July 2017
NEXT MEETING: Saturday, July 8, 6:30 – Meeting at Fort Missoula Bldg T-1 – Pot luck supper. No host so please bring your own beverage.
Iris marker labels will be available at the meeting for those digging for the sale.
Agenda: Discussion and plans for upcoming sale, pricing of rhizomes, cashier volunteers needed.
Program after meeting: Carol Addeo will present a demonstration for new members on how to dig, clean, trim and label iris for the sale. Guidelines for marking different varieties, bundling, packaging, etc. Good time for new members to ask questions.
Next event: Our annual IRIS SALE at the Fort Garden on Saturday, July 29, 2017
Our annual ICE CREAM SOCIAL (the best-attended event of the year) was held at the Fort Gardens on June 7. As usual, Judy’s excellent home-made ice cream was much appreciated. Thank you, Judy!
Since there was no formal meeting this month, Carol Addeo gave a short overview of the procedure for the sale. See below for the details.
TREASURER'S REPORT: as of June 19, 2017
CHECKING ACCOUNT:
May 25, 2017 Balance $ 1147.63
Deposits Made 123.00
Expenses Paid 690.20
Current Balance $ 580.43
Deposits Made: - Remainder of cash withdrawn for show workers’ lunch money - $67.00; Memberships received from 1 renewal and 4 new members - $50.00; Receipts from the sale of Delane Langton supplied rhizomes sold at the show - $6.00. Total of 123.00.
Expenses Paid: - Cash withdrawn from bank to pay $7.00 to each member who worked to set up, judge the irises; or take down the show, (11 people participated for $77.00); Paid Ronda Leno for weeding at the Fort Missoula Iris Garden - $114.00; Paid Judy Blunt $250.00 for the J C Penny Court space for the Iris Show and $82.20 expenses for the ice cream social items on June 7 = $332.20; and Elizabeth Gustafson for reimbursement to pay Wendy Christman for also weeding at the Fort Missoula Garden. Total Expenses = 690.20.
Respectfully submitted,
Erling Gustafson, Treasurer
The Missoula Iris Society received membership dues paid during the show from:
JOYCE ZAMELIS renewal from June 2017 thru May 2018
and a new membership from: Charlotte Bowen
530-351-1331
Three (3) new memberships have been received via mail since the show via the placement of forms on the show tables. These new members are:
AMY ZANZIG 1523 Phillips Street Missoula, MT 59802
406-203-6388
HEIDI FANSLOW 529 Evan Kelly Road Missoula, MT 59802
406-360-6124
MICHAEL YOUNG 529 Evan Kelly Road Missoula, MT 59802
406-370-1734
BENCH DONATION:
Monte Dolack, Betty Ann and I [Swede Gustafson] met at the Fort Garden this morning, June 19, to discuss the placement of the bench he will be giving to the Iris Society Gardens in memory of Mary Beth Percival as per the messages which went out to the membership last week. The bench gift was approved by the Board of Directors as Mary Beth’s memorial service will be on July 29 and he wished to have the bench made and in place by this date. Thus the meeting today at 11:30 am.
The gift will be a 4 foot harp bench which does not have a back ( much like a piano bench), thus persons can sit on the bench and view the gardens from either direction. Monte mentioned that following the memorial service patrons attending may be coming to the garden to view the bench and visit the garden. Betty Ann and I were pleased with the choice and look forward to its placement. We will have to do some cleaning of the patio surrounding the shade tree where the bench will be placed as there are weeds and tree debris about the patio. I did mention to Monte we were planning on enlarging the patio and renovating the gardens to which he was agreeable. We will have to ensure the bench is anchored to the patio so it does not get wheels and be moved to other areas of the Fort Museum Grounds or to some other location outside the Fort.
