AHS ORGANIZATIONAL HIERARCHY
American Hemerocallis Society (AHS)
The AHS is the official organization for the promotion of the daylily flower in the US. Hemerocallis is the botanical name for the daylily and comes from the Greek words: beauty for a day. (Daylilies are not part of the Lily genus.)
Among other things, the AHS has the responsibility of registering the names of new daylily introductions. It annually publishes a list of all new cultivars. It also publishes a periodical called The Journal four times a year. Membership in the AHS is $18/year (for a single membership).
It is important to note that although our club is affiliated with the AHS, membership in our club does not automatically make you a member of the AHS. You must individually join the AHS if you desire. We strongly encourage it.
The AHS holds a national convention each year in a different location. In 2005, it will be in Cincinnati.
Region 11
For several reasons, the AHS is divided into regions. Clubs in Missouri are combined with those in OK and KS to form Region 11.
Each region has its own officers, the Regional VP and Regional Publicity Director, and elects a Director to the AHS Board.
Each summer, Reg 11 holds a business meeting that has come to include tours of local gardens and social events. Each year's meeting is held in a different city, hosted by one of the region's local clubs.
Reg 11 also publishes a newsletter for AHS members of Reg 11. Only members of the AHS who live in MO, KS, or OK receive the newsletter automatically. However, our club subsidizes subscriptions for any other club member who wishes to subscribe to the newsletter. Please see the Treasurer for details.
Local Clubs
Local clubs are usually incorporated as a nonprofit organization, under IRS Section 501(c)(3). They are also often affiliated with the AHS and become active members within their local AHS region, but unlike Region 11, they are not officially a subdivision of the AHS. It is the local clubs which host annual Regional Meetings.
Most clubs have their own Bylaws and Standing Rules.
Standing rules are less serious than by-laws and deal with the more routine day-to-day operation of our club, but these are often more important to a newcomer because they describe meeting dates and attendance prizes, for example. If you are not offered a copy, please ask and don't be bashful.
To find a local club in Region 11 (KS, MO, or OK), CLICK HERE.
What is an AHS DISPLAY GARDEN?
Do you find many of the latest daylily introductions in an AHS Display Garden (AHSDG)? Sometimes, but not always: there are no requirements about recent material for a garden to eligible for AHSDG status.
Is a garden that is 'right out of House & Garden', which features many expensive lawn decorations, furniture, statues, fountains, and professional landscaping eligible for AHSDG status? Yes, but to be an AHSDG a garden need not meet such high standard; in fact, most do not.
Might an AHSDG garden include many exotic, expensive "companion" plants, such as dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, Bonsai plants, etc.? Yes, but again, they are not requirements!
The purpose of an AHSDG is often misunderstood. These gardens are not intended to be showplaces for daylily hobbyists. They can be, but the primary purpose of an AHSDG is to allow the public the opportunity to become acquainted with the daylily. Thus, the average, well-maintained backyard daylily garden can be just as appropriate for this purpose as the 'centerpiece' garden. The AHS is simply trying to make plantings of daylilies more available for public display-trying to spread the word of the daylily to more people.
So, in keeping with that goal, the actual requirements are quite appropriate and relatively simple. Generally, they include only:
* The garden should contain a wide variety of types of registered daylilies.
* The daylilies should be clearly marked with both the cultivar name and hybridizer (year of registration or introduction is optional).
* The garden should be clean and relatively free of weeds.
That's not too hard, is it? Of course, you have to be willing (and enjoy) strangers coming to visit your garden. For some, this is desirable; for others, it is not. But if you think you might be interested in becoming an AHSDG, please contact your region's RVP for a copy of the official AHS rules and application.
By the way, if you want to see a current list of
all display gardens,
visit them online at the AHS
Internet Web site.
HERE IS A COPY (Acrobat .pdf file) OF A DISPLAY GARDEN APPLICATION.
TO USE IT, download it, print it, fill in the information, round up some pictures, and submit to Mary Lou Lundblade for approval.
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