The American Dykes Medal is the highest iris award judged by the American Iris Society Judges. It is awarded by the British Iris Society in honor of William Rickatson Dykes to the best Iris developed by an American hybridizer. The candidates are chosen from the AIS Medal winners that have been bred by American(US & Canadian) Hybridizers. The Medal winners are the best irises in their class. These award-winning irises have three years to be chosen for the Dykes Medal. Thus, the 2012, 2013, and 2014 medal winners in each of the iris classes are candidates for the 2015 Dykes Medal.
While the irises are judged in the gardens, here are the 53 candidate irises pictures in alphabetical order for your consideration.