Page 21 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Spring 2021 - Online Magazine
P. 21

My love for irises launched me into becoming a        If you have any questions on growing irises or how to
          Certified Judge for iris shows.  I worked on it for about   get your irises to bloom better, look me up at Amarillo
          two years before I could become certified to judge.   I   Botanical Gardens.   The North Plains Iris Society now
          enjoy traveling all over Texas and New Mexico to judge   has about 300 irises located in the north back side parking
          shows.  I still enjoy growing and showing my own      area.  Remember, iris plants need six hours of direct
          irises from my garden, too!  In 2019, I won the Silver   sunshine a day and well-drained soil free of weeds.  Irises
          Medal in our local show, winning 19 blue ribbons.  I   will start blooming in April.  Bring your camera to take
          have also won the Bronze Medal several times.         pictures and enjoy the Gardens!

          I had the opportunity to meet Tom Burseen, a
          wonderful guy who is one of the best iris hybridizers
          in the USA.  Tom works on crossing irises to develop
          the new Space Age Iris.  He grows and sells some
          of the best Space Age Irises on the market.  Tom has                                 Saturday
          crazy names for the new irises that he registers with
          the American Iris Society!  Sometimes, he names a                                    May 8, 2021
          new iris after Region 17 people.  Last year, Tom asked                               2 - 4:30 p.m.
          me to pick out one of his new irises and name it.  We                                Amarillo
          agreed on “Amarillo Bill” for the one I picked.  Tom                                 Botanical Gardens
          has “Amarillo Bill” for sale in his 2021 collection.  So,
          I hope in two years, I will have some to share at our   RHIZOME SALE                 Saturday
          annual iris sale!                                       Choose from hundreds of      July 10, 2021
                                                                  beautiful and unusual iris hybrids
          In 2019, our Amarillo Iris Club turned 50 years old in   grown by NPIS members       8 a.m. - sellout
          the American Iris Society.  We were one of the garden                                Amarillo
          clubs who helped start Amarillo Botanical Gardens.                                   Botanical Gardens
          Every year, new irises are registered and offered for
          sale, so I always think I still need more irises.  I buy
          irises every year.  My beginning collection of two or
          three plants has become a collection of about 1,800.

          In my spare time, I pull weeds and water the two
          club beds at the ABG, along with tending my own
          garden.  I am now serving as President of the Garden
          Clubs at the Botanical Gardens.  At our meetings, we
          discuss what each club is doing and what programs                                       Free Admission
          are planned.  All of the garden clubs help support the
          ABG.                                                                                     North Plains Iris Society




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