Hybridizer Robert Hollingworth

Awarded Foster Memorial Plaque 2011

Williamston. Michigan, USA

See below:

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

Gardens

Registrations and Introductions

Siberian: 'Am I Amethyst', 'Ay Caramba', 'Band of Angels', 'Blueberry Fair', 'Blushing Violet', 'Bright and Beautiful', 'Chasing Fireflies', 'Colorflash', 'Contrast In Styles', 'Copper Country', 'Coronation Anthem', 'Count The Ways', 'Currier', 'Dancing Mood', 'Deep In My Heart', 'Doreen Cambray', 'Double Play', 'Emily Anne', 'Encore Performance', 'Flutter By Butterfly', 'Forrest McCord', 'Frilly Vanilly', 'Galadriel', 'Gem Quality', 'Glowing Reviews', 'Golden Hearted', 'Graceful Ghost', 'Hail to the Chief', 'Happy Ever After', 'Happy Union', 'Heliotrope Bouquet', 'Hello Yellow', 'High Standards', 'Hot Hot Hot', 'How Audacious', 'If Swans Were Blue', 'Indy', 'Jennasee', 'Jewelled Crown', 'Judy, Judy, Judy', 'Lady Vanessa', 'Laugh Out Loud', 'Lavender Fair', 'Lemon Blush', 'Lemon Mousse', 'Light of Heart', 'Make Mine A Double', Maura', 'Miz Liz', 'Moonlight Fair', 'Moorland Mists', 'Neptune's Gold', 'Nothing But the Blues', 'Over In Gloryland', 'Pas-De-Deux', 'Petalicious', 'Petite Purple', 'Pixie Preview', 'Pure Flattery', 'Ragtime Dance', 'Ruby Riches', 'Ruffles and Flourishes', 'Sapphire Starburst', 'See Ya Latter', 'Shall We Dance', 'Simon Says', Simple Gifts', 'Simply Brilliant', 'Six Love', 'Smiley Face', 'So Delicious', 'Soft Winds', 'Somebody Loves Me', 'Something Shocking', 'Spinning Song', 'Strawberry Fair', 'Sultan's Ruby', 'Sunburst Blue', 'Sun Sprinkles', 'Swans In Flight', 'Sweet Surrender', 'That's My Baby', 'Too Much Fun', 'Triple Gold', 'Tutu Blue', 'Veins of Gold', 'Very Victorian', 'Waimate Sunshine', 'Windwood Serenade', 'Windwood Spring', 'Wizardry',

Species Hybrids: 'Let's Get Going', 'Who's On First', 'What's On Second',

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Awards

Robert Hollingworth's AIS Medal Awarded Irises

Below you will find a picture gallery with links to Robert Hollingworth's irises that have won AIS Medals.

They are presented in chronolgical order.

2021:

'Neptune's Gold', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 2021 Award of Merit 2019 Honorable Mention 2017

2017:

'Judy, Judy, Judy', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 2017 Award of Merit 2015 Honorable Mention 2013

2016:

'Swans In Flight' Siberian, SIB American Dykes Medal 2016 Morgan-Wood Medal 2013 Award of Merit 2011 Honorable Mention 2009 Franklin Cook Cup 2015

2016:

'Who's On First', Inter-species Hybrid, SPEC-X Randolph Perry Medal 2016 Award of Merit 2013 Honorable Mention 2011

2009:

'Ruffles And Flourishes', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 2009 Award of Merit 2007 Honorable Mention 2005

2004:

'Blueberry Fair', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 2004 Award of Merit 2002 Honorable Mention 2000

2001:

'Strawberry Fair', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 2001 Award of Merit 1999 Honorable Mention 1997 Franklin Cook Cup 1994

2000:

'Over In Gloryland', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 2000 Award of Merit 1998 Honorable Mention 1996

1997:

'Coronation Anthem', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 1997 Award of Merit 1994 Honorable Mention 1992

1994:

'Sultan's Ruby', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 1994 Award of Merit 1992 Honorable Mention 1990 High Commendation 1987

1993:

'Jewelled Crown', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 1993 Award of Merit 1991 Honorable Mention 1989 Exhibition Certificate 1986 High Commendation 1985

1992:

'Lady Vanessa', Siberian, SIB Morgan-Wood Medal 1992 Award of Merit 1990 Honorable Mention 1988

Printable inclusive list of Robert Hollingworth's AIS Awarded and Recognized Irises, as of April 2025, with links to each iris.

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Autobiographical Notes

`BOB HOLLINGWORTH – An Iris Biography

Bob was born and grew up in Yorkshire in the north of England. In 1962, he and his wife, Judy, left the UK on an adventure to California where he earned a Ph.D. in toxicology at the University of California. In 1966 they moved to Purdue University where Bob was a professor until 1987. Then to Michigan State University where he is now a Professor Emeritus and largely retired. Bob got the iris hybridizing bug in the early 1970s through Judy’s passion for gardening and the irises she grew in Indiana. After a few years working with TBs he decided that he needed to focus on a less crowded area and has worked primarily with Siberians since then.

He named his first Siberian, a diploid, for Forrest McCord who encouraged him in his early interest in Siberians, and it was introduced by Borbeleta Gardens in 1984. Since then he has introduced about 90 varieties – a mixture of diploid and tetraploid types. Of these, eleven have won the Morgan-Wood Medal which is the highest AIS award specific to Siberians. In 1986, Bob and Judy decided to open Windwood Gardens and operated this for 15 years. Now their irises are introduced through Ensata Gardens.

His tetraploid introduction, Strawberry Fair won the Franklin-Cook Cup at the AIS Convention in Portland, Oregon in 1994 and he was fortunate enough to repeat that win with Swans in Flight at the 2015 convention there. Swans In Flight went on to win the Dykes Medal in 2016 – a first for a beardless iris. In 1997 Bob received the Hybridizer’s Medal from AIS and the Distinguished Service Award in 2019. In 2012 he was the recipient of the Sir Michael Foster Plaque from the British Iris Society. Bob is a past President of the Society for Siberian Irises and is currently the President of the AIS Foundation. For the last ten years he has served as the editor of The Siberian Iris, the publication of SSI.

Mr. Hollingworth has registered over 60 Siberian irises including ten that have become Morgan-Wood Medal winners ( 'Lady Vanessa', 1992; 'Jewelled Crown', 1993; 'Sultan's Ruby', 1994; 'Coronation Anthem', 1997; 'Over In Gloryland', 2000; 'Strawberry Fair', 2001; 'Blueberry Fair', 2004; 'Ruffles and Flourishes', 2009; 'Swans In Flight', 2013; and 'Judy, Judy, Judy', 2017). 'Swans In Flight' went on to win the Dykes Medal in 2016. 'Who's On First' went on to win the Randolph-Perry Medal 2016. Robert Hollingworth was honored by the American Iris Society with the Hybridizer Award in 1997.

Hybridizing Notes

-- BobPries - 2012-02-10