Re: Curves of Beauty
Bob/Gerry O'Neill wrote:
>
> Jim,
> Interesting topic..Now you have me thinking too.
>
> As a personal measure for comparing your hostas (or even judging how one cv
> behaves under particular environmental conditions) this seems like a
> valuable tool. But I see two problems with its general use.
>
> 1) As Diane points out, this is a highly subjective measure as described.
> if your index was comprised of more objective measures (e.g., degree of
> leaf burn, rated on a scale of 1-3, or % of original leaves remaining, and
> so forth) it would be possible to compare the same cv in different gardens
> in defferent years. But what I consider beautiful or desirable in a hosta
> might be different than what you do, even if we were standing side by side
> and rating the same plant. I might, for example, like how Vanilla Cream
> changes color throughout the season while others might see it as fading or
> "viridescing" (is that a verb?) and rate it downward.
>
> 2) The other problem relates to Joanne's suggestion that the area under the
> curve be calculated and used for comparison. But what descriminates between
> two hostas is the *shape* of the curve, not the area under it. Both can be
> mathematically described. Your two hostas, one peaking early and one
> peaking late, might have the same area under the curve; does that make them
> equally beautiful (or valuable in the garden)?
I hope others will stretch their imaginations
> >a bit and suggest other approaches as well.
> >
> >Jim
**********
Some addtional thoughts on a "curve" of beauty. Actually this might be
a curve of performance as well. I think we may want to look at this as
a some what "flattened" curve, with the thinking that the greater the
"flattened" area The longer (During a given season)that the plant is a
"good preformer"
Ran
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE HOSTA-OPEN
