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
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
The Three Islands Area hosted the ESIS show (Reg. 2’s Affiliate show)
at Hicks Nursery, Westbury,
The Rochester Area held its annual iris exhibition in the
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 4th at the
The Syracuse Area also held a show, on June 4th at the
Iris auction/sales were held and reported by the
The annual business
meeting and banquet was held in
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,
The Affiliate iris show was held in
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
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.