“A Bridge in Tıme”
Betty Wılkerson, Cool Season Rebloom Hybridizer
BY MIKE LOCKATELL, VIRGINIA
Wilkerson Garden, fall 2017—rebloomers in garden and pots
The late Betty Wilkerson (1941–2017), from
Scottsville, KY, was a “true believer” in growing and
breeding cool-season reblooming bearded irises.
Despite constant health and garden set-backs in her
final years, she NEVER gave up the fight to gain wider
acceptance for a remarkable perennial heirloom
garden plant. Like my mentor and friend the late Dr.
Lloyd Zurbrigg (1925–2005), Betty was resiliant in
attempting to create reliable cool-season remontants
(zones 4–7) with new colorings and pleasing flower
form despite overwhelming discouragement and
disinterest on both local and national iris society levels.
According to a recently discovered email from
2007, the Kentucky breeder felt she didn’t know any
more about rebloom or iris breeding than anyone
else. By doing thorough pedigree research each
winter, my fellow cool-weather rebloom breeder had
a solid hybridizing game plan going into each spring
12 AIS Bulletin Spring 2018