Wells County Historical Society officers Connie Brubaker and Jim Sturgeon received the Caparne Welch Medal award from iris hybridizer Lynda Miller.
The plaque will be included alongside other iris awards displayed. This 2002 award was won for the iris named “Scruples” hybridized in Wells County. Miller started hybridizing irises in her garden near the Kingsland crossroads of US 224 and Ind. 1.
Scruples 1993 introduction came after its creation occurring in her Wells County garden. The Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB) iris grows to a height of only six inches. It became an early award winner for Miller. She produced “Football Hero” which achieved the highest American iris award possible, the Dykes Award, in 2022. Many additional new iris hybrids have been introduced by Miller. She admitted some of their early starter irises had been obtained from Williamson’s Longfield Iris Farm in Bluffton, and Paul Cook’s irises grown in north Bluffton for many years.
Miller’s iris hybridizing start in Wells County moved to Noblesville, Indiana, and then to her current hybridizing garden in Oregon. Due to space limitations, and need of beds for producing new varieties, Miller discontinued her own flower bed of Scruples. After ending the growth of Scruples iris beds, she joked about it by stating, “I lost my Scruples.”
Rhizome starts of Scruples can sometimes yet be found available from online nurseries during the growing season. She has already introduced over 260 new iris hybrids. Miller has won over a dozen iris awards.
The time from pollination to a new hybrid can be achieved in two years in Canby, Oregon. In Indiana it required three years. “That’s a huge advantage in producing new iris varieties,” stated Miller.
Lynda Miller’s award joins the Historical Museum display based on local iris hybridizers who excelled throughout the United States. Other awards displayed at the museum include those won by E. B. Williamson, Mary Williamson, and Paul Cook. More about Miller’s work can be located online, especially at American Iris Society, and wiki.irises.org.
