POSITION TITLE: The National Collections, Display & Test Gardens Committee received 11-5-2015

Purpose: To coordinate efforts between the greater horticultural world and the various units of the American Iris Society with respect to National Collections, Display and test gardens, and to facilitate their creation, administration, and communication.

Definitions and Goals:

1. National Collection: A garden dedicated to the preservation of a defined, cohesive group of Irises, species and cultivars. It may start as a prototype with the ultimate goal of being part of the American Public Gardens system of National Collections.
2. Display Garden: Gardens that simply display the glories of the iris.
   1. Public: Gardens at botanical gardens, and other venues open to the public.
   2. Private: Usually home gardens open for display during selected bloom periods, visitors should check to see if a garden will be open on a specific day and time.
3. Test Gardens; Gardens which may or may not be display gardens or national collections but have agreed to take measurements and record observations of plant growth in the garden.

Goals for Action:

1. To create a national registry of each type of garden with a short description
2. To suggest standards for the gardens;
   1. National Collection: To explain the qualifications needed to become and official APGA National Collection and to aid in that process.
   2. Display gardens; To give clear notice to visitors the constraints of the garden. Example; Is it wholly or partly wheelchair accessible. To create a sign designating it as an official AIS Display garden.
   3. Test Gardens: to formulate consistent ways of taking measurements, and recording them in a national data base.

The National Collections, Display and Test Gardens Committee

Contact committee chair at bobpries3@gmail.com

Purpose: To coordinate efforts between the greater horticultural world and the various units of the American Iris Society with respect to National Collections, Display and test gardens, and to facilitate their creation, administration, and communication.

For more information; Refer to the Web in this Encyclopedia Called Gardens

Definitions and Goals:

1. National Collection: A garden dedicated to the
   preservation of a defined, cohesive group of Irises, species and cultivars. It
   may start as a prototype with the ultimate goal of being part of the American
   Public Gardens system of National Collections.
2. Display Garden: Gardens that simply display the
   glories of the iris.
   1. Public: Gardens at botanical gardens, and other
      venues open to the public.
   2. Private: Usually home gardens open for display
      during selected bloom periods, visitors should check to see if a garden will be
      open on a specific day and time.
3. Test Gardens; Gardens which may or may not be
   display gardens or national collections but have agreed to take measurements
   and record observations of plant growth in the garden.

Goals for Action:

1. To create a national registry of each type of
   garden with a short description
2. To suggest standards for the gardens;
   1. National Collection: To explain the
      qualifications needed to become and official APGA National Collection and to
      aid in that process.
   2. Display gardens; To give clear notice to
      visitors the constraints of the garden. Example; Is it wholly or partly
      wheelchair accessible. To create a sign designating it as an official AIS
      Display garden.
   3. Test Gardens: to formulate consistent ways of
      taking measurements, and recording them in a national data base.