Hybridizer Richard C. Ernst (1953-2011)

Silverton, Oregon, USA

Richard (Rick) Ernst was born and raised in Silverton, Oregon, graduating from high school in 1971. He majored in Music Education at the University of Oregon, leaving after one and a half years. He later attended Chemeketa Community College, earning his Associate degree in Business. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1975-1980 on the USS Enterprise, then returned to help run the family's iris business, Cooley's Gardens, Inc. After his father suffered a debilitating stroke in 1996, Rick assumed the position of president and general manager. He was active in hybridizing and introducing new irises since 1980. AIS registration records indicated he introduced 252 irises, his first in 1983, and all TBs except for 'Downsizing My Lines' (2008) a BB. His irises won 49 HMs, 7 AMs and one Wister Medal in 2007 for 'Ring Around Rosie' (2000). Rick Ernst maintained active membership in several iris societies. He was a founder of the Tall Bearded Iris Society. (excerpted from AIS Bulletin, Vol. 92, No. 3, July 2011)

See below:

• Gardens
• Registrations and Introductions
• Awards
• Iris Publications
• Biographical Notes
• Hybridizing Notes

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Gardens

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Registrations and Introductions

Border Bearded: 'Downsizing My Lines'.

Tall Bearded: (A-E): 'Adobe Rose' 1988, After The Dawn' 1995, 'Afternoon Delight' 1985, 'Ain't Misbehavin' 1995, 'Almost Paradise' 1993, 'Amber Tambour' 1991, 'Amethyst Dancer' 1997, 'Approachable' 1998, 'Around My World' 2006, 'Asian Treasure' 2007, 'Aubergine' 1987, 'Autumn Wings' 1989, 'Ball Of Confusion' 2004, 'Banana Frappe' 1991, 'Behold Your Muse' 1998, 'Berry Burst' 2005, 'Blessed Are The Children' 2006, 'Bleu De Mer' 1988, 'Blinding Light' 2005, 'Blue Cirrus' 2007, 'Blue It Up' 1991, 'Blue Note Blues' 1997, 'Bold Expression' 2003, 'Boutique Fashion' 1999, 'Brighten Your Day' 2008, 'By Your Leave' 1998, 'Calamity Carol' 2009, 'Candlelight Mood' 1996, 'Carnival Ride' 2002, 'Champagne Duo' 1988, 'Champagne Time' 2003, 'Change Your Ways' 1995, 'Chiffon Ruffles' 1991, 'Child Of Royalty' 2001, 'Childhood Wish' 2005, 'Cinnamon Glow' 1998, 'City Slicker' 1989, 'Classic Bordeaux' 1996, 'Clear Morning Sky' 1991, 'Clearwater River' 1999, 'Clever Disguise' 1999, 'Cloud Cover' 1995, 'Clouds And Sky' 2005, 'Come What May' 1995, 'Competitive Edge' 1991, 'Confectionery'1991, 'Conservative View' 2004, 'Cooling Trend' 1996, 'Corey' 2016, 'Course Of Study' 2004, 'Crimson Twist' 1997, 'Crystal Pattern' 1996, 'Dancing With Irene' 2009, 'Dandy Candy' 2001, 'Dark Heart' 2002, 'Dawn of Change' 1993, 'Deep In Plum' 2008, 'Deliberately Different' 2008, 'Depth of Field' 1986, 'Desert Renegade' 1992, 'Diamond Ring' 2003, 'Different World' 1991, 'Divine Light' 1992, 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' 2002, 'Dolly Dancer' 2000, 'Double Ringer' 2007, 'Dreamcake' 2002, 'Enchanted One' 1994, 'Enlightenment' 1990, 'Envisioned Dream' 1990, 'Envy' 1990, 'Envy Of Dresden' 2000, 'Equalizer' 2006, 'Equestrian' 1986, 'Evening Sunset' 2014, 'Excursion' 1987, 'Executive Sweetie' 2005.

