Saturday, August 31, 2013

2013 Randolph Perry Medal winner 'Roy's Repeater'

by Jim Murrain

I am pleased to announce the winner of the 2013 Randolph Perry Medal 
is 'Roy's Repeater' by Terry  Aitken of Washington.

Photo by C. Hensler
Here's a full description of this beautiful Iris via the Iris Encyclopedia:   

'Roy's Repeater' (J. Terry Aitken, R. 2002). Sdlg. 97 SPEC 3C. SPEC-X, 42" (107 cm), ML-VL. White ground heavily overlaid with purple veins, F. with well defined sulphur yellow signal with purple veins; style arms white, veined purple near crests. 'Roy Davidson' X unknown - possibly 'Between the Lines'. Aitken 2002. HM 2006, AM 2010.
To learn more about this Medal go here.
Species Cross is a horticultural class for hybrids. Although this class was the last to be created, it represents Irises that are the earliest of their kind. Someday many of these crosses may go on to develop into classes that warrant their own category. All the hybrid classes such as tall-bearded or standard dwarf had their beginnings in those first crosses between two species. Some crosses between species have been so rewarding they have been repeated creating substantial subgroups like Sino-Siberians and Calsibes. This is a class of experimentation and innovation that helps us learn about species and the possibilities for the future. The highest award for this class is the Randolph-Perry Medal.