I read that there would be an AIS approved iris show about an hour and a half away from us - in Santa Rosa at the Luther Burbank Art and Garden Center. My husband agreed to drive us down there, and I further decided to enter a few of my blooming irises in the judging! For the first time! We got up at 6 in order to get there between 8 and 9 a.m. I'd read a little about preparing irises for showing, but some had flaws - a bug bite here, a torn petal there. And they had to have opened very recently. It rained the night before, but I'd cut the ones I wanted to show before the rain.
We got it all together and made it down there in time. The iris club had organized things very well, with ingenious holders for everyone's entries. A friendlier, more helpful group you'd have to look far to find. It was a wonderful day.
I thought you all might like to see some of the photos we took of the event.
Lots of people helping!
The tables were set up for different kinds of iris.
Outside there were potted iris for sale - $7.00 each; 3 for $20
When we came back at 1 p.m. after the judging, I got a big surprise. Two of my irises, Cracklin' Burgundy and
Thornbird, got blue ribbons!
It was a lovely day - made even lovelier by a visit to Calif. Sue's garden.
I took lots of photos of her truly amazing garden. I'll post some tomorrow.
