RE: AIS:2002 Dykes, End of a Keppel Drought

Walter Moores promotes Fancy Woman and Spirit World for the Dykes.
Gerry Snyder (among others) says they just don't grow well enough; he
prefers Mesmerizer.
Lovely Dawn is another suggestion for the future.

Unlike Gerry, I have a first year Lovely Dawn making a fine clump for me,
and looking like it'll bloom nicely.  My 9b climate is similar to his; a bit
less scorching in the summer.  Fancy Woman and Spirit World are both rot
prone, slow growers, and infrequent bloomers for me (at my previous home as
well).  Truly gorgeous, but you might never see them.  Spirit World is also
very short.

I'll have to disagree on Mesmerizer.  I used to have a big clump, but Byers'
everbloomer Stingray seems to have crowded it out.  It was tall and had good
bud count, but the flowers were large with only minimal (billowy) ruffling
and egg-shaped falls showing the Sky Hooks heritage.  Good garden
performance, enormous appendages for novelty lovers, but not really a pretty
flower.  With so many delicate or complex colors, and wonderful ruffles and
lace to choose from, garden performance alone should not be worthy of a
Dykes.  The same flower with 7 buds and no appendages would be a total
reject, even with vigor and rebloom.

For the future, I'd love to see Louisa's Song up there.  Someone told me it
may not be eligible, since Blyth's stuff gets introduced a few months
earlier in Australia.  Is this correct?

John Reeds

> > FANCY WOMAN or SPIRIT WORLD?  My mind is made up, but what do others
> > think?
> 
> I think they are both beautiful, but neither one grows well enough here
> to be considered Dykes-caliber.
> > I am keeping my fingers crossed that some day one of Keith's plics will
> eventually
> > win a Dykes.  LOVELY DAWN has Dykes' Medal written all over it, but will
> the
> > judges notice?
> 
> A lovely iris, but only a so-so grower here. Its half-sib Morning Mood
> is not as striking, but does so much better it would get my vote if it
> came down to those two.
> 
> For those who know me well the following is superfluous, but I expect my
> Dykes vote to go to Mesmerizer. Here it starts blooming in December or
> January, and goes through late May. A great garden iris that puts up
> show-quality stalks.
> 
> 

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