This was my second year showing. I was in the "Novice" class, which you can be in until you get 4 blue ribbons. I got one blue last year, and 5 this year, as well as best novice... So next year I get to show with the big boys..
I clerked both years, and learned a lot.. So many details.
The stems should be well-balanced.. Both in form and placement in the container. Points off if it' stop high, or too low in the container, or leaning too much. I was surprised that some stems with curves did well. I didn't bring any of mine that had much of a curve. Ideally, they should stand up straight, be well-branched, with plenty of room for the buds to open. You get points off if the lower flowers are touching the stems. I set my Iris up the night before, and put pieces of stems to act as spacers to push out the branches.
You can also wedge a piece of stem in the container to make a stem stand up straighter. As long as it's below the top of the container it's ok. Points off, if it isn't.
The Iris should be placed on the table with it's best view forward. The judges are not allowed to move them, although they may ask the clerks to do that. Someone with more experience told me that I should turn one of mine around, against my better judgement... One of the judges told me later that it would have gotten a blue ribbon if it wasn't turned. Also, our containers have square bottoms that have to be squared with the table.
I think insects are a disqualifier. A que-tip is helpful if you have an aphid strolling across a flower.
I've had horrible leaf spot this year. I had to trim a lot off. I use plain old scissors from the dollar store. The longer blade is good for one sweeping cut. You need to do this so that it looks natural. On the leaves that are on the branches, you need to curve them gracefully. Some people trim them even if they don't have spots, when the overall balance might be thrown off.
I use a make-up brush on the stems with some talcum power. Some folks use powdered make-up (Probably don't want to use the one with a bronzer, or sparkles
). When I handle them, I try to hold them at the base of the top bud so that I minimize marring the stems. It's inevitable in transporting that it will happen.
Points off for tears and holes in the flowers. You think you've got the perfect stem, get it all set up, and then you notice a small hole...
The judges do notice. A learned that a curved stem trumps a small hole.
I have a big old iron flower-arranging frog in a 5 gallon bucket that I tried this year for transporting.. It was ok.. Last year I used chicken wire.. I think next year I'm going to go with the spaghetti noodles unless I run across a cache of short lengths of pvc pipe.
I think that's all I have to add to what others have said...
