another judging question: rebloomers
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: another judging question: rebloomers
- From: T* T* L* <t*@rt66.com>
- Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 11:11:46 -0700 (MST)
Here's another one. This has been on my mind for years, and I'd like to
hear how different judges deal with it.
Garden judging criteria are based on the presumption that irises bloom
once, during the spring. Although it is possible to reward an iris for
reblooming by rating it high of floriferousness, gardenability, or period
of bloom, an iris does not need to rebloom in order to satisfy the
published criteria in these areas. In other words, a "perfect" once-bloomer
could score 100 on point scoring. If there is an otherwise identical iris
that also reblooms, shouldn't it be given a higher score?
I know, of course, that point score is used primarily as a teaching tool.
But the issue remains: should rebloomers come out better in garden judging
than once bloomers? by how much? Should we vote the Dykes Medal to a
reblooming iris that is slightly inferior (in form or branching, say) to
its once-blooming competitor?
I think this is a very important question, one that becomes more important
with each passing year, as rebloomers become both more common and more
worthy of high awards.
I suspect that most judges deal with this question by not dealing with it.
They evaluate irises during their spring bloom, and regard rebloom as a
pleasant bonus when it happens, rather than as a factor that would cause
them to give the iris a higher rating.
If this is the case, are we serving the gardening public well?
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Tom Tadfor Little telp@Rt66.com
Iris-L list owner * USDA zone 5/6 * AIS region 23
Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA)
Telperion Productions http://www.rt66.com/~telp/
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