Iris Show last week [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

iris lily

4-18-12, 11:50pm

Here are photos from the recent iris show in St. Louis at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I won a double header, Best in Show (Horticulture) and Best in Show (design.)

Here are three Intermediate Bearded Iris at the show:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb111/kprp/Porkchop037-1.jpg

These two are charming Intermediate Bearded iris:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb111/kprp/Porkchop038.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb111/kprp/Porkchop039.jpg

Here are my entreis on the "Queen's Table" where all of the section winners sit, including my Best in Show Tall Bearded iris called "Glamour Pants":

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb111/kprp/Porkchop031.jpg

This is the small design that won over 15 others in the show. It was one of those wins that makes ya go "hunh?" but whatever, I"ll take it.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb111/kprp/Porkchop042.jpg

The End :)

puglogic

4-19-12, 12:23am

Gorgeous iris!

lizii

4-19-12, 3:33am

Iris lily, your iris are truly beautiful!

Zoebird

4-19-12, 5:16am

Congratulations on all of your wins!

I have to admit, they are beautiful, but i have no idea what makes them more beautiful than the other iris of the same type (color, etc). I've been to many flower shows in my day -- as an observer -- and I would look at daffodil after daffodil, jonquil after jonquil, dahlia after dahlia and never figure out why one would win when it seemed to me that it looked exactly like the one sitting right next to it. LOL

Obviously, all of you flower-folk are more clever than I! :D

Selah

4-19-12, 7:02am

Congratulations...wow! Very impressive, although I'm with Zoebird...I lack the discerning eye when it comes to lillie (or any other flora, for that matter). But hey...a double-header! Very cool! :)

Float On

4-19-12, 7:38am

mtnlaurel

4-19-12, 7:39am

They are beautiful! Congrats.
Thank you for sharing them with us.

razz

4-19-12, 8:51am

iris lily

4-19-12, 9:05am

Congratulations Iris lily!
Beautiful.

I've got probably 200 Iris blooming in my yard right now and all those that you show look like they are 'thicker' both in stalk and petal (does that make sense?).
Can you post what some of the 'guidelines' are for entering Iris in a show?

Yes, "substance" is what we call it. Many historic iris, which is what you may have if they are older varieties, aren't very thick in stalk or in petal substance. We use wine bottles to hold the stalks and my Best in Show entry was too thick for the wine bottle, it was a big healthy one.

Here are some basic in entering an iris show:

1) Name your variety--if you don't know the name, it can't be entered in the judged section. Some shows have non-judged areas for unnamed flowers.

2) Freshness is key--this trumps everything. Flowers that are a day or two old are thinning and are "papery"

3) the stem must have one flower open, and it should be the terminal (top) flower. Buds and flowers should be balanced on the stem in a pleasing way. Buds should not be crowded but should be free to open without interfering with other flowers on the stem.

4) the stem must be well groomed, free of damage, disease, bugs, dirt. It should stand up straight in the bottle.

Those are some basics. In judges training you learn how to look for these things, and that is combined with the judges knowledge on how each cultivar grows. If an exhibitor has a mediocre stem of something that is known to be difficult to grow it may get a blue ribbon while a mediocre stem of an easy-to-grow cultivar may get a 2nd place ribbon.

iris lily

4-19-12, 9:07am

Wow, Missouri is way ahead of southern Ontario tempwise! Beautiful photos.
I love the arrangement - clean and simple and wonderful balance of colour and shape.
Was the winning iris one of of your own breeding efforts?

The little iris in the vase was one I grew, but I don't breed. I haven't moved to that level of difficulty yet and besides, I don't really have enough room to hybridize.

We are one full month early this year. Usually I have tall bearded iris pop out around April 20th; this year is was, what, March 25th.

Gregg

4-19-12, 9:28am

"Glamour Pants". FOFL. Forget how gorgeous it is, I'd plant that one just to say the name!!!

jania

4-19-12, 12:10pm

Thanks for sharing the photos...what beautiful flowers.

peggy

4-19-12, 4:08pm

Congratulations! Truly beautiful flowers.