Re: Guest Iris

Anner, your questions about what would be done with the data are excellent. As a data junkie, I tend to forget that others might not find pondering and interpreting data to be nearly as much fun as I do and might anticipate bad things from some people's interpretations!

I wouldn't expect the data points for any cultivar to be the best representation of that cultivar's performance. For me, the data would just be clues, might help me make better guesses as to what parents might add something I want to my lines. Might encourage me to try some summer dry selections that I wouldn't try otherwise.

An example of how I might interpret data:
I've sent one of my seedlings to California Convention (it did well), plus several private gardens, both locally and in other states. Reports so far is that it has done well everywhere <except> in Georgia, where it rotted twice. That is the southernmost garden I've heard back from. The clue for me is that this one may not be the best parent I have for states south of here or the future here, if local weather keeps going the way it has been.

As for performing at their best, that's the last thing I want to know about. More useful information for me would be which cultivars survive, bloom, and make pollen under conditions most similar to my own growing conditions. I was delighted to be viewing Portland gardens in the rain during convention, seeing what could make nice anthers under those conditions.

An example of data I like:
At the previous Oklahoma City Convention, there was a huge amount of damage from one of our wretched late freezes. Therefore, I was very interested in reading the garden reports in the Bulletin and regional publication to find out which guests performed well in spite of the wretched growing conditions. Years with bloom seasons hit hard by late freezes, I used to try to travel to as many gardens as I could to take notes!

Anyway, what is the difference in the risks associated with reports on performance from convention gardens vs risks associated with reports from the official AIS trial garden (sorry - senior moment isn't giving me the name - high elevation dry summer western state)?

I think people get tired of having other people interpret and characterize situations for them, then tell them what is what. People want to ponder and decide for themselves; it is part of the fun. So, I ask, what might be the effect of your, or another hybridizer's, making decisions impacted by the data arising from atypical performance in AIS display gardens? And, speaking of broad generalizations quite possibly specious data, as an operative posture, would you be inclined to presume that a greater percentage of cultivars overall perform below their personal best in AIS convention gardens, at their personal best, or above their personal best? Just curious.
Cordially,
Anner Whitehead
Richmond VA USA Zone 7--Where the osage oranges are thick on the ground, and the woodsmoke in the chill air makes the neighborhood smell like a good VA ham.

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
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