This is a bit off-topic. I looked at the website's Awards page, with
photos of winners, and wondered why they had been chosen.
Under the picture of last year's Dykes winner is this information:
Photo: Dykes Medal winner 2008 Starwoman (Marky Smith 1998). This is
an Intermediate Bearded iris (IB) hybridized by Marky D. Smith.
Previously winner of the Hans and Jacob Sass Medal 2005, AIS Award of
Merit (AM) 2003, AIS Honorable Mention (HM) 2001. (photo courtesy of
Tom Gormley)
Where is unbiased information about the qualities of Starwoman?
Nursery catalogues will give descriptions to help sell the plant to
their customers, but they won't necessarily compare it to other iris
that look similar.
With the enormous numbers of iris being produced, it would be
impossible to write full information about each candidate, but I'd
like to see it for the winners at least.
As it is, I look at photos of new bearded iris (which I can no longer
flower in my shady garden) and think: Oh yes, it looks just like Xxxx
which was exciting everyone back in 1960.
So: why is Starwoman better than - let me think way back to something
vaguely similar - was it Rococo? How does Starwoman stand up in
comparison?
There are far fewer species and species hybrids put forward for
awards, so perhaps we could start the full descriptions with them.
Diane Whitehead
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8, cool Mediterranean climate
mild rainy winters, mild dry summers
