American Hemerocallis Society

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American Hemerocallis Society
Garden Judges Workshop 1
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Course Outline

• Timeline Hybrid Daylilies Awards
• The Garden Judge
• Plant Evaluation Criteria
• Cultivar Awards
• The Awards and Honors Committee
• Responsibilities of Garden Judges
• Etiquette in the Garden
• Accreditation

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Timeline Hybrid Daylilies and Awards

• 1877 English schoolmaster George Yeld, 32, grows
  less than half a dozen daylily species and
  begins to hybridize them. A.B. Stout is a baby
  in Wisconsin.
• 1892 Yeld wins Royal Horticultural Societys
  Certificate of Merit for his daylily, Apricot.
  First hybrid of record.Apricot is a variety of
  charm and beauty and is distinct from the other
  early-flowering sorts now in trade -- A.B.
  Stout (1934)

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Timeline

• 1893 English nurseryman Amos Perry, 22, orders a
  collection of daylilies. He devotes himself to
  hybridizing.
• 1900 Perrys first named variety.
• Yeld and Perry introduce new varieties into the
  1930s.Presumably, they talked to each other.

Perrys Margaret Perry (1925)
Class discussion How has someone else added to
your ideas of merit in a daylily?
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Timeline

• 1899 First American hybrid, Florham (E.
  Herrington)
• 1911 A. B. Stout, 35, begins work with
  daylilies, NY Botanical Garden.
• Raises seedling crops at NYBG and sells daylilies
  for the benefit of NYBG.
• 1924 NYBG orders Stout to cease propagation and
  sales at the Garden.
• Stout appeals to large nurseries in the region to
  raise his seedling crops and market his named
  ones.

Arlow Burdette Stout
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Timeline

• 1924 Only one nursery owner responds. Bertrand
  Farr, renowned as an iris hybridizer and owner of
  a huge nursery in eastern PA, is also an
  experienced daylily hybridizer.

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Timeline

• Farr agrees to raise Stouts seedlings and market
  the named ones for no more than 3 a plant.
• Stout never accepts royalties during the long
  relationship with Farr Nursery.
• 1924 A revolution in colors! A bright pink
  variety of H. fulva is found in China and sent
  to Stout.
• Bertrand Farr dies that autumn. New owners of
  the nursery continue the deal he struck with
  Stout.

H. fulva var. rosea
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Timeline

• 1929 Stout introduces the phrase unusual form
  in describing his new hybrid, Wau-bun.Its an
  example of the pinched crispate characteristic,
  with petals pinched back along the midrib.

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Timeline

• 1934 Stout describes the first truly red
  daylily, Theron, a result of 25 years work.
• He publishes the first book devoted to daylilies.
  Describes all the known species and all 175
  hybrids.
• Uses terms that will become the basis of AHS
  garden judge evaluation garden value,
  sprightly colors, and the importance of plant
  stature when not in bloom.
• Lists all the daylilies given the Award of Merit
  by the Royal Horticultural Society.

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Timeline

• 1935 Stouts Dauntless comes out.
• Pre-war years Henry Field Seed Company sponsors
  big Midwest flower shows.

Dauntless
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Timeline

• 1943 Flower Grower magazine sponsors a
  Hemerocallis Round Robin.
• 1946 End of WWII
• Garden Club of the Air, daily radio show of
  Helen Field Fischer, has national following and a
  Hemerocallis Round Robin.
• Robin members urge resumption of the big Midwest
  flower show. Helen Field Fischer helps make it
  happen.
• July, 1946 AHS founded at the flower show.

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Timeline

• 1950 AHS sets up awards system for cultivars
  Honorable Mention Award of Merit Stout Silver
  Medal.
• Creates Bertrand Farr Award for contributions
  to hybridizing. Stout is the first recipient.
• Creates Helen Field Fischer Award for
  contributions to AHS.
• 1954 Stouts Dauntless wins the Stout Medal.
• 1957 Stout dies, age 81.

