re: introductions

what would be really useful would be a very brief indication in the
description required for newly registered iris of why it was introduced.
 some of the catalogs add this information some of the time, but not
consistently. some examples might include - a new color class; new branching
in a tailored pink; improved disease resistance in this color class;  the
tallest in this class; more consistent bloom throughout the country in this
color and form class; etc.  'i like it a lot' might be enough reason to
introduce, but wouldn't get much distribution.

i don't like the point system, because it biases the process according to
some set of standards that might not be everybody's cup of tea. for instance,
some people prefer tailored to ruffled, some dislike tall, some would settle
for less than ideal form if the iris had better reliability in their garden.
 when i first started buying iris, i would request varieties with interesting
haft marks and fragrance without realizing that hybridizers had spent YEARS
trying to eliminate haft marks and fragrance.  now, short tb's with
horizontal 'falls' (they should rename them 'outs' or 'flares') and open
standards seem to be valued (except maybe amongst HIPSters).  so graceful,
more relaxed flowers would probably be given fewer points, and i would still
be out here questioning people about varieties.

i really like the idea of several regional test gardens, but seems like it
would be very expensive to test even the 400 or so (wild guess) new tb's
every year.  our local club has discussed trying to get a trial bed of
beardless iris at the university of tennessee test garden in knoxville, but
they also use it as a display area and insist on an irrigation system (which
we would pay for) so it may be prohibitively expensive.

if each region had a test garden, at least there would be some preliminary
screening of the super duds.

linda mann e tenn usa
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