Note: This issue is longer than usual and may be truncated by your email service. View as Webpage

You can also look at the beginning or bottom of the message for a link to see the complete message.

AIS 2026 NJ/NY Convention

Explore irises in New Jersey and New York next year via four fantastic gardens. The AIS 2026 NJ/NY Convention website is available at ais2026convention.org. Take a look at it for more information.

The four gardens are:

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
• Rutgers Gardens
• Gary Slagle's Garden - Phanaticville

BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM TODAY!

Go to the convention website to book your hotel room.

https://ais2026convention.org/hotel

Convention Registration is Open

Go to https://ais2026convention.org/registration for the registration form.

President’s Message

This past week, Dallas finally had cool enough temperatures for our leaves to turn beautiful shades of yellow, red, and orange. We can’t complain because we have not had the severe weather conditions reported in other parts of the U.S.  

We are approximately five months away from the 2026 AIS Convention in New Jersey/New York. Our convention registrar, Jill Bonino tells us that registrations are being made for the convention, and we have added a second bus for the alternate trip to the New York Botanical Garden. You can find registration information and hotel reservations through the AIS website. There will be four amazing gardens on tour that include the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Rutgers, Presby Gardens, and the private garden of Gary Slagle. I am looking forward to being a bus captain for the convention. I look forward to seeing you there.

Our iris Popularity Poll has received good response. It is tough to eliminate hundreds of irises to pick just 25. The Poll closes January 31, 2026 – so please vote soon!

Have you completed your local iris show schedule? January is the perfect time to plan for the spring show.

 The 2025 $10 AIS Membership Special is closing soon. An AIS membership is the perfect holiday gift, birthday gift, or “just because”.

2026 iris introductions are previewing now. Are you checking the hybridizers’ websites? I hear some hybridizers are bringing their websites online January 1st!

I am looking forward to 2026 – Texas spring starts in early March with Dutch iris, crocus, and daffodils. My birthday is in March, so spring is my favorite season.

HAPPIEST NEW YEAR 2026 WISHES!

Iristatically Yours,

Bonnie J Nichols, President-The American Iris Society

Your Iris Votes Count

Please help other members know what beautiful irises you love! You can do so by voting in the new popularity poll AIS Iris Popularity Poll. Please take a moment to list your favorites, anything from one to 25. Any class of iris and any age of iris, from historics to the newest introductions, are eligible. Just make sure that whatever you list grows well in your area. Voting closes on January 31, 2026. Results will only be meaningful if enough of us vote. New members want to know the names of great irises to try. Veteran gardeners are curious to see what others love. Most of us would like to know what grows well in our regions. 

On the form, type in the names of your favorite irises and submit electronically. You will be asked to give the state where you garden, the name of the iris (up to 25 different cultivars) and the class of each iris you named. We will also be asking for the voters' names just in case several people use the same email address in order for those to be counted as separate voters. For those without a computer, please submit your votes to your RVP or club president. We hope you will restrict your votes to irises you have seen growing well in your region or home garden. Learn more.

If you are unsure how to spell an iris name, please check the Iris Encyclopedia https://wiki.irises.org/. You (or a helper) can access the online popularity poll between November 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026. To submit a response:

1) Click this online form link or use the QR code to reach it.

2) Enter an email address and the respondent's name.

3) Select the appropriate state, province, or territory.

4) Select the appropriate AIS region (if known)

5) For each of the 25 favorite irises, type its name and classification (if known).

6) There are drop-downs to help select state, AIS Region and iris type.



If you have difficulty getting to the form (some computer or cellphone security settings have interfered with reaching the form), you can use the link in this AIS website Popularity Poll page. Please let us know if there are still difficulties - howiedash@aol.com

We are looking forward to your votes.

Judges Training Opportunity

The Sydney B. Mitchell Iris Society will be hosting a two hour online judges' training on awards and honors at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The training will be given by AIS master judge Jean Richter.

To register for the training, go to this web link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/T17toT57R5qEeIc-63v3KA

Once you register, you will be given the Zoom link for the training and a link to the test.

Note: This is the Awards and Ballot judges training required for all Apprentice Judges.

Society for Louisiana Irises Invitation

We are excited to announce that the next annual meeting of SLI will be held on Friday April 10th, 2026, at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. The event will take place from 5-8 pm and include social time, dinner, and a silent auction. Last year’s auction showcased 40 items including rhizomes, nursery gift certificates, books, shirts, and crafts—all garden and iris-related.  SLI members who plan to donate auction items can contact Mary Carle using our website contact forms or through our Society email. We will also be organizing self-guided tours of iris gardens around the area.