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Timeline

• 1961 AHS adds specialty award categories.
• Specialty awards may change from time to time
  new ones added, some discontinued.
• Examples deletion of award for Fragrance,
  recent additions for Extra Early bloom and Extra
  Large Flowers.
• 1997 AHS develops a formal curriculum for
  training Garden Judges.
• 2008 Change of rules for Spiders and UF flowers.
  If eligible in both categories, dual
  registration possible and nomination for both
  awards.

Class discussion which specialty cultivars do
you think are champion performers in your
garden?
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The (Madison Square) Garden Judge
Like the head judge in a dog show, you must know
excellence in all the types of daylilies.
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The AHS Garden Judge

• Performs impartial, consistent evaluation of the
  complete plant and its overall performance in a
  garden.
• Collectively, Garden Judges focus attention on
  great performance outdoors in a garden.
• The vote tallies help gardeners select the most
  impressive performers in their region.

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The Garden Judges Work

• Observes complete plants in established clumps,
  under varied conditions, and at different times
  of year.
• Serves the AHS mission through extended plant
  evaluation within one AHS region.

Class Discussion What are the performance
differences between a new plant and an
established clump?
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Plant Evaluation Criteria

• The overall system is a composite many
  evaluations from a variety of soils and climates.
• Judge the same plant characteristics in the same
  way.
• Train your eyes to see the whole plant.
• Grow samples of the very best of each category.

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10
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30
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FLOWER CRITERIA

• Opening characteristics, length of bloom
• Substance, fragrance, and weather resistance
• Attractiveness of color and pattern
• Form Observe the sepals as well as petals

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SCAPE CRITERIA

• Height and strength of scape in relation to
  flower and plant
• Spacing of scapes in a clump
• Long period of flowering (number of scapes)
• Branching and bud count
• adequate spacing of blooms on the scape
• blossoms not obscured by the foliage

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FOLIAGE CRITERIA

• Color
• Insect and disease resistance
• Proportionate to rest of plant
• Appearance in spring
• Appearance in fall

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• THE COMPLETE PLANT
• Garden value and beauty
• Vigor
• Overall performance
• Class discussion What makes a daylily distinct?

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Consistency in Judging (Summary)

• Evaluate observable plant characteristics.
• Evaluate the same characteristics in the same
  way.
• Learn to judge excellence in all award categories.

Invalid Criteria

• Taking the hybridizer or year of registration of
  the cultivar into consideration.
• Evaluating how the cultivar has performed as a
  parent.
• Allowing your personal preferences in color,
  form, size, etc. to influence your vote.

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Cultivar Awards Voted by Garden Judges
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AMERICAN HEMEROCALLIS SOCIETY Pyramid of Awards
STOUT SILVER MEDAL
AWARD OF MERIT
HONORABLE MENTION
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Honorable Mention

• The HM is the first official stamp of approval.
  

• To win 20 votes needed from at least 4 regions.

• Garden judges may vote for up to 12 cultivars as
  observed in their region.

• The list of HM nominees is extensive. You wont
  know them all. Only vote for cultivars that you
  know well enough to commend.

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HM Portion of Ballot
Excerpt from the four-page ballot showing part of
the HM section. Voting instructions appear at
the top. More than 300 on the list. You cant
know them all. Note the space for a write-in
vote. If you do this, make sure the daylily is
eligible.
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How Does a Cultivar Get Placed on the HM ballot?

• The hybridizer nominates a cultivar that has been
  registered for at least 3 years.

• The AHS Awards and Honors Committee may nominate
  up to 10 overlooked cultivars each year.

• Garden judges may write-in an eligible cultivar.

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HM Eligibility

• Cultivars become eligible 3 years after
  registration.
• Hybridizer may nominate 7 cultivars in any year.
• No win? Hybridizer may nominate same plant again
  two more times.
• Hybridizers choice how long to wait before
  re-nominating. Max of 3 appearances on the HM
  ballot.

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Next step Award of Merit

• HM winners are listed automatically on the AM
  ballot 3 years later. Its out of the
  hybridizers hands now.
• The wait permits wider distribution.
• Eligible for 3 years.
• Garden judges vote for up to 12 cultivars seen in
  their own region.
• The AM list is extensive. You wont know them
  all. Vote only for those you have evaluated.

