Dave started making iris crosses in the early 1980s “just to see what would happen.” Though he claims to still not take hybridizing seriously, a steady flow of awards since 1994 proves otherwise. They include an Honorable Mention (HM) and Award of Merit (AM) for ‘Cuss A'blue Streak,’ an HM and AM for ‘San Juan Silver,’ and HMs for ‘Orange Jewelius,’ ‘Titanic's Nemesis,’ the SDB ‘Break Yolk,’ and ‘Too Below Zero.’ ‘San Juan Silver’ also won the President's Cup for the best in-region iris at the 1998 AIS Convention in Denver. Dave has served Region 20 as show chairman, board member, RVP, and 1998 convention chairman. All of this has been rewarding, but his time in the garden is most rewarding of all.