Carolyn Smith loves waking up every day.
The Mesena resident is an avid daylily grower and a member of the Thomson Iris and Daylily Society.
"It's a surprise every morning when you go out to look and see what flower has opened that day," Ms. Smith said. "They only last a day, so it's exciting to see what the next day brings."
Ms. Smith was one of the participants in the annual Thomson Daylily Show last Friday at the Depot.
"This is one of the favorite shows in Georgia, because it's in the old Depot setting," said Tim Herrington, a society member who lives in Dublin. "The background really adds to the flowers."
Aubrey Crawford, of Jacelo Gardens in Appling, was running the show for Thomson Iris and Daylily Society President Vernon Johnson, who was unable to attend due to illness. Mr. Crawford said the flowers are not judged on their beauty, but on qualities of perfection, such as color and pattern form and how different and superior the flower is to other varieties. The "usual" orange varieties were displayed on tables in the center of the Depot, while the show winners were displayed across the front of the Depot. The society also had potted daylilies for sale.
"We just love to come and enjoy seeing them all," Thomson resident Gladys Kane said. "We grow daylilies, too, but didn't enter any in the competition. We come every year just to enjoy it."
The Best of Show was a small variety called "Persnickety," grown by Earnest Yearwood of Milledgeville.
Other winners included:
Best Large Flower - Fooled Me, grown by Frankye Crawford, Appling
Best Extra Large - Chicago Star, grown by Walter Wall, Dublin
Best Small and Best in Show - Persnickety, grown by Earnest Yearwood, Milledgeville
Best Miniature - Little Boss Man, grown by Walter Wall, Dublin
Best Double - Dorothy and Toto, grown by Tim Herrington, Dublin
Best Seedling - (Not yet named), grown by Tim Herrington, Dublin
Best Unusual - Mad Max, grown by Earnest Yearwood, Milledgeville
Best Spider - Red Icicles, grown by Tim Herrington, Dublin
The Thomson Iris and Daylily Society meets at 2:30 p.m., the last Sunday of every month at the Thomson-McDuffie library.
