99), Notta Lemon (Tom Burseen, ‘10), Peggy Sue
(Larry Lauer, ’06) and Whispering Spirits (Richard Ernst,
‘01). Only the first two have appeared in our “top ten” in the
past.
If you are looking for star quality in your garden -spring beauty that is easy to grow and guaranteed to increase into stunning clumps of color -- any of our winners
(or all of them) should greatly please! Until next year, we say
thanks again to all for your support of TBIS and to all who
sent in their America’s Choice ballots. Remember, mark
your calendar with a reminder to vote when you receive
your ballot in the Spring issue of Tall Talk. Let’s have the
best turn-out ever in 2015! Hope we all have the best bloom
season ever come Spring!
it all -- grows like crazy, sends up a forest of stalks every
year, blooms early-middle-late and never even saw an
Award of Merit. Every bit the amoena that STAIRWAY TO
HEAVEN (Larry Lauer, 1993) is, and Stairway is a deserving Hall of Fame selection. I would rate only QUEEN’S
CIRCLE (Fred Kerr, 2000) and DUSKY CHALLENGER
(Schreiner’s, 1986) ahead of WING COMMANDER as a
garden iris. Why haven’t the Suttons gotten more love from
us judges?
AMERICA’S CHOICE
2014 Comments
By Jerry James - Welling, Oklahoma
Mark A. Brooks, Overbrook, Kansas
FOGBOUND (Keith Keppel, 1998) has every positive
quality a modern iris needs -- plant vigor, stem strength,
bloom interest, petal substance and hybridizing value. RUSTLER (Keith Keppel, ’88) or BABBLING BROOK (Keith
Keppel, 1966 ) is Keppel’s best introduction in tall beardeds.
Anyone with space limitations should grow Rustler for their
red; an absolutely great iris which should have won a Dykes
medal for ‘95 to ‘99; better than anything else that won.
BABBLING BROOK is the best sky blue out there. WING
COMMANDER (George Sutton, 1999), like Fogbound, has
QUEENS CIRCLE
Lois Cook, Ukiah, California
FLIGHT COMMANDER (George Sutton, 1999)
re-blooms often in December in Ukiah, California. It is a
space-ager that has very consistent horn/ruffles.
Robert Missal, Clawson, Michigan
GOOD POINT (Michael Sutton, 2009) is one of the
finest irises I’ve ever grown. Dyke’s quality in every way and
totally overlooked. ROYAL BIRTH (Ernest Royal, 2003) is
another overlooked beauty. I don’t like the name, but the
performance of WASATCH WONDER (Darlene Pinegar,
2005) is exceptional. And there is nothing second class
about the pastel beauty SECOND HELPING (Michael Sutton, 2010).
RUSTLER
Sidney Ann Martin, Kansas City, Missouri
VAGUE A L’AME (Jean Cayeux, 1986) is elegant, with
traditional iris colors and always floriferous. CHANGE
OF PACE (Schreiner’s, 1991) still is distinctively colored
and does well. DIFFERENT DESIGN (George Sutton,
1998) grows and blooms well and always draws comments.
SPECTACULAR BID (Don Denney, 1981) was spectacular this year, with large flowers and deep, dark, red-black,
velvety petals. I’m always thrilled to see TROPICAL BUT-
Tall Talk ~ Fall 2014
TERFLY (Carstensen, 1963) every year -- an historic with
uniquely colored, billowy blossoms. I could list more. I’ve
been deleting varieties for years and am trying to get down
to my favorite 100 irises. But I still have around 300 and am
reluctant to cut further. Every year I’m finding fewer that I
could live without! The winnowing is getting tougher.
Judy Nunn, Salem, Oregon
MARILYN’S SKIRT (Bob Skaggs, 2010) is a huge clump
and blooms for along time; ONLY IN DREAMS (Fred
Kerr, 2010) is also a large clump. I will divide both after
next year’s convention. This was the first year for FRESH
LEMONADE (Vincent Christopherson, 2013) and the
blooms were huge. I visited Vincent in his garden (called
‘the farm’) while in Dallas for the convention in 2013. He
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OVER (Duane Meek, 2005), so unique in coloration, was
the center of attention. And I must mention a couple of
“oldies“ that are so overlooked -- DIVINE LIGHT (Richard
Ernst, 1992), one of the best of the pale yet intense yellows,
and SHARLEE (William Maryott, 1982), a beautiful orchid
with a bright yellow glow at its heart like a lighted window
in an orchid sunset. To me they are among the truly great
older irises for their beauty, reliability of bloom and hardy,
dependable growth habits. They certainly deserve more
SHARLEE
MARILYN’S SKIRT
pulled one up for me and I planted it as soon as I got home.
The rhizomes were so large -- I actually planted three -- and
they all bloomed this year. I won SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
(Tom Magee, 2006) while on a TBIS tour in Colorado
several years ago. I had met Tom Magee at his home prior
to the tour and was thrilled later when I actually won one of
his introductions. It grows so well; I have it planted in several places in my small garden. SHADOW WARRIOR (Fred
Kerr, 2002) is another from a bus tour, and it is planted in
several places also.
