lath around clumps?

I would also appreciate it if someone would explain the 'lath around the
clumps'--if mine are growing too close or one pops up in a different clump
and i want to identify where it should be, I use flagging--available at
most hardware stores--and can be written on with acetone pen--Sharpie--I
encircle the clump and all strays ones so I know who belongs where when it
comes time to dig.  Yellow is dig and save, Red is dig and toss!  Since I
grow at least 100 each of SDB and IB, they seem to wander around and get
mixed up all together--so out with the flagging----Also, if you cannot find
your map, or the name tag has gone south for the summer, by putting the
color on the flagging, when you find your map--you can compare the color
noted with what is supposed to be there--
We do the same in our club garden, and when the public comes to view the
garden, they can see which clumps will be dug that year for the sale, and
make their lists accordingly.  Since we do a tour every year, starting at
our club garden, and each yard has the clumps marked for digging for the
sale, visitors know which ones will be in the sale and come with their
lists--this system works really well for us.
As for extra standards and falls--usually I have about three SDB which have
one more fall than usual--but this year, almost every IB to bloom so far
has at least one stalk with four or five falls--and each with a beard! 
sometimes all five are connected--and some only have two standards--this
has always been blamed on the weather--last winter twas the mildest here in
history ( and I was in Arizona in rain, hail, etc)  so there was no snow
cover for any length of time, and twas warmer than usual with freeze-thaw
happening several times, rather than the usual freeze a foot deep for the
entire winter--whatever did cause it--the flowers are different and some
are actually prettier than they usually are.  Seems to be happening more on
selfs, blends and bitones, and not on plicatas--and more on the newer
varieties--old Harlow Gold, Apache Warrior, Sherlock, and others from the
70's and early 80's are not doing it-- I started checking into parentage of
over 10 IB's and SDB's and could not find same parentage for any of
them--so am willing to blame it on the weather, and will do an Educational
Display for the show--if I still have any left by then.  Sympathy to anyone
who was in the tornados--what was shown on the news here was awesome--I
have lived through earthquakes, floods, horrible deep snow-storms which
kept us housebound for days, and volcano ash shutting down the town, but to
see the pictures of the towns hit by the tornados is really sickening. 
Hope there are no more of them for you.
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