A Few Highlights
The garden tours are always the top attractions at SLI conventions since that's where they keep the irises. At the Show, too, of course. But there are always opportunities to talk about irises and buy irises, also enjoyable activities. If you want to smell the irises too, knock yourself out.
The Iris Show will be staged in a courtyard of the New Orleans Museum of Art. GNOIS held its show there last year, and it was a great spot, as seen on the right. It's a short distance from the other areas we will visit - the Sculpture Garden and the N.O. Botanical Garden - and those attending the convention will have free access on Saturday to the entire Museum, its gift shop and Café NOMA, a nice Ralph Brennan enterprise.
The garden tours are covered on the Garden tab of this site, but the Symposium and the Silent and Live Auctions are important and fun events, also. We have a great Symposium speaker in Benny Trahan of Slidell who has unsurpassed experience in observing Louisiana irises in the wild. For a bit of information about Benny, click here.
In addition to Benny Trahan, Dr. Noland Martin of Texas State University, San Marcos, will present an update on his research on Louisiana irises. Dr. Martin will speak on “Natural Hybridization in Louisiana Iris.” He has received support from SLI for his research, and past updates on results have been very well received at SLI conventions.
Dr. Wendell Hall and John Helmkamp of Little Rock always do a superb job on the Silent Auction. They assemble not only irises and related material but wonderful art and eclectic items. The Silent Auction is a great lead-in to the Awards Dinner.
The Live Auction follows the Awards dinner. The are many donated irises sold, including recent introductions of our hybridizers. The auctioneer will again be Dr. Stanley Schikowitz of Mooringsport whose superb ability to keep it moving and keep it fun could only partially be due to his medical training. Both auctions are important fund raising events for SLI and a most enjoyable way to assure that the organization can continue its work.
The Tentative Schedule
Note: The order of gardens on Friday has been changed from original posting, 2/8/14
Wednesday, April 2
Guests begin to arrive at Hilton New Orleans Airport
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - Convention check-in at the Hotel and greeting for those on the optional Thursday tour
Thursday, April 3
8:00 AM - Depart hotel for Hollander Garden in New Orleans
8:30 AM - Arrive at Hollander Garden
9:45 AM - Depart Hollander Garden for the Musacchia Garden in Gray, Louisiana
11:00 AM - Arrive at Musacchia Garden
12:15 PM - Depart Musacchia Garden for lunch at The French Loaf in Houma
12:30 PM - Arrive at restaurant
1:15 PM - Depart restaurant for Tour of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans via Garden District and roadside irises.
2:45 PM - Arrive at Lafayette No. 1
3:45 PM - Depart Lafayette No. 1 for the Hotel
4:15 PM - Arrive at Hotel
4:30 to 6:00 PM - Convention check-in in the Atchafalayla Room
6:00 to 7:00 PM - Welcome Mixer, Atchafaylaya Room
Friday, April 4
7:30 and 8:30 AM - Buses depart Hotel for Trahan Garden in Slidell
8:45 and 9:45 AM - Arrive Trahan Garden
9:45 and 10:45 AM - Depart Trahan Garden for Longue Vue House and Garden
11:00 AM and 12:00 Noon - Arrive at Longue Vue House and Garden
12:00 Noon - Lunch at Longue Vue
1:45 PM and 2:45 PM - Depart Longue Vue for O'Connor Garden in Metairie
2:05 PM and 3:05 PM - Arrive at O'Connor Garden
3:05 and 4:05 PM - Depart O'Connor Garden
3:30 and 4:30 PM - Arrive at Hotel
6:00 to 7:00 PM - Cash Bar, Ballroom in the Hotel
7:00 to 9:00 PM - Dinner and Slide Show, Ballroom in the Hotel (dinner menus here)
9:00 to 10:00 PM - SLI Board Meeting, Cocodrie Room
Saturday, April 5
7:00 to 10:00 AM - Show entries accepted, New Orleans Museum of Art, NOMA Cafe Courtyard.
The Show Rules will be posted here when available.
7:30 and 8:15 AM - Buses depart Hotel for City Park
8:00 and 8:45 AM - Arrive at City Park - Hospitality Tent Open in the Sculpture Garden
10:00 AM - Spring Garden Show opens in the N.O. Botanical Garden. Free admission with the ticket in your registration packet. Otherwise $8.
10:00 to 11:30 AM - Symposium with Benny Trahan on Iris nelsonii, New Orleans Museum of Art Auditorium.
Dr. Noland Martin of Texas State University, San Marcos, will also present an update on his research, "Natural Hybridization in Louisiana Iris."
10:15 to 11:30 AM - Judging of Show by AIS judges
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM - Show open for SLI members only voting on SLI awards
12:00 Noon - Show opens to General Public
12:30 PM - Lunch and General Membership Meeting in the Museum Board Room
1:30 to 3:30 PM - Judges training, Museum Conference Room and Sculpture Garden
Bus return trips to Hotel: 1:45 PM, 2:30 PM, and 3:30 PM (You may select any trip you wish)
Bus arrival at Hotel: 1:45 PM, 2:45 PM, and 3:45 PM, respectively. Choose any one.
6:00 to 7:00 PM - Cash Bar, Silent Auction, Ballroom in the Hotel
7:00 to 8:00 PM - Awards Banquet, Ballroom in the Hotel (dinner menus here)
8:00 to 10:00 PM - Live Auction
Convention Ends
