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I think we would all like to see our rose shows open to
the public sooner. So why are we moving in the opposite direction? This
coincides with a recent fad of not judging other entries until after the
Queen, King, etc. have been selected for the Hybrid Teas and Miniatures.
The way this usually works is for entries to close at 10 a.m. but judging
does not start until 10:30 or 10:45. This delay is primarily to allow the
clerks to group by variety and alphabetize the one bloom per stem entries.
The first Queen is selected about 11:30 and the Court selection slowly
follows. Meanwhile, the people who are responsible for the calligraphy
and the Court of Honor can not do anything since they have not been supplied
with any winners. Then, after their slow start, the Judges reach the classes
that they can move through quickly. These winners all hit calligraphy in
an avalanche and the poor person is buried. The Judges go to lunch but
it takes a long time for the backlog to work through calligraphy and be
placed on the Court of Honor.
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Let me propose a better way. There are many classes that
the Judges can judge without waiting for the clerks to "straighten up".
These include the challenge classes, boxes, pallets, collections of more
than one variety, etc. Most of these classes have few entries and can be
judged quickly. If entries close at 10 a.m. the Judges could start on these
classes by 5 or 10 minutes after 10. Five minutes later winners will start
flowing to calligraphy and onto the Court of Honor. This is an hour or
more earlier than this will happen when employing the current fad.
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Wait, there is more. Judging of most of the entries, except
for the one bloom per stem Hybrid Teas and Minis, can be completed by 10:45.
This means the judging for Queen, King, etc., begins at approximately the
same time under either plan. However, by not holding up the calligraphy
and Court of Honor and starting judging earlier, everything gets done and
the show is opened to the public much earlier. It’s a better way.
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Why do some rose show schedules allow painter’s palettes
to be all one color? If this what someone wants why not have a class for
a monochrome box instead? Let us reward those painter’s paletttes that have
the largest possible range of colors.
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I believe it is unfair when a show chairman announces
5 minutes before entries are to close that they are extending the entry
time. At this point most exhibitor’s entries are already entered and cannot
be retrieved. The show chairman is trying to be Mr. Nice Guy but what he
is actually doing is hurting those exhibitors who have abided by the schedule
as written and helping those who have not.
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There are rare instances where a delay in gaining access
to the preparation area may make an extension justified. If that is the
case, the new time for entries to be closed should be announced as early
as possible. Certainly the announcement should not be delayed beyond 7:30
a.m.
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I have heard a lot lately about the need to place additional
restrictions on exhibitors to prevent them from trashing another exhibitor’s
entry. Perhaps I have led a sheltered life, but in over 20 years of exhibiting
and judging I have not encountered a single instance of one exhibitor intentionally
damaging another’s entry. What I have encountered on several occasions
is clerks, who had not received adequate instructions, moving part or all
of someone’s challenge class entry. Therefore, I believe that it is towards
better training of clerks in this area that we should be directing our
efforts.
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The most damage that I see inflicted on entries is caused
by the way some placement people carry the entries from the classification
table to the show table. Too often now days we see teenagers trying to
carry too many vases at one time. If they were instructed to limit themselves
to carrying only one large vase in each hand and to use a tray when transporting
miniatures there would be much less damage. Allowing exhibitors to place
their own roses is a method that also works.
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Why is it that some societies duplicate the mistakes they
made in the previous year’s schedule year after year? For instance stating
a preference will be given for stages of bloom in sprays. One year of obsolete
statements like this should be enough! The District Chairman of Judges
should be allowed to proof-read the preliminary schedule to make sure it
is correct and up to date. Then make those corrections the Chairman suggests
before it goes to the publisher.
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I have seen no signs that the results from 3 person judging
teams is any better than the results achieved by 2 person judging teams.
The only difference is that the 2 person team completes their judging assignments
much sooner.
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Why do some judges at in house rose shows spend most of
their time telling us what is wrong with the specimen instead of what is
good about it? The people have brought what they felt were their finest
roses and held their breath while they were judged. I have then heard some
say they were so embarrassed and humiliated by the comments that they would
never bring anything again. I am not saying the faults should be ignored.
But, why don’t we place heavy emphasis on everything that is right about
the specimens. Every entry has some things that are good about it though
it may only be a straight stem and a perfectly circular outline of the
bloom. Then say something like "It could have been even better if
thus and thus". This would leave the people with some pride in what they
have accomplished so far and a road map and a desire to do even better
next time.
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Why doesn’t every local society have a "Buddy System"
where each new member is assigned as a "Buddy" to a Consulting Rosarian
or other knowledgeable Rosarian who lives near by? Someone to answer their
questions, and an exchange of garden visits, could go a long way toward
getting someone off on an improved course. One afternoon spent talking
about location, spacing, bed preparation, varieties, sources, planting,
feeding, watering, spraying, bloom removal, etc., could do more to get
them off on a successful course than two years of only attending regular
meetings.
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The early success will cause more interest. More interest
will stimulate more effort. Why would anyone in his or her right mind want
to grow something that they had to spray every week if they didn’t see
success and see it soon?
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There are lots of other questions that one does not receive
the answers to at most regular meetings. What is a Consulting Rosarian?
Is there a catch to this Consulting Rosarian thing? Where do the free refreshments
at the conclusion of the meeting come from? How does the Society’s library
work? What is the "District" and the "ARS"? Should I care? What is an in
house rose show? What makes that person qualified to judge other people’s
roses? On what basis does he or she say that a bloom having one center
is better than a bloom having two centers? They asked for volunteers at
the last meeting. I didn’t raise my hand because I didn’t understand what
it was for. If you will explain to me what is involved I might be willing
to help. And the list goes on. Each new member will be full of questions
like these and very few, if any, will have someone they will feel free
to go to for answers.
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When I first started growing roses in Pekin, Illinois
I know I had a thousand questions. I was fortunate in having two Consulting
Rosarian couples nearby who had the wisdom and experience to supply the
answers. I in turn have had the pleasure of helping several others along
the way. Just think within your acquaintances how rapidly those who have
had mentors achieve success compared to those who did not. At the present
time only a small percentage of people have had the advantage of having
a rose mentor. By assigning "Buddies" every new member would have this
opportunity. The more successful they become as Rosarians the more likely
they are to be the workers and future leaders that every Society needs.
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Why do the new miracle fungicide sprays that are reputed
to keep other peoples gardens 100% disease free when used as infrequently
as every 3 or 4 weeks fail to keep my garden completely disease free even
though I apply spray faithfully every week? Am I receiving completely honest
reports?
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Are Rosarians eternal optimists? Each year I eagerly look
forward to receiving the publication "Horizon Roses". There Rosarians that
I have the greatest respect for give their opinions of the newest roses.
Of the hundreds of new varieties reviewed, I usually find about 10 or 15
that sound like they might be fabulous when grown in this area. I ask friends
to send me wood for grafting and anxiously look forward to the first blooms.
I am always disappointed to find that all but one or two of these new varieties
will usually be inferior to those varieties that I am already growing.
But I really look forward to seeing the new varieties each year and next
year I know I will be at it again hoping that something sensational will
be in the new batch.
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I have often wondered. Are nice people inclined to grow
roses or does growing roses make people nice? In any event, they certainly
seem to go together.