Hi Cindy,
Every summer the International Waterlily and Water Garden Society ( iwgs) sponsors a competition for new waterlily hybrids.
The entries are grown out side by side under identical conditions and then a panel of judges selects the best new hardy, the best new tropical and the one with the highest vote total becomes the best new lily of the year.
The competition is open to all and entering is free, so each year I post a mention on the forum hoping to prod Lou, Sean and everyone else that has a hybrid that they are proud of to enter. They threaten to do so....but once again I don't see their names on the list...shame, shame! I am aware of entries this year from Cyprus, Australia, Thailand and the US.
Well maybe Australia...they sent the entries to me and as I am growing them out, if they appear to be too nice, they might get "lost" in shipping to Raleigh.<g>
Which is where the grow out is being conducted this year. A few of the tropical growers were concerned that the temps weren't condusive to tropicals and would have rather seen it back in TX or FL, but then the hardy lilies need all the help they can get...a hardy has never been selected as "Best New Lily of the Year". I predict than even in the Mid-Atlantic chill, the tropical lilies will be able to prevail again this year.<g>