Jerry James, Welling, Oklahoma
Among irises new to my garden this year, SILKEN
TRIM (Schreiner’s, 2013) was the hit. With red wine standards and dark violet falls on perfect show stalks with four
blooms open at once, it was uniquely lovely anytime of day
but absolutely stunning in the sunlight. We’ll see if my first
impression lasts. We moved in April 2013, so all my iris
were first year clumps. Among several standouts, PARTY’S
attention. And everybody should grow the Dykes winner
BLUE SAPPHIRE (Schreiner’s, 1953). It grows great and
has almost never failed to bloom in the more than 25 years
I have been growing it. The blooms are usually huge, the
form classic, and the intense pale sky-blue color unsurpassed -- my favorite color, of course, in iris or anything
else. This year it was spectacular!
BLUE SAPPHIRE
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Cindy Rust, Onion, Missouri
Again this year CRYSTAL GAZER (Keith Keppel, 2007)
earns the top spot with a clump bigger across than a barrel
with dozens of top quality stalks that set big pods. It has
never been reset since the year of its introduction and never
misses performing no matter what! BACKDRAFT (Hugh
Stout, 2010) makes big clumps full of sturdy quality stalks
and is well named with smoldering, hot colored big flowers;
despite storms it has not blown over. MISS FLUFFY (Lynn
Markham, 2012) has flowers that reflect the name but a rock
hard New England constitution. A minimal plicata that is
a sensible, controlled grower and bloomer. It is different
and draws the eye. JUST A KISS AWAY (Lowell Baumunk,
2009) is frilly, with heavy lace and big clumps. Basically a
fancy yellow that grows, blooms, sets big pods and doesn’t
need a name tag to recognize it. GOT ATTITUDE (Barry
Blyth, 2009) is a super smooth, deep blue amoena from
Australia. Outstanding clump, stalks, flowers are perfection. Not just another blue amoena.
time decides to bloom. DEBBY RAIRDON (Mrs. Hilbart
Kuntz, 1965), RUSTLER (Keith Keppel, 1988), SOUTHERN
COMFORT (Georgia Hinkle, 1985) and KILT LILT (James
Gibson, 1970) continue to fill my garden with their beauty.
Laura Urness, Logan, Utah
The word that best describes ABIQUA FALLS (Schreiner’s, 2003) is gentle. It has gentle ruffling in a peaceful, calm
mid-blue. It’s not the most dramatic iris, but it is beautiful,
produces many well-branched stalks and grows prolifically. It’s a good choice as a companion to columbine and
miniature roses. EXPOSE' (Joseph Ghio, 2004) started the
trend for dramatically lined falls a decade ago and is still, in
my opinion, the most distinctive and beautiful. It tends to
Carl Klutey, Carmel, Indiana
WORLD PREMIER (Schreiner’s, 1998) was very exciting this year. A couple of Joe Ghio’s varieties caught my eye:
MAGICAL (Joseph Ghio, 2008) for its delicate pink beauty
and BUBBLING WAVES (Joesph Ghio, 2005) for its beauty
EXPOSE'
space out the opening of each new flower, so there are rarely
more than two blossoms open per stalk at once. Since the
flowers are large this is a distinct advantage and extends the
bloom season nicely. STAR SURGE (George Sutton, 2000)
is consistently a favorite. Rich red-purple with falls sanded
white, it glows even in weak sunlight. It’s a vigorous grower
and always sends out plentiful stalks.
WORLD PREMIER
and fabulous ruffling. ABBEY ROAD (David Silverberg,
1994) put on a good show and SILVER SKATES (Ed Roberts, 2004) is one of those varieties that perform every year.
Sylvan Sigler, Colleyville, Texas
I have grown iris for maybe 50 years. The earliest Dykes
I remember having is BABBLING BROOK (Keith Keppel,
1966). Keppel is still my favorite hybridizer; however, there
are so many gifted irisarians it is hard to pick a favorite.
I must say I love some of the newer iris, but it is always a
special treat when one of the irises I have had for a long
Shirley Spoon Knox, Lawndale, North Carolina
Lilla Spoon - my irisarian Mom - asked me as she was
leaving planet earth in November of 2003, “Could you
please take care of my iris?” I enthusiastically replied, “Yes,
of course.” I had no idea there were 363 varieties! But here
at the end of my long life I am a happy gardner and known
as “the iris lady” to lots of family and friends whom I’ve
started with iris. My list contains some of Lilla’s favorites
that are still a source of pride and beauty in my garden. Of
course, there are many of Dr. Don Spoon’s hybridizations.
She taught him to hybridize when he was 16 years old! She
was so very proud of his irises. So my brother Don and I are
very proud of what she started long ago. Our love
for iris is a great source of joy in our lives.