The highest award given by The American Iris Society to a tall-bearded Iris
History by Clarence Mahan ….................................................related links; Awards; 2015 Wister Medal Candidates.
This medal is restricted to tall bearded (TB) irises. It is named in honor of John C. Wister (1887-1982).
John C. Wister led the organizing meeting that created the American Iris Society and became its first president, a position he held for fourteen years. He guided the society through its formative years. He was widely recognized as a man of rare management skill, leadership ability, and the highest ethical standards. R. S. Sturtevant wrote of him: "Probably few current members realize that the AIS started through the efforts and initiative of one man, John C. Wister…."
During a visit to England in 1922, Wister encouraged his many English friends to establish the British Iris Society. His contribution to the founding of the British Iris Society was formally recognized by his election as an Honorary Member and the award of the Foster Memorial Plaque. The American Iris Society awarded John Wister the Gold Medal in 1930, stating: "All Iris growers in America recognize Mr. Wister as their leader and will certainly approve the action of the Board of Directors in conferring upon him the highest recognition in their power to bestow."
John Wister was the author of four books: The Iris, Lilac Culture, Bulbs for American Gardens, and Four Seasons in Your Garden. He was the first to receive four major American horticultural awards: The Liberty Hyde Bailey Medal presented by the American Horticultural Council; the Scott Garden and Horticultural Award; the American Peony Society's A. P. Saunders Memorial Medal; and the Honor and Achievement Award of the International Lilac Society. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden presented him its Garden Medal in 1966, and that same year the Royal Horticultural Society dedicated its Daffodil and Tulip Yearbook to him, the first time an American had been so honored.
Wister was a landscape architect. He graduated from Harvard University and studied at the Harvard School of Landscape Architecture and the New Jersey Agricultural College. He served in Europe during WW I, and in his spare time visited gardens and leading horticulturists. He was secretary of the American Rose Society for many years, and was a member of some fifty horticultural societies and thirty scientific and conservation organizations. He was the first director of the Arthur Hoyt Horticultural Foundation, and designed and created the 240-acre public garden at Swarthmore College.
One of John C. Wister's endearing qualities was his modesty. He always denied that he was the founder of the American Iris Society, saying that it was the work of many people. Of himself, he said: "But I know I'm just an ordinary fellow who happened to come along at the right time." An ordinary fellow he was not. We all owe him a great debt of gratitude. John C. Wister, to a remarkable degree, created the American Iris Society's traditions.
All the other iris categories award only one medal for each year. The exception is this category, the very popular Tall Bearded (TB) iris category. There are three Wister Medals awarded each year beginning in 1998 when the number was increased. Only AIS registered judges may vote.
Article from the October 1993 Bulletin, pages 46-47, "Presenting the Wister Medal Design and its Designer". Wister Medal History2024 - 'Rise Like A Phoenix' Paul Black | 2024 - 'Blinded By The Light' Larry Lauer | 2024 - 'Ninja Warrior' Lynda Miller | |
2023 - ‘Black Lipstick’ Keith Keppel |
2023 - ‘Royston Rubies’ Adam Cordes |
2023 - ‘Chihuahuan Desert’ Howard Dash |
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2022 - 'Good Morning Sunshine' Thomas Johnson |
2022 = 'Tijuana Taxi' Douglas Kanarowski |
2022 - 'Coal Seams' Schreiner |
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2021 - 'Football Hero' Lynda Miller |
2021 - 'Don't Doubt Dalton' Tom Burseen |
2021 - 'Belle Fille' Marky Smith |
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2021 - 'Volcanic Glow' Keith Keppel |
2021 - 'Bluebird Of Happiness' Paul Black |
2021 - 'Don't Stop Believing' Thomas Johnson |
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'Autumn Explosion' 2019 - Richard Tasco |
'Daring Deception' 2019 - Thomas Johnson |
