AIS: Symposium Enjoyment

It is interesting to read all the comments regarding this year and previous year's postings on the AIS Symposium situation. It seems very much like there are as many different opinions as there are people who have them, and my opinion is no different.  
In contrast however to many of the opinions posted, my opinion is supportive in nature. I like the current AIS symposium the way it is.  
It is true, many of the irises mentioned on the ballot I have not seen in person, but that is my fault.  
It is true, there are no longer write in spaces, so I deal with it the best way I can.  
It is true, calling the thing a Popularity Poll is an accurate description up to a point, but Symposium sounds so much more refined. I like it. Symposium also distinguishes itself as being something more than JUST a poll, and truly it is. There are reasons the irises listed on it are there for us to choose among, rather than just 25 blank lines for us to fill in.  
It is true, some irises on the ballot are there because the judging system is not flawless, but I don't blame the AIS organization for that. Individual judges are responsible for casting the votes that give the awards. Therefore it is my conclusion that instead of reinventing the wheel; I am training to be a judge myself so that my vote in the judging system will count.  
It is true, some notable irises by smaller hybridizers do not make it to the symposium ballot, but some widely distributed and constantly seen and judged ones do. I personally make it a point to add varieties to my garden yearly. I invite people to view my iris garden when it is in bloom, I share photos of my irises, I enter my irises in the spring shows and I distribute my irises to club sales and friends.  
I find it enjoyable to fill out the symposium. I take all my notes from the past garden visits and read them and then I look at all the photos I took over the last year and review them. By doing this I vividly remember each visit and which irises I enjoyed the most. Ones I have seen and enjoyed over many years are easy to remember, but some of the newer varieties that I don’t grow are difficult to recall if I have only seen them a few times. Eventually I end up wanting to add them to my garden, so this process makes ordering easy.  
It is true, the Symposium does not include all forms of irises. Tall Bearded's are by far the most popular. However, if more people grew, shared, showed and distributed the other types as well, their popularity WILL grow to a point that will justify a need to add them to the Symposium.  
I challenge everyone to do what he or she can to get as much enjoyment out of the Symposium as possible. The more you put into making it better, the more you'll get out of it.  
Patrick Orr  
Phoenix AZ Zone 9 USA - where all the most common types and some rare types of iris bloom beautifully.


   


  






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