Re: judging, SONG OF NORWAY

The major shows -- meaning the most spectacular and oriented toward the public-
are bloomstalks displayed on the showbench.  A show goes better if everyone
is on the wagon, the blooms are delicate, the bottles can be filled with 
water.  The official who places the blooms on the bench especially should have
a steady hand.  All eyes are on him/her to make sure that YOUR stalk is turned
just the right way.
You cana get off the wagon at the lunch with the judges after the show.
	If your area doesn't have many judges, the cultivars in your Region,
or geography will lack votes.  Voting the official ballot is sort of a 
beauty contest.  and if no, or few judges are from your area, your good growers
will be under represented in that ballot.  The results of that ballot are
carried far and wide.  At this time of year you will see in just about every
gardening magazine the Dykes Award winner.  Guess how it gets that way!!!
If the winner doesn't grow in your area, maybe its because there aren't 
enough judges in your area to vote for the cultivar that DOES do well in 
your area!! The public can be mislead!
	Everyone is a potential judge.  When you learn about the elements thatmake a good flower, and care and pay attention to good horticultural practises,
you are on your way to becoming a judge. Then, its a matter of doing the extra
work to become an apprentice and then accredited.
	Serious gardeners are probably good judges already, and with a little
formal training, can help the rest of the world to learn more about gardening
and about Iris, specifically.
I just hope there isn't a run on judges' training and that everyone in the
rest of the nation doesn't become a judge.  (that's an attempt at backward
psychology!!)
CarolynSchaffner
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index