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The Region 2 Symposium 2005 This and That from AHS to Region 2Bob Schwhwararz: Exotics, What Else?By Donna KowalczykThose who go through our lives never achieving greatness in evenone field must certainly admire those who manage success in many.We at the Region 2 Symposium had the opportunity of to hear justsuch a man speak in the person of Bob Schwarz.“Exotics, What Else?” was the topic of Bob’s presentation. Thetopic might describe the man who charmed us all with a short historyand description of unusual forms and then inspired us with aflawless digital photo presentation showing the development ofhis hybridization program. Among programs designed to show theintricacies of Power Point, Bob’s program stood out in its simplicity,which allowed the presentation of both parent daylilies and theresults on one screen. Seeing all of them together made it possibleto see which parent contributed a particular characteristic to theseedling and its siblings.Bob shows the same dedication to his second career as a daylilyhybridizer that won him an Emmy for directing the show, AnotherWorld. He also directed other shows, for example Search for Tomorrowand As the World Turns. Bob and Mimi met in 1956 inMunich and have been married for 48 years.Bob has been instrumental in the development of unusual forms.He says that movement in floral segments is what fascinates him.The endless modality of the variable crispates is a source of delightand wonder to him. He used WIGGLESWORTH as an example ofthe type of flower that he particularly likes.However, he encouraged each of us to be amazed at the diversityof genetic material to be found within a daylily cross. Bob recommended,“Grow what appeals to you. Develop your own daylilyline, but include genetic material from other people’s plants wheneverthey show an improvement that you wish to bring to your ownline. Remember,” he says,” that the new rule says an unusual formmust show the characteristic on at least three flower segments. Anunusual form can combine crispate, cascade and spatulate characteristicson the same flower.”Bob and Mimi’s goals are to keep on hybridizing and to followtheir own programs—and always to expect the unexpected seedlingthat pops up. He went on to say, “Where did that come from?That question that keep us going and following our goals, and it isthe surprises that nature occasionally presents us that add spice toour early mornings in the seedling path.”Bob helped formulate the definition of the Exotic/Unusual Formclass that is used as a guideline by hybridizers when they registertheir newly created beauties and by AHS for daylily exhibitionshows. For a complete description of Exotic/Unusual Forms, readBob’s article, complete with example daylily images (in color) andthe drawings of the UF definitions for Crispate, Cascade, and Spatulatesegments in the Winter 2004 Daylily Journal (Vol. 59, No.4,pages 395-398. Note, that a cultivar must show UF characteristicson 3 petals or 3 sepals, different from simply 3 floral segments!Last, but not least, Bob has this motto:“You don’t have to be grim to be serious.”Bob’s seedlingB178-02 (PURPLESUSPENDERS XNINE INCHNAILS)All images on this pagetaken by GiselaMeckstroth—withpermission—directlyfrom (MS PowerPoint)Symposium presentationCDRUSTY NAIL (back)WIGGLESWORTH (CAPTAIN NEMO XTWISTED SISTER)Above: Clump of FLYING DOWN TO RIOLeft: FLYING DOWN TO RIORUSTY NAILTo view Bob and Mimi’sRainbow Daylily Gardensand also study the UFchart and rules, visithttp://www.daylily.net/bobandmimi/or visit the AHS web pages(Dictionary)AHS Region 2/Great Lakes NewsletterB232-03 from parents that include CAP-TAIN NEMO , TWISTED SISTER, ANDsdlg B147-00PWSpring-Summer 2005 Page 31