Rick Tasco, noted iris hybridizer and co-owner of Superstition Iris Gardens, will give a presentation on “Historic Iris from the Eclectic Collection of Superstition Gardens,” presented by the Lompoc Valley Iris Society. The program will be held at Fellowship Hall of the First Christian Church, on College Avenue and V Street in Lompoc, on March 6 at 1 p.m.
Tasco has hybridized and introduced 75 iris varieties (registered with the American Iris Society) since 1993 and has won numerous national society awards, including the coveted AIS Dykes Medal. Twice.
His garden is in Cathy’s Valley, where, in addition to developing and growing plants for his mail-order iris business, he maintains an official display garden for the Historic Iris Preservation Society. He grows (and has photographs of) irises dating back to introductions in 1840. To top off the presentation with a taste of what’s new, he’ll also show about a dozen photographs of irises he’s introducing in 2011.
Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the local society’s President Ben Schleuning at 733-4081, or Membership Chair Holly Palmer at 736-1992.
This article appears in Mar 3-10, 2011.