A Bit of Region 2 History                     compiled by Dorothy Stiefel

(...as gleaned from the pages of the Empire State Iris Society Newsletter)

 

50 years ago—1960

 

The Empire State Iris Society Newsletter was published quarterly. During the year, Edwin Rundlett of Staten Island became editor, replacing Tom Jacoby who had been selected to become editor of the Bulletin of the American Iris Society.  

 

 

Dr. Irwin A. Conroe was both President of the Empire State Iris Society (ESIS) and RVP of AIS Region 2.  This was the year in which ESIS officially affiliated with the American Iris Society, and it was the only affiliate in the region. The club was divided into 9 separate “Areas,” some of which are now represented by individual Affiliate clubs. The “Areas” were Binghamton, Capital-Hudson, Elmira, Niagara-Southwest, Northern, Rochester, Three Islands, and Tri-County.

 

 

The Three Islands Area hosted the ESIS show (Reg. 2’s Affiliate show) at Hicks Nursery, Westbury, Long Island, on May 28. Judges for the horticultural section were Dr. L.F. Randolph, AIS President, Dr. Irwin A. Conroe, ESIS President and Reg. 2 RVP, and Mrs. F.W. (Bee) Warburton, President of the Median Iris Society.  41 exhibitors showed 302 entries of 187 cultivars, including 40 seedlings. Grand Champion was the iris ‘Harbor Blue’ (Schreiner, 1954) shown by Shirley Moore. William Peck, Jr. won the Silver Medal for most blue ribbons and Miriam Duryea won the Bronze Medal for second most. In the artistic section, featuring 31 entries by 17 exhibitors, the Purple Rosette was won by Nevalda Liberi of the Plainview Garden Club.

 

The Rochester Area held its annual iris exhibition in the Brighton Town Hall on June 5.

 

 

Two members of the Binghamton Area collaborated on a landscape design entry for the Spring Garden Show held at the Roberson Memorial.

 

 

The Capitol-Hudson Area held a show on June 4^th at the Glenville Town Hall in Scotia. The Purple Rosette for best design went to Mrs. Schlansker of Schenectady.  In the horticultural section, Best Specimen was won by Joseph Ryan. The AIS Silver Medal went to Fred Ammerall, and the Bronze Medal went to Dr. Irwin Conroe.

 

 

The Syracuse Area also held a show, on June 4^th at the Niagara Mohawk Building inSyracuse. There were 221 entries in 57 classes. Mary Hall won “Best in Show” with a stalk of ‘Star Shine’ (Wills, 1948). Clint Ziems won the AIS Silver Medal and Lowell Hawthorne the Bronze Medal.

 

 

Iris auction/sales were held and reported by the Binghamton, Capitol-Hudson, Elmira, Niagara-Southwest, Rochester, Syracuse, Three Islands, and Tri-County Areas.

 

 

The annual business meeting and banquet was held in Syracuse, with guest speaker Mr. Leslie Laking, Director of the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton,Ontario, Canada. 

 

 

25 Years Ago----1985

 

 

The Empire State Iris Society Newsletter was published 3 times a year; Spring, Summer, and Fall/Winter. Albert F. deGroat was the editor, with Mary Pat Engel and Gregory Schifferli as contributing editors.

 

 

President of ESIS and Region 2 RVP was Lillian Gristwood. There were 4 active Areas; Capital-Hudson, Niagara-Southwest,Rochester, and Syracuse.

 

 

The Affiliate iris show was held in Buffalo at the Eastern Hills Mall. There were 18 exhibitors showing 151 entries. Best specimen of show was ‘Cascadian Skies,’ (Aitken, 1983), brought in by Greg Schifferli. Best seedling was a superbly branched near white Siberian, TSB 85W, exhibited by Frank Galas. Greg Schifferli won the AIS Silver Medal for most blues, and it took a count of second place, and finally, third place ribbons to break a tie and award the Bronze Medal to Anna Rettig.

 

 

The Rochester Area also held a show, at the Greece Towne Mall. There were 125 entries brought by 16 exhibitors. Best Specimen was ‘Song of Norway,’ (Luihn, 1979), exhibited by Greg Schifferli. The AIS Silver Medal went to Madge Hoar, and the Bronze Medal to Greg Schifferli. Wendy Roller received a Special Bronze Medal for her educational exhibit.

 

 

In the annual AIS symposium of favorite irises, 45 Region 2 members voted the following favorites:  1) Stepping Out;  2) Bayberry Candle;  3) Mary Frances;  4) tie—Bride’s Halo, Mystique, Victoria Falls and Son of Star;  5) Song Of Norway; 6) tie—Cup Race, Going My Way;  7) tie—Vanity, Shipshape;  8) Pink Taffeta;  9) tie—Autumn Leaves, Babbling Brook;  10) tie—Beverly Sills, Camelot Rose, Christmas Time, Dusky Dancer, Five Star Admiral, Kilt Lilt, Leda’s Lover, Ringo, Sheer Poetry, Study in Black, Wine and Roses.

 

 

Each of the active Areas held auction/sales in 1985. Total income from all the sales was $3467.35.

 

 

The annual regional meeting was held on Oct. 5, at the Quality Gateway Inn in Rochester. 

 

 

The Fall/Winter edition of the Newsletter contained a page dedicated to William McGarvey, Ph.D., prominent former Region 2 member who had died in Arkansas in December. McGarvey was ESIS president and Region 2 RVP, past president of the Siberian Iris Society, an AIS Hybridizer’s Medal recipient (1976), and a world-renowned authority on Siberian Irises. Many of his introductions, including Ego, Superego, Augury, Pink Haze, Dewful, Wing on Wing, Maggie Smith, and Temper Tantrum may still be found growing in Region 2 gardens today.