Page 20 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Spring 2021 - Online Magazine

Exceptional

SENIORS

Amarillo Bill, own gardens. The Society meets the

second Sunday of the month, at 2 pm,
at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens.
the Iris Guy We learn how to grow irises in the
Panhandle climate and how to show
them in competition. After being
in the Society for several years, I
by Bill Pittman started holding different offices.
Texas Region 17 of the American Iris
Society has a state meeting every
year. We learn how different parts
nheriting the love of growing iris growing after that win! Then, of the state grow their irises and new
things from my Granddad Sweat, I went to the American Iris Society ideas regarding care and fertilization.
Ia cotton farmer from Lakeview, National Show in Dallas. I soon I became the State Membership
Texas, I have been able to keep my realized how lost I was in growing chairman and served in that office
hands in the dirt since I was seven irises! Each region in the USA grows for three years. I have developed
years old. Working in the dirt to see irises differently, according to their many friends among iris growers
things growing and becoming so climate. While in Dallas, I learned throughout Texas, as well as in other
beautiful is addicting. My name about Region 17, the Texas group of states and even Australia! Amarillo
is Bill Pittman, but I’m also known iris people. I learned a lot from them! hosts the Region 17 State Meeting
as “Amarillo Bill, the Iris Guy”. My My iris collection grew to around 800! about every ten years.
older brother, Roy, loved plants even
more than me. We wanted to open a The next year the National
nursery when I finished college, but Convention was back in Dallas,
back then, the interest rate was too so I went again. That year, I met
high to reach our dreams. I went into several people from Oregon
sales, and he went on to get a PhD in and California. After talking
Horticulture. He worked on peanuts to those growers, I knew I
for the USDA in Georgia. wanted to see other parts of the
iris world. The next year took
When I was knocking on retirement’s me to the Portland National
door, I knew I had to find a good Iris Convention. I was blown
hobby. Mom always had irises. I away with the different irises
still have two of her old iris plants. I they grew and sold in the
began to attend the North Plains Iris Northwest! I had never seen
Society’s Annual Sale to buy irises. I fields of nothing but irises.
started out buying about 30 irises. I When I returned home, I knew
was on a trip to Ruidoso and stopped I wanted more. My 800 irises
to see the Hondo Iris Farm. I picked soon became 1,000.
up about 30 to 40 more irises there.
The next year, after collecting about Joining the North Plains Iris
100 irises, I joined the North Plains Iris Society, I learned that irises
Society. I wanted to learn more about need to be divided about every
irises, mainly how to grow and care three years. The North Plains
for them in the Panhandle and how Iris Society has a sale the second
to show them in competition. The Saturday in July, located at the
first time I entered the club show, I Amarillo Botanical Gardens,
won Queen of the Show, which was where we sell healthy irises
first place. I was really hooked on that we have divided in our

20 Amarillo Senior Link