The Fall Banquet Concludes our Club Year
The grand finale for 2023 was our Annual Fall Banquet held on November 11 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Coralville and organized by Valerie Linder and Karmin Mullins (Banquet Chairpersons), Rachel Moeller (Banquet Assistant Co-Chair), and Sam McCord (Hospitality Chair). On our behalf, Nancy Carlisle extended an invitation to Sandy Holmes of Riverbend Daylily Gardens to be our guest speaker at the Banquet, and Sandy agreed, saying that she felt very honored to be asked. Information about Sandy and her daylily creations is provided below:

'Sandy started as a back yard hybridizer in 1995. In 2003, she got serious about her daylily obsession when she and her husband Mike moved Riverbend Daylily Gardens to its current location just outside of Xenia, OH. Sandy had her first introductions in 2005. She credits Steve Moldovan as a significant influence on her hybridizing. Her focus is on large tetraploid unusual forms but doesn’t let that prevent her working on other looks. Currently she is focusing on large unusual forms with interesting eyes. Mike’s current interest is striped daylilies, but he was very active in early teeth daylilies.

Sandy became a Garden Judge in 2007 and a Garden Judge Instructor in 2011. She has coordinated the Shirley Farmer Midwest Hybridizer’s meeting since 2004 and has served in several volunteer positions with the ADS. Sandy was Region 2 President from 2016 thru 2020 and received the Region 2 Service Award in 2021.

Sandy was honored when her daylily 'Walt Lowry' (named for her father) won the Ned Roberts Spider/Unusual Form award in 2016 and even more excited when it won an Award of Merit. In 2017, 'Tidewater Elf' won the President's Cup followed by the Award of Merit in 2020. Little did she dream that she would have the thrill of a life time when her 'I Lava You' won the Stout Silver Medal in 2020.'

	'I Lava You' 2020 Stout Silver Medal

2023 Sandy Holmes Introductions

Becky Duffy	For All The Caregivers	Gentleman Jerry
Just For Kevin	Lizard Thief	Michigan Farm Girls
The Dean	The Last Guardian	Tidewater Twist