WILMA GREENLEE AWARD

Best Specimen - Early Show

By Jim Morris

The Wilma Greenlee Award was approved in 1982 and is presented each year for the best specimen at our Early Show. This traveling trophy is a silver cup mounted on a walnut base. Greenlee (1907-1984) lived in Chrisman, Illinois near the Indiana border in mid-Illinois where she and her husband Raymond maintained a large collection of irises and a large wild flower planting.

Greenlee was a self-taught hybridizer who grew all types of bearded irises. She introduced MDBs, SDBs and IBs. She incorporated the genes of many species into her lines. She was a pioneer in the new form of intermediates bred by crossing the tall beardeds with the many new colors of I. pumila made available just before the 1950s. But she started breeding intermediates before that time, crossing the TBs with some of the new "chamaeiris" dwarfs that preceded the pumila-talls. Her 'Harmonizer' (R. 53), and 'Spring Contrast' (R. 53), both from 'Mauve Mist', are the swan song of the old-fashioned IB type, and 'Blue Asterisk' (55) and 'Cloud Fluff' (55), from her friend Paul Cook's first pumila-talls (before any were named) represented the new. Many fine IBs followed, including these that won awards from the AIS: 'Blukeeta', 'Indian Doll', 'Snow Cherries' and 'Whitchee'.

During this time she hybridized SDBs that were an essential element in producing the new IBs. One of these, 'Pale Suede' (71), is considered to be one of the best SDB parents of all time. It is behind almost all of Harley Briscoe's SDB introductions and throws great rounded form.

The complete list of Best Specimen winners at our Early Show follows:

1982 Webelos (SDB) .....................Louise Bellagamba
1983 & 1984 .................................No Show, Late Springs
1985 Stepping Out (TB) ................Tom Hall
1986 Veneration (TB) ...................Jim Morris
1987 Fall In Line (AB IB) ...............Ann & Riley Probst
1988 Rare Edition (IB) ..................Ann & Riley Probst
1989 & 1990 .................................No Show, Late Springs
1991 Butter Pecan (IB) .................Jim Morris
1992 I. stolonifera (Species) .........Susan & Steve Smith
1993 Smart (SDB) .........................Sheldon Butt
1994 Abridged Version (MTB) ........Riley Probst
1995 Jesse's Song (TB) ................Jim Loveland
1996 Conservatively Clad (SDB) ...Jim Morris
1997 Triplet (IB) ............................Susan Smith
1998 John (IB) ..............................Jim Morris
1999 Country Dance (IB) ..............Jim Loveland
2000 .............................................No Show
2001 Blue Arts (AB) .......................Stephanie Rust
2002 Inner Gleam (MTB) ...............Jim Morris
2003 Blue Chip Stock (MTB) ..........Jean Morris
2004 Procession (IB) ....................Christopher Rust
2005 Chickasaw Sue (BB) .............Sue & Don Delmez
2006 Cranapple (BB) .....................Riley Probst & Shirley Trio
2007 Goddess Of Blue (IB) ............Richard Hill
2008 Scream (SDB) .......................Jim Morris
2009 Iris Chant (SDB) ...................Harry Boyd
2010 Flying Circus (IB) ..................Jean & Jim Morris
2011 Lucy Doodle (MTB) ................Cindy Rust
2012 Glamour Pants (TB) ..............Kim Peterson

Return to top of page