Tall Bearded (F-O): 'Faded Denims', 'Fancy Gal', 'Favorite Pastime', 'Feminime Fire', 'Final Countdown', 'Finishing School', 'Fire Bride', 'Fire Pit', 'Forge Fire', 'Forgiven', 'Fortune And Fame', 'Frivolous', 'From A Distance', 'Frozen Blue', 'Fruit Of Maroon', 'Gentle Fellow', 'Glowing Amethyst', 'Good As It Gets', 'Good Day Oregon', 'Good Thing', 'Goodwill Messenger', 'Gourmet Touch', 'Grand Metallic', 'GranddaughtersGrin', 'Hearthstone', 'Hidden World', 'High Blue Sky', 'His And Hers', 'Honey Fruit Cocktail', 'I've Got A Secret', 'Ice Cream Treat', 'Impeccable Taste', 'Indian Sandstone', 'It's All Good', 'Jester's Robe', 'Jovial Vagabond', 'JudgmentCall', 'Juris Prudence', 'Just For Sophie', 'Just My Style', 'Justifiably Proud', 'Kah-Nee-Ta', 'Kati's Blush', 'Kati's Pick', 'Kim's Melody', 'Kiss Of Peace', 'Knock 'Em Dead', 'Lacy Day', 'Ladies Only', 'Lady Of Mine', 'Lavender Luck', 'Lemon Dew', 'Liberal Bias', 'Lingering Lavender', 'Lioness', 'Living Right', 'Lofty And Poetic', 'Loganberry Squeeze', 'Lonesome Stranger', 'Long Time Gone', 'Looking For Love', 'Looky Loo', 'Lover's Charm', 'Lucky Draw', 'Morning Run', 'Mother's Little Helper', 'Mountain Halo', 'My Forte', 'My Pretty Valentine', 'Nashville Hit', 'New Dawning', 'Newsworthy', 'Nicer Than NIce', 'Night To Remember', 'Nights Of Gladness', 'No Bikini Atoll', 'None Surpassed', 'Northwestern Skies', 'Nothing To Lose', 'Oceanside Sparkly', 'Olive Branch', 'One Better', 'One Small Step',

Tall Bearded (P-Z): 'Pacific Depths', 'Painted Pictures', 'Palace Of Thoughts', 'Panama Fling', 'Panocha', 'Paradise Found', 'Passion For Pink', 'Paul Clute', 'Peaceful Mission', 'Peach Schnapps', 'Peppermint Cream', 'Perilous Journey', 'Phoebe's Frolic', 'Picture This', 'Play A Tune', 'Plush And Pink', 'Polished Peach', 'Powerful Calm', 'Princess Kiss', 'Prism View', 'Pyroclast', 'Quick Thinking', 'Quiet Riot', 'Rainbow Goddess', 'Rainbow Hues', 'Rainbow Maker', 'Raven's Quote', 'Realist', 'Red At Night', 'Rhapsody In Bloom', 'Rick Ernst', 'Right Direction', 'Ring Around Rosie', 'River Runner', 'Rose Princess', 'Sassy Tart', 'Schizo', 'Second Time Around', 'Secret Plan', 'Seen A Ghost', 'Serious Notion', 'Shades Of Pale', 'Shakin' All Over', 'She's All That', 'Shooting Stars', 'Significant Other'. 'Siletz Bay', 'Silly Dag', 'Silverback', 'Silverton Spring', 'Sleeper', 'Slipping Away', 'Smiling Gold', 'Smokin', 'Snow Blanket', 'Softened Innocence', 'Solemn Promise', 'Soloist', 'Song Of Hearts', 'Spectral Challenge', 'Spice Merchant', 'Spring Parasol', 'Spring Splendor', 'St. Helens' Wake', 'Strange Sensation', 'Strike It Rich', 'Stylized Blue', 'Subtle Arrogance', 'Subtle Hint', 'Sugar In The Mornin', 'Summer's Smile', 'Sunday Sunshine', 'Sunray Reflection', 'Surprise Visit', 'Sweet Ballerina', 'Synchronicity', 'Taco Supreme', 'Talk To Me', 'Taught By Masters', 'Tayberry', 'Thai Orange', 'Thar She Blue', 'Thinking Out Loud', 'Thrillseeker', 'Tiffany's Prayer', ;Tiger Butter', 'Time Warp', 'Time Will Tell', 'Time's Tapestry', 'Tomorrow May Rain', 'Too Sweet', 'Tracy Tyrene', 'Tropical Encounter', 'Two-Sided Coin', 'Undivided Attention', ''Uptown Proper', 'Waffle Talk', 'Whispering Spirits', 'White-Capped Waves', 'Wings Of Doves', 'Winner Take All', 'Working Too Hard', 'Yellowcake Down Under', 'Zesting Lemons'.

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Awards

Richard Ernst's AIS Medal Awarded Iris

Below you will find a picture gallery with a link to the Richard Ernst iris that had won an AIS Medal.

2007:

'Ring Around Rosie', Tall Bearded, TB Wister Medal 2007 Award of Merit 2004 Honorable Mention 2002/br>

Printable inclusive list of Richard Ernst's AIS Awarded and Recognized Irises with links to each iris as of the 2026 Award Year.

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Iris Publications

Cooley's Gardens by Richard Ernst in the July 1990 AIS Bulletin.

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Biographical Notes

under construction

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Hybridizing Notes

under construction

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