Our meeting coincides with two festivals on Saturday, April 11th: the Festival des Fleurs de Louisiane at Blackham Coliseum, where we will host a rhizome sale. Also on Saturday is the 3rd Annual Abbeville Red Iris Bloom Event Palmetto Island State Park. SLI members will receive emails soon with details about the dinner, auction, SLI iris display at the Festival, and SLI’s booth/sale at the Festival. And our website will be updated here with a registration form for dinner.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

2026 Iris Shows

Iris Shows - I am accepting show schedules for next year.  Show schedules should be emailed to exhibition.schedules@gmail.com. 

Electronic submissions are preferred.

Sincerely,

Olga Batalov

Exhibitions Schedules Chair

Nominate AIS Youth Members For Cosgrove Award

It's that time of year again, when AIS adult members nominate deserving AIS Youth members for the Clarke Cosgrove Memorial Award for Youth Achievement. 

Nominations due: January 31, 2026. 

Nominees must:

• grow their own iris garden with a variety of irises, 
• attend shows and regional meetings, 
• participate in club activities such as meetings, sales and shows, 
• be a good member of their community, 
• enter AIS Youth Contests such as the annual Coloring Contest and the Ackerman Essay Contest, and 
• promote the American Iris Society. 

Youth members must be nominated by an adult AIS-member. Please email nominations to: Carolyn Hoover  yischoover@gmail.com   

Mail to: 45812 Old Corral Rd. Coarsegold, CA 93614  

2026 AIS Youth Coloring Contest

The 'Iris Fan' Youth Newsletter was mailed out December 1st and included the 2026 Coloring Contest entry form. Overall Winner will receive: $25, 2nd prize, $10 and $3rd prize, $5.  Due: January 31, 2026.  

Please mail entries to: 

Carolyn Hoover, AIS Youth Chair 

45812 Old Corral Rd. Coarsegold, CA 93614.  

Phishing and Security Reminders

Be suspicious of unexpected attachments - don't open the attachment.

Remember, AIS will never ask you for gift cards or for money through apps such as Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal. Or even overnighting a check.

For more, see "Spring is Phishing Season: How to Protect Yourself from Scammers" AIS Irises Bulletin Spring 2024, page 44.

Aril Society International

E-membership rollout

It is finally here - the ASI E-membership!

When you join or renew your membership, you can choose either the E-membership as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly option, or the traditional print membership.  The only difference between the two is that with the E-membership, you would receive your yearbook, plant catalog, and seed catalog electronically instead of a mailed hard copy. You get the same access to the Plant and Seed sales. E-membership offers a 1 year membership for $10 or a 3 year membership for $28.  Visit  http://www.arilsociety.org and select the MEMBERSHIP tab to learn more.

Note: The ASI 2025 seed sale is underway through December 31st at midnight Pacific Standard Time.

Dwarf Iris Society News

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Dwarf Iris Society, we are preparing a special edition of the DIS Portfolio, which should be mailed to DIS members in January. The issue contains articles by Gianna Bazinet (Royal Botanic Gardens Canada) Paul Black, Delane Langton, Nancy McDonald, Jennifer Sowell, Tom Waters, and Sean Zera, as well as a decade-by-decade history of DIS. There is something for everyone in this issue.

The DIS seed sale continues at our online store, where we also have 75th Anniversary merchandise and back issues of our publications for sale.

There's still time to enter the Novelty Iris Society logo contest!

Put your artistic and graphic design skills to work and come up with an NIS logo that is simple and eye-catching. The winner of the contest will receive $100.00 and recognition on our website for their design.

To enter the contest, email your entry to jeanmarierichter@gmail.com by January 31, 2026. No AI-generated content, please.

Judges Membership Reminder

For checking if your AIS membership is current, there are two ways to find your membership expiration date: you can find it on your Irises Bulletin copies and you can check it online.

To check online, go to system.irises.org . You may need to login to see your expiration date(s).

Why you should be an AIS Director

If you are interested in the workings of AIS and being involved in decisions that affect the AIS, the promotion of irises, its members, sections, and affiliates, this is the place for you. 

What is involved in being an AIS Director?

Directors serve a 3-year term.  A director is expected to attend AIS board meetings, about nine meetings each year on Zoom. Directors serve on at least one of the AIS committees where their special skills or knowledge can be applied. 

How to nominate yourself or someone else?

If you are interested in becoming an AIS director or know someone who might be, prepare a short biography stating experiences with iris related matters, including club, region, and AIS experience. Also add a statement about the impact that can be made on AIS by this nominee. Send the biography to the AIS secretary 

secretary@irises.org. 

Want more information? Attend an AIS board meeting (Zoom) by requesting a link from the AIS secretary secretary@irises.org

Serving as a director on the AIS Board can be a wonderful experience. Please consider becoming a candidate. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of the committee members.

