esthetics (was Re: Double iris-a plea for circumspection)

Anner writes

>Although discrimination has always been the hallmark of the connoisseur, so
>called, and is often associated with conservative aesthetic tendencies, the
>greatest potential for delight lies in having a personal sense of Beauty
>which is generous, inclusive and ecumenical, rather than one which dismisses
>categories a priori. This is why the unsophisticated so often seem to enjoy
>things more than other people. 
>

That's a great observation, very true. I've frequently found myself having
the heretical thought that AIS garden judges should be looking at _only_
the plant qualities of the iris: vigor, disease resistance, floriferousness
and duration of bloom, etc. Color and form, after all, are apparent to any
gardener at a glance, and will either appeal or not, person by person. Do I
need a judge to tell me that a clean snow white iris with a pure red beard
has acceptable color? And if the judge says it looks ugly and I say it
looks pretty, whose opinion is going to determine whether I buy it or not?

Any thoughts?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tom Tadfor Little                   telp@Rt66.com
Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA)
Telperion Productions  http://www.rt66.com/~telp/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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