Judges: by sex?
From: James Brooks <hirundo@tricon.net>
When I look at my bed of Dykes Medal winners marching a line of blooms up
the hill from 1927 to 1998, it seems obvious to me that during the 1930s
and up until World War II, the judges must have been predominantly men.
I mentioned Dauntless, Mary Geddes and Copper Lustre in the previous post,
but add to that Prairie Sunset, The Red Douglas and some others from this
era and you have a bed of color a man could love, borne out by the men who
visit the gardens.
By the end of World War II, my theory runs, the balance of the judges
became women: the color shift is remarkable - from there on it is pastels:
purples, pinks, blues, lavenders, pale yellows, with huge flowers and lots
of ruffles and lace. The shift is so dramatic it cannot be explained by
tetraploidy alone.
Is there anyone on the list who could substantiate this theory? I know in
the early historic photos of the local bird club, it was the men in this
era, wearing suits and ties and wing-tipped shoes, who went birdwatching,
while the women stayed at the picnic grounds and dished out the potato
salad. I would suspect that gardening became democraticized somewhat
earlier, with women first being nurturers of flowers, then hybridizers, and
finally judges.
Any feedback?
James Brooks
Jonesborough, TN
hirundo@tricon.net
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