The 2026 AIS Nominating Committee:

Dan Williams,Chair    kuha@aol.com       

Eric Tanksley-Clarke   

Adamgrove.garden@gmail.com

Hugh Stout           

stoutgardens@yahoo.com         

Jean Richter   Jeanmarierichter@gmail.com

Margaret Kelly         dkelly558@comcast.net

Susan Driver, mentor susandriver801@gmail.com

End of Year AIS Donations

The calendar and the tax year are coming to a close. Please consider making a donation of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from your IRA account to the AIS Foundation.  If the money is sent directly from your IRA account to the AIS Foundation, your income distribution will not be taxable. Consult your tax advisor and/or investment advisor before making any final decisions. Happy Holidays!! 

Learn more about making donations to The American Iris Society.

Thank you to all who contributed to our 2025 matching donation special. Our goal of $7,500 was reached in September!!

Affiliate Work Group News

The Affiliate Work Group will be sending a few short, very short, surveys to club presidents this winter.

Our first will be on the establishment and management of club display gardens. We really need your experience to help other clubs who want to start a display garden. Be on the lookout for an email from us after the holidays.

Our next meeting will be in January, no date set yet. Any club officer is welcome to join! It's only an hour a month, with several months off. There are lots of great discussions and helpful ideas.

Email me if you'd like to join!

Jody Nolin

AIS Affiliate Chair

jody.nolin@gmail.com

A Peaceful and Loving Time Of The Year Is Upon Us!

2026 American Iris Society Foundation Youth Essay Contest

Debbie Strauss, Chair

“May the Christmas season end your year cheerfully as it makes way for a fresh and bright New Year. Season's greetings to you all.”

As the Christmas or Hanukkah season comes to your home, remember to help the less fortunate all you can. This school holiday is a good time to let your creative juices start flowing and write for the AIS Foundation’s Youth Essay Contest. Make your essay a creative writing piece and be sure you have fun imagining how you can showcase irises to honor your country’s anniversary. 

Read the theme below and let your imagination flow. Before you turn it in, get your mom, dad, aunt, teacher, or other trusted adult to read it over after you write your first draft. Get them to help you think about how to add to it, make it have more details, and check your grammar and spelling. 

The 250th Anniversary of the United States is a landmark in human history—a time to honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future as the nation gathers in collective reflection and joy. The Semiquincentennial stands as an invitation for all to participate in the American story, forging new chapters and dreams.

You have been invited by your state governor to plant an iris bed at your local library for your state’s celebration of our National 250th Anniversary. These gardens will be highlighted in a 250th National Anniversary book. You must decide how to make yours reflect some part of our nation. Use your imagination to pick a shape and size for your iris bed and the type or types of iris you want to plant to represent something historical in our country. Choose a color or colors of iris and explain what they mean to your interpretation of the joy of our country. Perhaps pick low-growing irises for the edges of the beds and taller ones further in. You might want to highlight irises bred by a hybridizer who lives in your area.

See the complete rules and details; then send your finished essay to me, Debbie Strauss, at debbie@loveirises.com or mail it to me at 2213 Hereford Blvd, Midland TX 79707 by the deadline, April 30, 2026.

“Whatever is beautiful. Whatever is meaningful. Whatever brings you happiness. May it be yours this Christmas and throughout the coming year.”

Median Iris Society News

Debbie Strauss, President

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

As winter comes barreling in, our median iris are snug and resting, waiting for the first sight of spring. Rest little ones so you can shine brightly soon.

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year. Thanks for being a part of the Median Iris Society and the American Iris Society. 

As our hybridizers release their 2026 median iris in catalogs and on the internet, enjoy them, and select a few new ones for your garden. 

It seems I am always putting this in my News and Notes. I don’t like to be a stuck record, (sorry young folks, this means there is a scratch in the vinyl record, and it repeats over and over). But I am very serious about this. If you are not yet a member of MIS, we would love to have you join or renew your membership. Single memberships are $12, and 3 years are $30. You can join by going to https://www.irises.org/median-iris-society/ We would love to have Canada and international members also. You can find all the info on that website. 

If you are a median hybridizer and have seed you might not want to plant, or just have extra, we really need seed donations! Please go to http://www.medianiris.com/mis_seedsale.html to learn more.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I can be of any help to you. debbie@loveirises.com 

Next AIS Board Teleconference January 28

There is no AIS Board teleconference in December. The next AIS Board teleconference will be January 28, 2026 and we will have details in the January News & Notes.

Enjoy your holidays!!

Photo Identification

• Changes - 'That's All Folks'
• Judges Training - 'Finishing School'
• Cosgrove - 'Best And Brightest'
• Phishing - 'Danger Zone'
• ASI - 'Perry Dyer' Dykes medal and arilbred winner
• Judges - 'Look Here'
• Donations - 'Pretty Generous'
• Clubs - 'Starting Line'
• Ackerman - 'Snow Day'
• MIS - 'Winter Embrace'
• Teleconference - 'Winter Adventure'
• Photo Id - 'Crooked Little Smile'