by Clarence Mahan
The foster memorial plaque is given by the British Iris Society (BIS) to individuals of whatever nationality in recognition of outstanding contributions to advancements of the genus Iris. In 1996, the award was made to Milan Blazek of the Czech Republic. Mr. Blazek, head of the Botanic Garden of the Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, has built and maintained an extraordinary collection of all types of irises.
Indeed, the Botanic Garden at Pruhonice, outside of Prague, is recognized as one of the finest collections in the world. The collection includes more than 1,200 varieties and forms of 74 species. This includes more than 50 separate forms of I. germanica. In addition, the Botanic Garden has 1,600 garden cultivars
In 1974, Mr. Blazek organized and hosted the International Iris Symposium in Prague. He is currently organizing another international iris symposium to be held in Prague which will have the theme of conservation and preservation of irises. It will include the initiation of a worldwide program covering organizations and people from every country where iris species occur.
The BIS's Pilkington Award for 1996 was bestowed on the wonderfully talented editor of the Year Book, Berney Baughen. This award is for outstanding service, and Berney's many American and Canadian friends will most certainly take pleasure in his receiving this honor.
The BIS made no award of the Dykes Medal Trophy in 1996. The Fothergill Trophy established for tail bearded irises was won by LARK RISE, bred by C.E.C. Bartlett. LARK RISE, derived from the cross CHERISHED MEMORY X CHICO MAID is a neglecta with greyed blue lavender standards and deep blue lavender fails. It has four branches, plus terminal, and up to 11 buds.
The Miller Trophy, awarded to the best beardless iris other than Pacific Coast Natives, was given in 1996 to OBAN, hybridized by Harry Foster. This tetraploid Siberian was obtained from SILVER EDGE X REDDY MADE. The new Marjorie Brummitt Trophy for Pacific Coast Natives was awarded to Peter Maynard's GORING ACE. This lovely iris was pictured on the cover of the 1993 Year Book.
The Australasian Dykes Medal, which is awarded in alternate years in Australia and New Zealand, went to the Australian tall bearded iris TEMPTONE, hybridized by Graeme Grosvenor, in 1995. A beautifully ruffled purple iris, TEMPTONE came from the cross of two American Dykes Medal winners: SILVERADO X DUSKY CHALLENGER.
MARGARET LEE, the gorgeous Louisiana iris bred by John Taylor, was selected for the Iris Society of Australia Award in 1995. This iris is well known to North American growers of Louisiana irises, and has achieved considerable popularity since its introduction.
The recent war in Bosnia has been a great tragedy for its people. It has also been devastating to the countryside and to horticultural and botanical activities in that country. Quite a few bearded iris species are indigenous to Bosnia; indeed, some are found in no other country. The great William R. Dykes himself collected iris species and natural hybrids in Bosnia, and his reports on these collecting activities are included in the excellent collection of Dykes' writings edited by George Dillistone, Dykes on Irises.
A recent issue of The Garden, published by the Royal Horticultural Society, reported on the efforts of Dr. Max Walters and his son, Dr. S. M. Walters, to help reconstruct the war-damaged Botanic Garden in Sarajevo. Dr. Max Walters, of Cambridge University Botanic Garden, first launched an appeal to fund publication of a book on Bosnian flora, the proceeds of which would be used to pay for work on the Botanic Garden in Sarajevo. British gardeners and botanists have contributed several thousand pounds to this effort.
Dr. S. M. Walters is now planning the book, Endemic Flora of Bosnia, which will be illustrated by color photographs by Dr. Silic. Until his retirement, Dr. Silic was responsible for the unique endernic plant collection in the Bosnian Botanic Garden. For more information and copies of the appeal leaflet, contact Dr. S. M. Walters, 1 Symonds Lane, Granchester, Cambridge, CB3 9NU, United Kingdom.
Those who are interested in viewing historic irises in Europe might consider a trip to Bale in Switzerland. The "Le GRUN" collection of historic irises at le jardin d'exposition florale in Bale was donated by the late Gräfin Helen Von Zepplin.
Karen Glasgow was a formidable presence in the world of irises for close to half a century. One of the founders of the New Zealand Iris Society, she served as its president from 1960 to 1963. She also served as its editor for twenty-two years. She was fond of all types of irises, but species irises were her special interest. She wrote many articles on irises and edited, with B. E. Turnbull, the book Jean Stevens on Irises (NZIS, 1970). Regrettably, Karen Glasgow died in 1994, before her new book, Irises For New Zealand, was published.
Godwit Publishing Ltd. published Irises for New Zealand in 1996. It is a small volume, 104 pages, that has many lovely color photographs by Yvonne Cave. Many of the irises featured in the photographs are seldom pictured elsewhere. Some of the photographs are really stunning, such as a field of Iris orientalis, a waterside planting of Iris setosa, and a pot of "Sidpers", a hybrid Juno.
