The history of Schreiner’s Iris Gardens travels back to 1915 in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is here that Francis Xavier Schreiner, F.X. Schreiner for short, began his hobby of growing Iris during World War I. By 1922, he had developed a large collection of Iris and began distributing a list of Iris for sale in 1925. In 1928, F.X. Schreiner developed their first true catalog, named the “Iris Lover’s Catalog.”

Sadly, in 1931, F.X. Schreiner passed away. His son, Robert (Bob) Schreiner, took over the business, despite economics during the Depression. Bob Schreiner once said: “My dad told me: ‘If you want to find a pleasurable business, not one that is sharp and hard, consider the nursery game. It has aspirations of music and of Shakespeare’.” Bob was later joined by his sister Constance (Connie) Schreiner and his brother Bernard (Gus) Schreiner. Connie Schreiner worked in the office with customer support and orders. Gus Schreiner took over the agricultural work, while Bob Schreiner worked with public relations, photos, sales overseas. However, Bob’s first love of Iris was hybridizing. Although Gus did the actual crosses, it was always Bob who initiated the crosses. When it came time for selecting the year’s new introductions, the three of them would have a big discussion.

The cold, St. Paul winters eventually proved to be difficult, as they lost a large stock of their Iris plantings in the late 1930s and early 1940s. They began searching for new home to move their industry. In 1946, they eventually moved to Willamette Valley, near Salem Oregon where the company still operates today.

In 1958, the efforts of the Schreiner family paid off with their first Dykes medalist in Blue Sapphire, that large and ruffled silvery-blue self with strong bloom habits and heavy substance. This award would set off a string of awards in the 1960s including two more Dykes medalists (Amethyst Flame and Stepping Out), numerous awards for hybridizing and horticultural efforts. As their popularity increased, Bob Schreiner found less and less time in the garden, and it was up to Gus to take on the responsibilities of the hybridization project.

The 1970s proved to be bittersweet in general. In 1971, the first of the founders, Constance Schreiner, passed away and despite the popularity of many of their introduction from the 1970s: Grand Waltz, Night Owl, Sapphire Hills, Spartan, Navy Strut, Lacy Snowflake, Victoria Falls and Superstition, only Victoria Falls was awarded a Dykes Medal in 1984.

In 1982, Gus Schreiner passed away, and his son, Ray Schreiner took over the hybridization program. Titan’s Glory was awarded the Dykes Medal in 1988 and similar to Blue Sapphire, would start off a chain of awards. Their introductions in the late 1980s and early 1990s were their most successful years, with six Dykes Medalists in a span of nine years: Dusky Challenger, Silverado, Honky Tonk Blues, Hello Darkness, Yaquina Blue and Celebration Song.

The final member of the founders, Robert Schreiner passed away in 2000, writing the last chapter in their legacy and opening a new one with the future generation of Schreiner’s. Today, Ray, his brother Steve, sister Liz and cousin Dave are in charge of the family business that started in 1925.

Any remembrance of Bernard (Gus) Schreiner must be written in terms of family and irises, for these were his life. His father, F.X. Schreiner, was one of the earliest American Iris fanciers and began issuing a catalogue in the 1920s. After his father's death in 1931, his brother, Robert, took over and expanded the business. Born and schooled in St. Paul, Minnesota, Gus was preparing to enter the family firm when World War II broke out. He enlisted in the Air Corps, serving in communications in the Pacific.

Following his discharge after the war, he returned to the mainland and the decision was made to expand the nursery operations. In 1946, the big move was made to Salem, Oregon. Robert, Gus, and their sister Connie re-established Schreiner's Gardens in its present location. Commercial stock, including the future introduction BLACK FOREST, plus all the breeding material developed in Minnesota-the basis of the present-day Schreiner orchid and plicata lines-had to be moved cross country. Constance Schreiner Kendall was in charge of office operations at the time of her death in 1971. Escalating business involvements took increasingly more of Robert's time. Gus took full responsibility for running the outside operations, as well as overseeing the extensive and highly successful hybridizing program. As a measure of the success of the Schreiner breeding lines, three Dykes Medals (for BLUE SAPPHIRE, AMETHYST FLAME, and STEPPING OUT), numerous Awards of Merit, and many foreign awards have been won by their irises and nearly one-fourth of the varieties on the annual AIS symposiums are Schreiner originations.

In 1942 Gus married Patricia Dion, and together they raised a family of four sons and four daughters, some them are currently carrying on the family's iris tradition: Stephen, Raymond, Patrick, and Lizabeth all live in Salem and assist at the garden. Paula, Connie, and Barbara live in Portland, and Thomas lives in California.

Because of his involvement with the field operations, it was difficult for Gus to leave the garden, but those who attended the 1950, 1960 or 1972 Oregon conventions met him on his home turf, as did the many Irisarians who made the annual pilgrimage to the Oregon iris fields. They found a warm, good-natured man, brimming with knowledge, enthusiasm and the love of life and; they found a friend.

This past spring Gus walked the seedling selection rows with an oxygen tank suspended from his neck; when too tired to walk any longer, he would get into the car and drive the road through the first-year seedling patch, looking at the blooms from the car window. On November 29, 1982, Gus Schreiner died, yet he lives on in our memory and in the beauty he helped to create. Ours is a better world for his having been a part of it.

Schreiner's Iris Gardens began as a hobby during World War I when Francis Xavier Schreiner started growing irises in St. Paul, Minnesota; a testament to the fact that bearded irises will grow in a variety of climates. Upon his death in 1931, Francis' children continued the business and moved the gardens to the Keizer area, north of Salem, Oregon.

Our goals in breeding irises are to develop new color patterns, improve color and flower form from what is already developed and live up to the standards that everyone looks for in growth and disease resistance.

I started crossing with my dad, Bernard (more commonly known as "Gus") in 1971. Dad would lay out the crosses and I, along with several others, would make the actual crosses. I also worked with Dad during the selection process, watching to see what he looked for and the results of his crosses. This continued until my father's death in 1981. During those years, Dad taught me just about everything I know.

Since then, I primarily make the crosses, with input from my cousin Dave Schreiner, and other family members involved in our operation. I am always ready to listen to any ideas.

When I select a seedling, I look for new color patterns: something different and pleasing. Some things are very different, but not pleasing in color. After color, I look at the shape of the flower: breadth at the haft and the form. If the flower doesn't have those two qualities, no matter how different the color, I don't consider it as introduction material. I don't necessarily look for size, but rather, good proportion. Bud count is also important. If a seedling has the best flower, but only five buds, I'll cross it with something with more buds and hope to improve on it.

Working with so many colors, it is difficult to say which color pattern I favor. When I work with a color, I envision what I will be getting and at the moment I like that color best. They are all my favorites. Plicatas, blues, reds, darks or yellows – mix up the patterns and you’re hooked! The possibilities are endless. Imagine a black with a pure white beard or a deep maroon with a blue beard.

I see the future of irises as wide open. The sky is the limit. Different patterns, more buds, longer bloom periods and repeat bloomers. What about the possibilities with the foliage? We have variegated foliage. What about extending the purple hue at the base all the way to the tip? What a contrast! You could have color all year-round. Only time will tell.