Iris Garden of the Middle Tennessee Iris Society

Iris from across the years are displayed in tidy stone-edged raised beds on the campus of Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. Two of the beds are devoted solely to Dykes medal winners. The majority of the iris are tall bearded.

Plants Featured in this Clip

Iris virginica 'Dauntless' 'Copper Lustre' 'Mary Geddes' 'Chivalry' 'Bride's Halo'

Gardener Extras

  1. he founding members of the Middle TN Iris Society were Catherine Averitt, Millie Wilder and Eleanor Boyson.
  2. The original iris beds were not raised. However, the change was necessitated due to the large amounts of rainfall that would settle into this hollow.
  3. While there was once Louisiana iris and Japanese iris grown here, the garden now features mainly bearded iris.
  4. Two beds feature only Dykes Medal of Honor Winners. This prestigious honor is awarded by the British Iris Society to the best iris developed by an American hybridizer annually.
  5. Several Dykes medal winners were produced in Region 7 of the American Iris Society: Dauntless, Copper Lustre, Mary Geddes, Chivalry, and Bride's Halo.

Gardener Notes

Iris 'Quaker Lady' 1909, Iris 'Lionel-Choo Choo' 2015, Iris 'Star Gate' 2002 were featured.

Marty DeHart

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