Hybridizer Stedman Buttrick (1901-1969¹)

Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA (AIS Region 1)

Stedman Buttrick has gone from among us, but he has left to us a trail of rich memories. His estate, overlooking historically hallowed ground, and often photographed and written about in flower and other magazines and in color catalogues, was a mecca for iris and hemerocallis growers. None who attended the 1953 convention ever will forget the buffet luncheon served on the spacious and pleasant setting of the Buttrick estate. The national government now has this estate as a memorial of America's foundling days, for it was over this land that the Minutemen marched to defend Concord Bridge. Only this last year Mr. Buttrick's CUP RACE had tied for the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup at the Berkeley meeting. He was a member of the Board of Directors of AIS from the middle of 1953 to the end of 1956. (American Iris Society, 1969).

Mr. Stedman Buttrick of Concord Mass. has a wondrous garden that is famed for its beauty and cultural perfection. Here you will see most of the best iris and hemerocallis that are in commerce. However it is around the seedling beds that judges and connoisseurs gather for they are entranced by the marvelous display of beautiful seedlings. Not withstanding all their enthusiasm Mr. Buttrick is most severe in the valuation of his seedlings before they are introduced. (Nesmith, 1958, p. 3).

Registrations/introductions:

Border Bearded: 'Christmas Cove' 1959, 'Clarendon Springs' 1959, 'Junior League' 1962,

Tall Bearded: 'Castanet' 1959, 'Concord River' 1956, 'Concord Town' 1958, 'Court Dress' 1962, 'Cup Race' 1963, 'Flying Squadron' 1957, 'Killarney Waters' 1963, 'Lavish Lady' 1954, 'Minot Light' 1963, 'Nancy Ames' 1961, 'Prince Consort' R.1952, 'Sandman' 1962, 'Sarah Miles' R.1961, 'Seafarer' 1949, 'Sky Patrol' 1962, 'Southern Seas' 1963, 'Still River' 1959, 'Sudbury River' 1960, 'Tidelands' 1962, 'Wedding Bouquet', 1952

-- BobPries - 2012-05-18

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References:

American Iris Society. (1969). In memoriam. Bulletin of the American Iris Society, 193(April 1969), 96.

Nesmith, E. (1958). Foreward. Fairmount Gardens Catalog for 1958. American Iris Society Iris Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://wiki.irises.org/pub/Hist/Info1958CatalogFairmount/1958_FAIRMOUNT_GARDENS.pdf.