Bliss (1862–1931) was a British iris breeder who is credited with greatly improving the genetics of many modern strains, especially those descending from his Dominion cultivar.
He earned his living as a mining engineer in New Zealand (1881-89) and then in South Africa, retiring early due to ill health.
He believed that knowledge of genetics, careful selection, and long-term planning were the keys to success and kept only a fraction of the seedlings he grew.
Writing in 1925, Robert Sturtevant noted: “Mr Bliss started with a scientific study of the origins of the common squalens, neglecta, and amoena types and this led on to the creation of garden varieties by carefully planned breeding experiments.
The deep purple, large-flowered Dominion was actually brought to his attention by his young niece Phyllis Bliss, who served as his informal assistant.