SHOW REPORT:
The Missoula Iris Society’s 2017 show was held on June 3, in the J.C. Penney Court at the Southgate Mall, with 94 horticultural entries, 10 designs and 8 irises on the people’s choice table. Thank you to judges Lynn Weger, Gary Clark, Donna Dowell, Cindy Davis and James Sadler, who stepped in to judge the design category. Swede Gustafson and Ron Dowell spearheaded the set up/take down chores, rallying everyone to great effort and good cheer. Betty Ann Gustafson provided moral support, timely advice and about half the work for the Show Chair, Judy Blunt. It was a high volume day at the Mall, with a lot of visitors and we received many great comments and inquiries. Here’s the results:
The People’s Choice cup collected 68 votes, and that award went to Swede Gustafson’s “Calgary” with 22 votes.
Best of Show: Gary Clark “Concertina” [also Best Median, Best IB, Best Other than TB]
First Runner-up: Swede Gustafson “Pleasures of May” [also Best Siberian]
Best Novice Exhibit: Carol Addeo [I didn’t get the name of this one]
Best Design: Judy Blunt “On Heavens Peak”
Best Tall Bearded: Swede Gustafson “Artist’s Palette”
Best MTB: Lynn Weger “Enriched”
Best Arilbred: Fred Frey “Bagdad’s Folly”
Best Space Age: Judy Blunt “Hook”
Best Varigata: Fred Frey “Big Hat No Cows”
Best Plicata: Judy Blunt “Class Ring” [also Best Red]
Best Historic: Gary Clark “Stepping Out”
Best Species: Gary Clark’s I. Sanguina “Kamayama” [also Best Purple]
Best Border Bearded: Judy Blunt “Blackbeard” [also Best Blue]
Best Neglecta: Gary Clark “Proud Tradition”
Best Amoena: Gary Clark “Ride the Wind
Best Bi-tone: Judy Blunt “Table for Two”
Best Rimmed or Banded: Gary Clark “I’ve got Rhythm”
Best Blend: Gary Clark “Competitive Edge”
Best Bi-Color: Gary Clark “Stepping Out”
Best Black: Judy Blunt “Black Suited”
Best Yellow: Fred Frey “Sunshine Lady”
Best Lavender: Gary Clark “Classy Chassey”
Best Orange: Judy Blunt “Octoberfest”
Best Pink: Donna Dowell “Pink Poodle”
Best Brown Tone: Gary Clark “Torero”
Best White: Dave Duinford “Cup Race”
Sweepstakes Awards:
Silver to Judy Blunt, with 20 blues and 4 reds
Bronze to Swede Gustafson, with 14 blues and 3 reds
Design Sweepstakes: Judy Blunt
SALE INFORMATION:
The MIS Rhizome Sale is at the Fort Missoula Gardens starting at 9am - 1pm. Members please be there at 8 am to help set up tables. The collection point will be at the home of Carol Addeo and Al Ledford in Linda Vista. Address is 5805 Helena Dr, Missoula. Phone Number is 406-251-5833.
Rhizomes can be delivered under the carport canopy next to the garage beginning Tuesday of that week but no later than Wednesday July 27 by 9pm. We do start sorting early on Thursday.
Please read the Pre-Sale Guidelines & Clarifications below for further information. These guidelines were put together to avoid confusion during the sale preparations on Thursday and Friday.
Schedule for the sale week:
Sunday July 23 – 8:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. Work Party at the Fort Gardens or wherever we need to meet. We will dig, clean, trim and label. Bring chair, scissors or clippers. Marking pens and labels will be provided.
Monday, July 24 – 10:00 a.m. Until finished. Work party at home of Carol Addeo to finish labels if needed.
Wednesday, July 26 – 10:00 am. until finished. Work party at the home of Fred Frey to clean, trim and label his iris.
Thursday and Friday , July 27-28, starting at 10:00 a.m. Sorting iris for sale at back yard of Carol Addeo and Al Ledford. Grazing for iris starts Thursday at 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. or Friday 9:00 a.m. until noon.
Friday, 5 pm – Final loading of prepared iris Friday at 6:00 p.m. Pot luck supper – Pulled pork sandwiches, bring pot luck side dishes and salad or dessert.