Karen Glasgow was a good writer, and this book is a pleasure to read. Her major thesis is that irises are good garden plants and that the criticism that they bloom for only a short time is not valid. Even if one grows only tall bearded irises, the bloom season can cover many weeks if one includes those that bloom very early and those that bloom very late. But why would one want to limit oneself to Only tall bearded irises? The author extols the virtues of beardless irises, bulbous irises, and various iris species. She explains how each type of iris can be effectively incorporated into the garden landscape.
This book is filled with information on species irises, and the unique characteristics and growing requirements of each species. There is much practical advice. The author also is candid about limitations of various irises. This book can be obtained in paperback for $19.95, plus $5.50 postage, from Timber Press in Portland, Oregon. You can order by phone: 1-800-327-5680.
The iris world was, to say the least, quite surprised when the winner of the top prize at the International Competition in Florence, Italy was announced in 1995. The winner was ARIEL, a tall bearded iris hybridized by Alfred Volfovitch-Moler of Uzbekistan. Probably the most commonly uttered comment by AIS members was "Uzbekistan?" Who would have imagined?
The affair of Alfred Volfovitch-Moler and the Gold Florin is surely a modern day iris hybridizing Cinderella story. For a previously "unknown" iris breeder to begin his competitive career by winning the first prize in an international competition is quite unheard 0£ In the annals of iris breeding, this is a tale to rival Clara Rees and SNOW FLURRY.
This past year, Iris et Bulbeuses, the journal of the Société Française des Iris et Plantes Bulbeuses, featured a letter from Mr. Volfovitch-Moler in which he described his iris breeding efforts and provided some information about himself.
Now retired, Mr. Volfovitch-Moler is a geologist who gardens as a hobby. He has grown and bred gladiolus for 25 years, and started working with irises about 14 years ago. There are pictures of two of his irises, TASHKENT (introduced 1992, registered 1995) and seedling 93-56, a beautifully flounced iris, in the autumn issue of Iris et Bulbeuses. Mr. Volfovitch-Moler expresses the view that his past iris creations have not been sufficiently distinctive to his eyes-but he says he has positive expectations for the future.
Limited by the space available for his gardening and by the number of cultivars he has as breeding stock, he hopes to obtain additional material soon. He is very interested in aril and arilbred irises, and most especially in regalia irises. Perhaps some AIS members would like to send Mr. Volfovitch-Moler some breeding stock. If so, it is suggested you write him and find out if an import number or other paper work besides a phytosanitary certificate is required. His address is Pos. Geofizika, kv. 1, Kirbraiski R-N, Tashkentskaya Obl., 702164, Uzbekistan.
The Siberian, Spuria and Japanese Iris Group of the British Iris Society has now been reorganized as the Group for Beardless Irises. There was a period, following Joan Trevithick's death, when there was some question as to whether this Organization would survive. Well, that is all history now The Group for Beardless Irises is now a very healthy association with increased membership and much improved finances. The goal of this group is to foster communication between members in Great Britain and overseas by the exchange of ideas, seeds and plants, to help newcomers with their interests and problems, and to report on new work in hybridization. The Group's newsletter, edited by Sue Pierce, provides a wealth of information on many aspects of beardless irises.
For North Americans who would like to have membership in this Group, the annual dues are 3 pounds. The Group will accept multiple year subscriptions, and funds sent in excess of a year's dues are credited as an advance payment against future subscriptions as they fail due. Dues should be sent to the Treasurer and Membership Secretary, Philip Allery, 199 Walsall Rd, ALDRIDGE, Nr. Walsall, West Mids, W59 OBE, United Kingdom.
Newsletter No. 39 of the Group for Beardless Irises of the British Iris Society had a very interesting article by Prof. Dr. Nasr El-Emary, Dept. of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy; Assiut University, Assiut 71526, A. R. Egypt. Prof. Dr. El-Emary relates that he has obtained many iris seeds and plants of different iris species from the UK and Canada, and now has a collection of 34 iris species.
Prof. Dr. El-Emary explains his research objectives in the article. "As a pharmacist and phytochemist, I am concerned mainly with isolating biologically active compounds from natural sources, especially medicinal plants. Nowadays, the hazards of using synthetic drugs are well documented and observable everywhere in the drastic carcinogenic reactions of many drugs. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a campaign in 1977, to return to natural medicines called the 'Green Wave' or 'Back to Nature,' stating that we should go back to using natural sources in order to obtain safer drugs for the treatment of virulent diseases like cancer, AIDS, etc....There are published claims for possible anti-cancer or anti-AIDS compounds from different plants including some iris species. So, I am interested in studying the chemistry of many species, although up to now our results have not been satisfactory. The fact of the presence of anti-cancer compounds from iris species will add to the importance of these beautiful ornamental plants."
Prof. Dr. El-Emary is in need of a number of iris species missing from his collection, including a number of forms of iris species native to North America, e.g. I. setosa, versicolor; nelsonii, and virginica. If anyone is willing to help in this research by providing rhizomes of some of the irises Prof. Dr. El-Emary needs, it is suggested you write him to obtain more information.