Loomis Awards
- To: i*@Rt66.com
- Subject: Loomis Awards
- From: C* H* <c*@netcom.ca>
- Date: Tue, 06 Aug 1996 21:06:10 -0400
One of our local hybridizers has won a Loomis Award for his very first
iris introduction. I consider that to be quite an achievement and an
inspiration for others.
Briefly, the Loomis iris test gardens are located in Colorado Springs,
CO. Iris hybridizers are invited to send rhizomes to the garden to be
grown for a couple of years and rated on vigor and other garden
qualities. They are rated in each of the years that they are grown and
given points for their various attributes. Each year Loomis Awards are
given to the irises with the highest point scores in the various
categories.
The Loomis Award in the 2nd year Standard Dwarf Bearded category was
given for the SDB iris BUTTERSCOTCH CARPET (Chapman 94). This iris was
hybridized and introduced in 1994 by Chuck Chapman of Guelph, Ontario.
In scoring its first place position with 81 points this iris had 52
fans. It beat out SDB iris from very well known median iris hybridizers
for this award.(second wa IRISH MOSS (Jones 94), third was FIRESTORM
(M.Smith 94) and fourth PIRATE'S PATCH (Black 94).
I have grown BUTTERSCOTCH CARPET since 1994 and it has performed very,
very well and is extremely floriforious. In addition it has a really
interesting feature; a light yellow halo around the edges of the falls
that is most noticable in the early morning or late evening light. The
catalog description is as follows: SDB, 10 inches, late season, closed
yellow-tan standards. Falls dark butterscotch with narrow yellow-tan
edge and lines in throat. Yellow-orange beard with yellow tips. This
plant quickly forms clumps that form a carpet of bloom that lasts for
over two weeks. Parentage: BEDAZZLED X MISTER ROBERTS.
I like this iris.
--
Christopher Hollinshead
Mississauga, Ontario Canada zone6b
AIS Region 16
Director, Canadian Iris Society
Newsletter Editor, Canadian Iris Society
e-mail: cris@netcom.ca