Saturday, July 29 – 8 am – 1 pm Sale. Set up for sale begins at 8 am.
Saturday, 1 pm. – After sale party in back yard of Billie Gray. Food and drinks available.
SALE GUIDELINES:
1. Iris rhizomes shall be grown by MIS members only.
2. ALL RHIZOMES are to be WASHED, TRIMMED & LABELED as to variety and type PRIOR to delivery to the collection site. Trim fans to about 4 inches - 6 inches depending on type and roots to about 4 inches. MIS will provide labels. These labels should be attached to the rhizomes. MDB's and SDB's should be in bundles of three rhizomes. IB's and MTB's should be in bundles of two rhizomes. Beardless iris are to be in clumps.
3. Iris varieties introduced 30 years or more before the year of the sale are to be labeled with year of introduction (Historical dated 1987 and older)
4. Pricing of rhizomes is at the discretion of the sale committee. Age is considered but NOT color for setting the price.
5. All rhizomes are to be delivered to the designated collection site by 9pm WEDNESDAY preceding the sale.
6. Sorting, etc. will be done on THURSDAY and competed on FRIDAY. Chairperson to select committee of MIS members to assist in this process.
7. There are to be NO PRE-SALE orders.
PRE-SALE CLARIFICATIONS:
1. There is to be NO TRADING of rhizomes among members at the COLLECTION SITE. Members ARE encouraged to share or trade before bringing rhizomes to the collection site.
2. The sale chairperson shall determine which varieties may be traded/purchased by the MIS members. Generally if there are six or fewer of one rhizome variety, they may not be purchased. The trading/sale hours are Thursday, 6pm - 9pm and Friday, 9am - 12pm.
3. Members donating rhizomes may:
A. Take ONE rhizome for each variety donated (no matter how many of any one variety are donated)
B. Take LIKE variety donated (SDB for SDB, TB for TB, etc)
C. Take NO MORE THAN ONE (1) RHIZOME of any one variety.
D. May NOT choose from a variety that has fewer than SIX rhizomes in the box.
4. Members NOT donating rhizomes may purchase rhizomes (with the above restrictions)
5. Varieties FIVE YEARS and NEWER from date of introduction will be so marked & priced accordingly. Fort Display Garden Chairperson has first choice of any varieties.
6. GRAB BAGS of iris rhizomes may be made up of unnamed or overstocked varieties at discretion of the chairperson by Friday.
HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT THE SALE AND DON'T FORGET TO COME AND HELP SORT ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY!
Presidential Rhizome winners: September Donna Dowell, October Swede Gustafson, November Fred Frey, December Anita Cervenak, January Betty Ann Gustafson, February Ron Dowell, March Cindy Davis, April Gary Clark, May Ronda Leno.
Meeting locations 2017:
Saturday, July 8, 6:30 – Meeting at Fort Missoula Bldg T-1 – Pot luck supper
Sunday, July 23, 8 am – Work Party to dig iris for the sale
Monday, July 24 – Work Party labeling iris at home of Carol Addeo and updating card file
Wednesday, July 26 – Work Party at the home of Fred Frey to clean, trim and label his iris.
Thursday, July 27 – Work Party sorting iris for the sale at Carol Addeo’s
Friday, July 28 – Work Party sorting, loading iris, followed by supper at 5:00 pm at home of Carol Addeo
Saturday, July 29, 8 am – 1:00 pm – Iris Rhizome Sale at Fort Missoula
Saturday, July 29, 1 pm – After sale party at home of Billie Gray
August – No Meeting
September – No Meeting
Saturday, October 7, 6:30 – Pot luck supper. Host needed due to book sale preparations at the Fort.
Saturday, November, 4-5:00 pm – Board and budget meeting, followed by pot luck supper and regular meeting. Hostess is Judy Blunt at her home.
Sunday, December 3, 4:30 pm (tentative date to be confirmed later) for Christmas party and turkey dinner and potluck at home of Billie Gray.
Check out our websites: www.missoulairis.com and www.sites.google.com/site/irismissoula.