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AM Portion of Ballot
Excerpt from the four-page ballot showing part of
the AM section for 2007. Voting instructions
appear at the top. No write-ins.
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To Win an AM

• The 12 winners need votes from at least one half
  of the AHS regions.

• No more than one-third of a winners votes may
  come from a single region.

• AM winners automatically go on the Stout Silver
  Medal ballot two years later.

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Stout Silver Medal

• The top honor for a daylily.

• Candidates eligible for 3 years.

• 35 candidates per year (last years winner isnt
  there).

• Judges cast a vote for one cultivar observed in
  their own region or in an AHS National Convention
  tour garden.

• The cultivar with the most votes wins. Tie?
  Then multiple awards.

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Stout Medal Portion of Ballot
This is an excerpt from the four-page ballot
showing the Stout section for 2007. Voting
instructions appear above the list of candidates.
No write-in votes.
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RECENT STOUT MEDAL WINNERS
Lavender Blue Baby ( 2007)
J.T. Davis (2010)
Skinwalker ( 2009)
All American Chief (2008)
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Specialty Awards

• These awards recognize cultivars that have
  excelled within certain categories.
• Cultivars must be registered for a minimum of 5
  years prior to balloting.
• Garden judges may cast votes for cultivars
  observed in their own regions or in the AHS
  National Convention tour gardens, unless
  otherwise stated.
• Write-in votes are allowed.
• The cultivar receiving the most votes wins.
• Evaluate the whole plant vote for the best
  daylily of its type.

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Current Specialty Awards
Awards Related to Floral Dimension

• Donn Fisher Memorial Award - miniature flowers
  less than 3 in diameter
• Annie T. Giles Award - small flowers 3 or more
  but less than 4.5 in diameter
• Extra-Large Diameter Award - 7 or more in
  diameter but not registered as spider or Unusual
  Form. Doubles are eligible for this award.

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Current Specialty Awards
Awards Related to Color Patterns

• Don C. Stevens Award for eyed or banded flowers,
  Those registered by Don C. Stevens are
  ineligible.
• R. W. Munson, Jr. Award for distinct patterns.

Awards Related to Time of Bloom

• Early Season Bloom Award, registered as E or EE.
• Eugene S. Foster Award for cultivars registered
  as LATE or VERY LATE blooming on initial scapes
  and observed in the judges own region.

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Current Specialty Awards
Awards Related to Blossom Form (Configuration)

• Ida Munson Award for daylilies registered as
  double
• Harris Olson Spider Award for cultivars meeting
  the petal length-to-width ratio requirement of
  41
• Lambert/Webster Award for daylilies registered as
  unusual form (UF)

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About the Harris Olson Spider Award
The hybridizer determines at the time of
registration if a cultivar meets the AHS spider
definition.
The length of the longest petal, when manually
stretched out, must be at least 4 times the
widest point of the same petal as naturally
presented (no flattening).
Spiders may vary from one region to another, so
the Garden Judge may decide to take measurements.
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Measuring Spiders

• In your own garden, or with permission, see if
  the longest petal of several typical blooms is 4
  times the width.
• Width measure the petal at its widest point as
  naturally standing. Dont uncurl, unfold, or
  flatten it.
• Then stretch out the petal and measure from the
  tip to the V-shaped notch where adjacent sepals
  separate at the neck of the flower.
• Taking measurements during a garden tour may seem
  a breech of etiquette. Please use discretion.

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Judging the Harris Olson Spider Award

• Evaluate the whole plant vote the best overall
  candidate that you think meets the 41
  requirement.
• The next slide shows 5 award winners that
  consistently bloom 41.

Class Discussion Do you know of any spiders
that have very good flowers but serious flaws in
other respects? Should seriously flawed
cultivars with superb blossoms be considered for
awards?
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Recent winners of the Harris Olson Spider
Award For best spider cultivar
Bali Watercolor (2009)
Sergeant Major (2008)
Velvet Ribbons (2010)
Tie in 2008
Memories of Oz (2008)
Long Tall Sally (2007)
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About the Lambert/WebsterUnusual Form Award

• Must display the required characteristics on at
  least 3 petals or 3 sepals.
• A combination of characteristics on the same
  blossom is okay, but at least 3 petals or 3
  sepals have to exhibit unusual form
  characteristics, not 2 petals 1 sepal or vice
  versa.
• As of 2008, a qualifying daylily may be
  registered as both a spider and an unusual form,
  and is eligible for both spider and unusual form
  awards.

