NEDS Daylily Show

2015, 25th of July. 5 a:m. I am up in the garden to help for Claudia Conway to pick best blooms for New England Daylily Society - NEDS daylily exhibition in Tower Hill botanical garden. Usually I doesn't go up so early, and sun is just started to think that she want to rise. In few minutes we started to see some nice blooms opening and started picking. It was fun. Even know that it supposed to be serious, but I enjoy it. I was a little nervous about what is waiting for me, what I have to do and how to help for Claudia. As this is our first AHS daylily exhibition.
 Packed everything to car and headed to road. It is few hours from her house, so that is why we up so early. Road was nice, so no problem with bloom damages. Even we wonder in first minutes, but later knew that everything is just good with them.
All the magic begin when we drive to sign with Tower Hill Botanical Garden. That was a magical moment. I am so sad, that I not capture that view. It was early morning, sun is up, but in night there might be rain. So big drops going down to road, sun is playing in shaded areas and make it look very special. Like moving to new area to explore. But that was true. I feel like explorer and eager to see something new and learn as much as possible.

And we where in place. Early, but in time to get ready and have some extra time to explore botanical garden. I never thought that preparation for exhibition could be so serious. People who want to exhibit daylilies have to know everything about grooming, bloom damages, pollen hiding and all other things, that make daylilies look perfect for exhibition. Some of standards amaze me. If there is any bud that touch with bloom and interfere him, must be cut off. Other - if there is few blooms on scape, judges pick the worse and judge that one. At first it sound a little strange, but later in process I notice, that is good, because it must to look perfect.

Leslie Nolan was in charge of classifications. That is really nice for show to have such a people, because it help with names and select right section and group for exhibition.
And what is the role for me in this exhibition? Oh, it was more than great. I was clerk. When I knew that, I wonder what I have to do, but in clerk's meeting we get instructions and get ready to do our works and learn from judges.
They gave me kits and instruction and several ideas how it will look like. And we start with judges and other clerk. I had a luck to be in category with Extra Large and Large from A to F.
It was so fun. Judge - Elliot Turkiew show the class of how scapes can be judged. What is main criteria of point system.
The only thing that make me sad is lack of information for how to prepare off-scape blooms. Claudia set a lot of them, and they where good. And she left a part of branch in water tube. Asked for help about it and get answer that everything is good. But it is not what people should do. I thought that Americans in this part of States is great. But this experience prove that you should be careful in every step.
Rules and clarification wasn't clear before preparation for exhibition, so in that way a lot of great blooms was disqualified. If it could be send for people who is willing to go to exhibition, we do not get such a bad experience. I am felling bad, that I missed that lines and not so cleared what she should do. Now we know, but bad experience can make a big impact for future wishes to attend exhibition. At least we tried. I get so much fun, learn a lot and now can take something to try in Lithuania next year with daylily exhibition.

Judges pick the best in show from all section winners. Sadly mostly of them are yellow based daylilies. Nothing special. Maybe that is just a beauty of perfect bloom? I can't judge, because I am not that good, and also not seen them all. So just agree with judges.

All entries was judged and get something. It was a very nice experience for me to get in touch with such a things and see everything behind the scenes of daylily exhibition judging.

Some blooms that I liked.

Sultry Girls - Second Award

One More Bud - first award and purple ribbon.

Nefertari - first award

Ocean Spirit - First award

Isabelle Rose - first award

Penny Pinsley - first award

Creature of the Night - first award

August Flame - First place + purple ribbon.

All of my Love to You - first award

Season of the Witch - First award + purple ribbon

Whoa Mule - First award + purple ribbon

Heat Blast - First award + purple ribbon = best in show

Larry's Twilight Bite - First award + purple ribbon. Off-scape

 Fairytale Romance  - off-scape

  Websters Pink Wonder - first award

Off-scape show table

  

In this exhibition I found out that a lot of people reading my blog and enjoy it. I am happy for that, because that pay me all efforts to make it as interesting as possible.  

 

And to finish it all we meet with AHS youth Chairperson - Kathy D'Alessandro. I was so happy to meet her and her friend. It make a day even more special. We spent a long time in botanical garden restaurant.
This visit to States is so special, and I am very happy for such an opportunity. Thanks for Alice, Dave and Claudia Conway's for hospitality and take care of me and give such a great opportunity. I am happy for everything I have seen here. Even some bad thoughts sometimes, but there can't be everything perfect. That how life actually is.

Your's Lithuanian gardener.
Edvinas