'Insaniac' 2019 - Thomas Johnson |
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'Notta Lemon' 2018 - Tom Burseen |
'Bottle Rocket' 2018 - Michael Sutton |
'Strawberry Shake' 2018 - Keith Keppel |
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'Reckless Abandon' 2017 - Keith Keppel |
'Beauty Becomes Her' 2017 - Paul Black |
'Black Is Black' 2017 - Schreiner |
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'Sharp Dressed Man' 2016 - Thomas Johnson |
'Haunted Heart' 2016 - Keith Keppel |
'Tuscan Summer' 2016 - Keith Keppel |
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'Money In Your Pocket' 2015 - Paul Black |
'Snapshot' 2015 - Thomas Johnson |
'Temporal Anomaly' 2015 - Richard Tasco |
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'Black Magic Woman' 2014 - Richard Tasco |
'Magical' 2014 - Joseph Ghio |
'Montmartre' 2014 - Keith Keppel |
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'Absolute Treasure' 2013 - Richard Tasco |
'Elizabethan Age' 2013 - Lowell Baumunk |
'Ink Patterns' 2013 - Thomas Johnson |
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'Gypsy Lord' 2012 - Keith Keppel |
'Kathy Chilton' 2012 - Frederick Kerr |
'Chief John Jolly' 2012 - Tom Parkhill |
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'Florentine Silk' 2011 - Keith Keppel |
'That's All Folks' 2011 - W. Maryott By J. Ghio |
'Tour De France' 2011 - Keith Keppel |
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'Crackling Caldera' 2010 - T. Aitken |
'Decadence' 2010 - B. Blyth |
'Wintry Sky' 2010 - K. Keppel |
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'Drama Queen' 2009 - K. Keppel |
'Italian Ice' 2009 - A. & D. Cadd |
'Paul Black' 2009 - T. Johnson |
'Slovak Prince' 2009 - A. Mego |
'Heartstring Strummer' 2008 - B. Johnson |
'Hollywood Nights' 2008 - R. Duncan |
'Millennium Falcon' 2008 - B. Kasperek |
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'Daughter Of Stars' 2007 - D. Spoon |
'Ring Around Rosie' 2007 - R. Ernst |
'Starring' 2007 - J. Ghio |
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'Golden Panther' 2006 - R. Tasco |
'Happenstance' 2006 - K. Keppel |
'Queen's Circle' 2006 - F. Kerr |
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'Fogbound' 2005 - K. Keppel |
'Sea Power' 2005 - K. Keppel |
'Uncle Charlie' 2005 - D. Spoon |
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'Poem Of Ecstasy' 2004 - B. Hager |
'Splashacata' 2004 - R. Tasco |
'World Premier' 2004 - Schreiner |
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'Crowned Heads' 2003 - K. Keppel |
'Diabolique' 2003 - Schreiner |
'Tom Johnson' 2003 - P. Black |
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'Gypsy Romance' 2002 - Schreiner |
'Jurassic Park' 2002 - L. Lauer |
'Local Color' 2002 - K. Keppel |
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'Fancy Woman' 2001 - K. Keppel |
'Pond Lily' 2001 - E. Jones |
'Spirit World' 2001 - K. Keppel |
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'Celebration Song' 2000 - Schreiner's |
'Clarence' 2000 - L. Zurbrigg |
'Mesmerizer' 2000 - M. Byers |
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'Boogie Woogie' 1999 - H. Nichols |
'Rhonda Fleming' 1999 - R. Mullin |
'Stairway To Heaven' 1999 - L. Lauer |
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'Conjuration' 1998 - M. Byers |
'Hello Darkness' 1998 - Schreiners |
'Yaquina Blue' 1998 - Schreiners |
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'Acoma' 1997 - T. Magee |
'Thornbird' 1996 - M. Byers |
'Before The Storm' 1995 - S. Innerst |
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'Honky Tonk Blues' 1994 - Schreiners |
'Silverado' 1993 - Schreiners |
I | Attachment | Action | Size | Date | Who | Comment |
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1993_10_AIS 1993 Presenting Wister Medal.pdf | manage | 739 K | 02 May 2023 - 11:40 | DougChyz | Article, Presenting Wister Medal | |
jpg_edit | John_C_WisterAIS_Bulletin250July1983pg70_copy.jpg_edit | manage | 25 K | 26 Aug 2010 - 17:43 | BobPries | AIS slide |
Wister Medal History.pdf | manage | 1 MB | 10 Jun 2023 - 15:14 | DougChyz | Wister Medal History | |
jpg | Wister-Medal-TB-SM_edited_edited-1.jpg | manage | 60 K | 26 Aug 2010 - 17:36 | BobPries | AIS slides |
jpg | Wister-Randolph-atPresbyGarden_edit_edited-1.jpg | manage | 49 K | 26 Aug 2010 - 17:55 | BobPries | AIS slides |