UT Gardens, Knoxville has a striking iris collection that is at peak from mid April to mid May. Find out information about our irises below.
The highest award an iris can receive from the American Iris Society is the Dykes Memorial Medal, named after William Rickatson Dykes who transformed the study of irises. After his sudden passing in 1925, the British Iris Society determined to honor his legacy by creating an award for the best hybrid of each year. Now, the Dykes Medal is a highly coveted honor by hybridizers world-wide. Our collection of irises at UT Gardens represents most winners from 1927 to the early 2000s.
Find out more about irises and the Dyke’s Medal by visiting the website for the American Iris Society.
Use the documents below to see which bearded irises are part of the UT Gardens, Knoxville collection. Please keep in mind that this information is subject to change and is only intended for our visitors to better understand our plant collection. Reach out to our Collections Manager, Jennifer, if you have any questions!