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Crispate Crispates pinch, flex, twist, curl, or
display these characteristics in combination.
Twisted/Curled Crispate, presenting a corkscrew
or pinwheel effect
Quilled Crispate with floral segments turning in
upon themselves along their lengths to make a
tubular shape
Pinched Crispate with pinching on the outer third
of the petals.
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Cascade
Pronounced curling or cascading (like a waterfall
or wood shavings)
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Spatulate
Spatulate (like a kitchen spatula), with segments
markedly wider at the ends
Questionable example above (see upper left
petal) cant tell from the photo if all three
petals are spatulate.
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Unusual Forms often exhibit more than one of the
characteristics and may vary from hour to hour
and day to day.
Twisted cascade presentation
All 3 petals or all 3 sepals must exhibit an
Unusual Form characteristic, though not
necessarily the same characteristic. The UF
definition recognizes variation in form.
The standard of consistency has a different
meaning for the UF flower. The judge looks for
consistent display of UF characteristics, but not
necessarily the same characteristics every day.
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Recent winners of the Lambert/Webster Awardfor
best unusual form cultivar
Spider Miracle (2006)
Heavenly Angel Ice (2009)
Brer Rabbits Baby (2010)
Thin Man (2008)
North Wind Dancer (2007)
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About the R.W. Munson, Jr. Award

• The award is for distinct patterns a variation
  in hue, value, or saturation of the base, midrib,
  or throat color, beyond that of a bold or solid
  eye, band, halo, or watermark, with or without
  simple picotee edging.
• Includes daylilies with watermarks or concentric
  rings or feathering of color within the eyezone
  or elsewhere.
• Excludes selfs, simple bitones, and bicolors.

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Examples of patterned daylilies
Solid watermark - NO
Feathered eyezone and midrib
Vari-colored rings
Vari-colored rings
Hue and midrib variation, rings
Concentric patterns
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More examples of patterned daylilies
Distinctive midrib
Vari-colored rings
Feathered eyezone and midrib
Hue variation
Feathered rings
Rings ellipses
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Recent Winners of the R.W. Munson, Jr. Awardfor
best patterned cultivar
Web of Intrigue (2007)
Spacecoast Sea Shells (2009)
Texas Kaleidoscope (2010)
Catcher in the Eye ( 2008)
Julie Newmar (2006)
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Recent winners of Don C. Stevens Awardfor best
boldly eyed or banded cultivar
Jane Trimmer ( 2009)
Adorable Tiger ( 2008)
Celebration of Angels ( 2010)
Lavender Blue Baby (2007)
Marked by Lydia (2005)
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About the Ida Munson Doubles Award

• Best candidate should bloom consistently double.
  
• Double cultivars may assume other petal forms
  such as spider (41 ratio) or unusual form
  (quill, cascade, crispate) or even polymerous
  (more than three petals or sepals).
• These characteristics do not disqualify the plant
  for the Ida Munson Award.

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Variations in Double Daylilies
Peony style double
Hose-in-hose doubles
Unusual form Double
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Recent winners of the Ida Munson Awardfor best
double cultivar
Moses Fire ( 2008)
Dorothy and Toto (2009)
Scatterbrain (2010)
Topguns Lola Scott ( 2006)
Night Embers (2007)
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Junior Citation Award

• For seedlings not-yet-registered emphasis on
  outstanding qualities and distinction.
• Not registered before September 1st of the voting
  year.
• Garden judges may vote for seedlings evaluated in
  any region. Emphasis on exceptional merit.
• 10 votes needed.
• Hybridizers may indicate seedlings for JC
  consideration.
• JC Award is not part of The Pyramid of Awards.

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Other Cultivar Awards (Not Voted by Garden
Judges)

• Lenington All-American Award voted by the AHS
  Board of Directors from a list of at least 12
  candidates submitted by the Awards and Honors
  Committee.
• Convention Awards (Presidents Cup, Florida
  Sunshine Cup, Georgia Doubles Appreciation Award,
  and the Ned Roberts Spider/Unusual Form Award)
  voted by National Convention attendees.
• Regional and local cultivar awards are not part
  of the AHS Awards and Honors System.

