http://www.irises.org/pdf/AISa...

Can someone please explain to me what "CA Honorable Mention" (or "CA Award of Merit") mean? Does that mean the H.M.s and A.M.s for Pacific Coast Irises?

I guess I'll have to keep the Dykes winner around... give it a second chance...

Marilyn, yes, CA represents the Pacific Coast type of Iris, sometimes called California Iris.

Keith Keppel got the Dykes for Haunted Heart.


@Lestv
Check out all the Burseens that have awards.

Thanks, Debra. I thought that might be the case.

Well dang, even the LA When Pigs Fly made it!

I love seeing love given to Go Beserka and all the other Burseens. I am surprised that Cow Patty did so well but that Maggie Beth isn't even on the list. Happy to see he won the Wister medal, but ironically I haven't had much luck growing Notta Lemon. Maybe I need a new rhizome of it.

Chad Harris' MTB's got love, and I see Hi Buddy in there Lucy!

I would have thought there would be more of Rick's arils on the lists, and am surprised Morning Hues isn't higher up. But yay for Sheer Excitement! I just finished planting many of the Paul Black and Tom Johnson SDB's. It bodes well that they did so well in the voting.

I just did a "survey" of those irises on the list, and, of the 17 that I grow in my garden....the only one I'm not "overly impressed" with...Is Haunted Heart ! I guess I'm a poor "judge" .

I was somewhat unimpressed too on this cultivar.

crowrita1 said:I just did a "survey" of those irises on the list, and, of the 17 that I grow in my garden....the only one I'm not "overly impressed" with...Is Haunted Heart ! I guess I'm a poor "judge" .

Me either. Guess I'm too old for all this new stuff! My thoughts remain stuck in the 70's, 80's & 90's. Dusky Challenger, Vanity, Song Of Norway, Celebration Song, etc. etc............

I know it's just me; I can't seem to adapt.

of course one of the Hi Buddy votes is mine. I am grateful to Winterberry Irises for getting it distributed

Congratulations to Keith Keppel! Of his eight(!) irises that have won the Dykes Medal, Haunted Heart may be the most deserving, which is saying a lot. The first time I saw it in person, I said "if this iris doesn't win the Dykes Medal, AIS should do away with its award system". It is a spectacular iris, perfect flower form, great branching, high bud count, vigorous grower, reliable bloomer, and it's beautiful. Imagine that, a basically grey flower yet to me it is one of the most beautiful irises ever created. And, it's distinctive. People talk about how 'new intros look just like existing ones'. Not Haunted Heart, if you could somehow line up all 60,000+ irises that AIS has ever granted a name (wouldn't that be cool ), you'd have no problem picking Haunted Heart out of the crowd. There have been some head scratchers with the Dykes, especially in the last decade or so, but they got it right this year.

I couldn't agree more, Kent. He broke new ground with Haunted Heart. Innovation counts for a lot.

I love HH and all of it's children.

HH blooms look more faded in color here, so I'm going to a move a piece of it to a bed that gets afternoon shade.

I guess that we love or hate it. I haven't grown it yet, but I am thinking that I will love it. I will be growing it this year.

I love it too. And it's children that carry on those lovely stripes.

Lestv said:I love it too. And it's children that carry on those lovely stripes.

I have to admit, I am excited to see this iris grow here!

I'm in the group that love Haunted Heart and all it's children.

I do agree that distinctiveness plays a part in major awards (sometimes this makes sense to me, other times not ), but given its good plant habits (per Kent), and the fact that so many people find it hauntingly beautiful , it probably deserved the Dykes. (I'm still a newbie, hence the "probably"... what do I know, after all? )

I wouldn't say that I "hate" it. It's just...

I'd have to find a suitable spot (as if) and pair it with something special. Maybe that would make me love it.

I'm going to add that I have 'Friendly Advice', and I'm not sure how I feel about that one, either.

But I decided to keep the recently received 'Ocean Liner'. I like blue (there are no blue daylilies), and this one I might actually love.

Congratulations Mr Keppel
I'm joining Poly as part of the minority on this one. I've never seen Haunted Heart in person and it is just one of the crowd for me. I like its child Quaffable for colour and pattern but its fall are a bit narrow.

Robin, Thank you for your comment on Quaffable's narrow falls. I've been yearning for it but now I can take it off my wishlist, since I'm getting picky about form. :smily