Space Agers -Gaudy and/or Showy?

     I think that Carolyn started a threat off by asking Ian about American
hybridized irises and if they were gaudy and showy.  Tom Tadfor Little then went
on to list some of his favorite iris forms and writes:

>Oo! Now I'm on the spot! For what I'm getting at in my previous post
>(not necessarily other qualities), here are some examples: Song of Norway,
>Twist of Fate, Sky Hooks, and (oldies) Wabash, Chivalry, many others I
>can't bring to mind right now!

     Now I think that I'll "stir the pot" and bring up a discussion concerning
one of the irises that Tom mentioned - Sky Hooks.  Do you think that the
hybridizing for appendages such as the horns, spoons, flounces, forks, and etc.
found on the ends of beards of Space Age irises is gaudy, or showy?  Also is
this a trait that hybridizers should work with, or leave be?  Now we'll separate
the purists from the nouveau form admirers and I'm sure that the responses to
this topic will certainly fill up the mail boxes of those who have trekked to
Sacramento. I've heard that Space Agers caused battle lines to be drawn when
they were first introduced and I'm curious to see what type of reaction they're
getting thirty-five years later. (I think that UNICORN, the first one introduced
came out in 1961.)  HIPS (Historic Iris Preservation Society) recently honored
it by naming its e-mail robin after it.  

BTW:    Are there any Aril or Aril-bred Space Agers?

Bill Smoot, grinning and waiting for the fireworks! <grin>

73210.1725@compuserve.com
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index