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AHS Awards and Honors Committee

• Oversees the awards system, makes recommendations
  to the AHS Board.

• May add up to 10 overlooked cultivars to the
  Honorable Mention section of the ballot.

• The Awards and Honors Chair compiles and mails
  the ballot to garden judges. Judges return
  completed ballots to a Tabulator who is named on
  the ballot. The AHS board then certifies the
  results

Question Where should you mail your completed
ballot and what is the deadline?
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A Judges Responsibilities and Duties

• Grow exemplary cultivars of all forms and types.
• Grow a range of daylilies from various
  hybridizers.
• Include some newer cultivars in your garden.
• Judge the COMPLETE plant, not just the flower.

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Responsibilities and Duties

• Visit gardens and evaluate daylilies.
• Attend local, regional and national meetings.
• Attend workshops.
• Share skills with new judges and the public.
• ButDecline any request to select someones
  seedlings for registration.

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Garden Judge Etiquette
Let the garden owner know you have arrived.
Call ahead.
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Dont carry large bags into the garden.
Dont carry a tripod.
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Dont do these things!
Dont grab pollen.
Dont step in beds.
Dont deadhead.
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Thank your garden host by mail, e-mail, or phone
call.
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Accreditation as a Garden Judge
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Initial Appointment 5 Years

• Candidates must have held AHS membership for 24
  consecutive months prior to applying. (Current
  dues paid!)
• Training may begin after 12 months of membership.
• Candidates must have attended at least one of
  their own regional meetings within the last 3
  years or a national convention within the last 5
  years that included garden tours.
• Candidates must regularly see large numbers of
  award-eligible daylilies and grow a
  representative sample.

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Requirements for Initial Appointment

• Know the contents of the Judging Daylilies
  handbook as it relates to Garden Judges.
• Attend Garden Judges Workshop 1, pass the exam,
  and attend Garden Judges Workshop 2 (any order).

• Immediately (!)send your application to your RP
  so that your status can be validated in time to
  count your vote.

• Once you complete your training, and meet all the
  other requirements, you are eligible to vote for
  awards in the current year.

• Mail your ballot by September 1.

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Reappointment 5 Years

• Youll be notified before your term expires. The
  AHS Garden Judges Records Chairman will let you
  know how to renew.
• You send your 5-year log of garden visits.
• You should have made at least 25 bloom-season
  visits to at least 10 different gardens.
• Fifteen visits must be in your own region.

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Dont get shut out !!!
If you dont

• Mail your ballot each year by September 1st.
• (If for some reason you cannot vote, contact
  the Garden Judges Records Chair.)
• Pay your AHS dues each year by January 1st.

You will be disqualified as a Garden Judge.
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Need help?Regional Garden Judges Liaisons

• Experienced garden judges who have any materials
  you might need as a judge or an instructor.
• If you have questions or concerns about judging
  daylilies, talk to your liaison.
• Who is your regional garden judges liaison?

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Review of Workshop 1

• Timeline of Daylilies and Awards
• The Garden Judge
• Plant Evaluation Criteria
• Cultivar Awards
• Awards and Honors Committee
• Responsibilities of Garden Judges
• Etiquette in the Garden
• Accreditation
• Next The Written Exam

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Workshop Papers

• Attendance Sheet everyone here must sign it.
• Combination Registration-Exam Answer
  Sheet-Workshop Evaluation
• To receive credit, you and your instructor must
  sign the answer sheet.
• Fill out the answer sheet completely and legibly.
• Give the answer sheet to the Workshop Chair when
  you finish the exam.
• Good luck!

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Credits

• The design team Michael Bouman, Melanie Mason,
  Julie Covington
• Steve Buchanan, artist, image of George Yeld
• Sydney Eddison, writer, for images
• Tinkers Garden for use of database photos
• Bickelhaupt Arboretum, for an image of
  Dauntless
• Farr Nursery Company, for the photo of Bertrand
  Farr