[PHOTO] Re: selecting intros/carpets

We are all struck by what is new and different and this is fine but it is a
limited perspective. There are a lot of gardeners that are looking for plants
that do well in their garden and put on a good display year after year and its
important to keep this in mind when evaluating plants for introduction. A good
example of this is Butterscotch Carpet, a SDB that I introduced in 1994. This
is an amber tan with butterscotch spot. For several years I had this in shows
and the judges wlked right by without a second glance as it was "Not
Distinctive", yet it was very impressive as a clump in the garden I finally
introduced it as I liked it and it got good comments from garden visitors. It
has proven to be very popular with garden visitors, particullarly for those
looking for a good garden plant. This plant will never win any AIS awards as
it just doesn't stick in the mind of Iris fanciers when they also see
Firestorm, Ruby Eruption, Pele etc. This plant has won two Loomis awards where
its garden characteristics are fully evaluated. This has led me to carefully
watch for those exceptionally good growers and evaluate them somewhat
differntly. These "Carpet" varieties have to be exceptional garden plants.
Growing well, needing little care, and producing a mass of blooms year after
year.
I invite other breeders to alsoconsder these factors when evaluating their
seedlings. You can tell which plants are doing exceptionally well in the
garden. Save these for further evaluation even if they are not new and
different.  

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