July 2021
MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETING, SATURDAY, JULY 10 AT 5:30 PM (NOTICE CHANGE OF TIME)
Our meeting will be a “POTLUCK DINNER” hosted at the home and garden of Gary Clark and Steve Hesla. We will meet outside, weather permitting. Please bring a dish to share.
DIRECTIONS: Go to Reserve Street and South Avenue (the intersection where Rosauer's, Winco, and Holiday Gas are located). Go west on South Avenue. Proceed through the roundabout to Sunlite Lane. Turn right and go to the end of the street. Their house is on the left in the cul-de-sac. (Call Betty Ann, 406.370.1696, if you are lost.)
This will be an important meeting. We will be discussing our annual rhizome sale which will be on Saturday, July 31. Due to covid we were not able to have our sale last year. The sale is needed to replenish the funds required to maintain the programs of the Missoula Iris Society. Many volunteers are needed to have a successful sale.
Please review the following proposed schedule for all the events involving the sale.
SCHEDULE FOR PREPARATION OF THE MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY IRIS SALE
IRIS RHIZOME SALE, SATURDAY JULY 31, 2021, 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. AT THE FORT MISSOULA IRIS GARDEN
Thursday, July 22 and Friday, July 23 at 11:00 A.M. Location: Garden of Eloie Jeter, member, located in Florence. Eloie will be digging her iris and will be needing 2 or 3 people to help wash, trim and label the clumps in a well shaded garage. We will ask for volunteers to help.
Sunday, July 25, at 8:00 A.M. Location: MIS Fort Garden. Under the direction of Judy Blunt a few iris clumps will be dug, washed, clipped and labeled. Bring a lawn chair and clippers.
Tuesday, July 27, at 8:30 A.M. Location: The garden of Fred Frey. Directions: At the intersection of North Reserve and Mullan road proceed west on Mullan Road to Homestead Drive. (If you get to Sunset Memorial Cemetery you have gone too far.) Turn left on Homestead Drive and go the end of the road, just a few blocks. The dirt road continues into the farm of Fred Frey. Continue on the farm road to the garage area for parking. (Call 406-544-9544 or 406-370-1696 if you are lost.) We will ask for a couple of volunteers to help Fred dig. The rest of us will wash, trim and label the clumps in a well shaded garage. Many hands will make quick work of the task. Bring a lawn chair, gloves, scissors or clippers.
Wednesday, July 28, and Thursday, July 29, at 9:00 A.M. Location: Garden of Judy Blunt at 1901 ½ South 4th Street West. Directions: Proceed to Russell Street. If you are going south on Russell from the bridge, turn right at 4th Street and continue to the 1900 block. If you are going north on Russell, turn left on 4th Street and continue to the 1900 block. Do not go over the bridge. We will label each individual iris rhizome for sale. Bring gloves, scissors or clippers. We will also put the trays of iris alphabetically on tables, match pictures to the iris and make final preparation for the sale. Please bring any iris you plan to donate. They should be cleaned and labeled prior to bringing them to this sorting location. If you need labels, contact Betty Ann at 406-370-1696. Please get a list of the iris you plan to donate to Judy Blunt, email: JJBlunt@msn.com as soon as you can.
Purchase time for MIS members prior to the sale is Thursday and Friday until noon at Judy Blunt's.
Members are allowed to choose 1 rhizome for every variety they bring. Example: 2 varieties 2 rhizomes. These are free. You may also purchase additional iris.
Friday, July 30 at 5:00 P.M. Load up iris and tables in pick ups for transport Saturday morning to the fort. At 6:00 P.M. we will have taco soup, mildly seasoned, homemade corn bread, and a dessert for dinner at the home of Judy Blunt.
Saturday, July 31, 7:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Location: MIS Garden at Fort Missoula. Set up at 7:30 A.M. The sale is from 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. We need cashiers, members to help customers, and people to clean up after the sale.
Saturday, July 31, at 1:30 P.M. After sale party at the home of Judy Blunt. Chicken, pizza and drinks are provided by the society.
MIS MINUTES OF JUNE 5, 2021
The Missoula Iris Society meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by President Betty Ann Gustafson at the home of Judy Blunt. It was an outdoor meeting on her back deck, in combination with our annual ice cream social. Judy Blunt provided the homemade ice cream and toppings.
Betty Ann read an editorial guest article written by Judy Blunt and published in the Missoulian on Saturday, June 4, 2021. Judy encouraged the public to visit the Missoula Iris Gardens at Fort Missoula during peak bloom for the next 2-3 weeks.
The treasurer's report by Treasurer Swede Gustafson appeared in the newsletter.
Old Business
Iris Show June 12, 2012. Betty Ann passed around a volunteer help sign-up sheet for the show. Lunch will be provided by Hoagieville in the mall, paid for by MIS. Gary Clark, Show Chairman, reported on plans for the show. It will be held at Southgate Mall. The visiting judge will be Patrick Spence from Cascadia Gardens in Lake Stevens, Washington.. He will be here through Saturday and Sunday evening so there will be judges training class on Siberians.
A brief discussion of the schedule followed. Help is needed to set up tables at 6:30-7:00 p.m. Friday evening. Gary explained no carts can be brought through the double doors by the security location. Come in northwest entrance. Bring iris by 6:30 a.m on show day. Judging takes place at 9:30 a.m., lunch at noon thru 1:30. Judging class will take place at Fort Missoula.
Judges Fund – Swede explained that the judges fund has $500 to cover the cost of the visiting judge. All attendees will pay $5.00 to be used toward additional expenses.
New Business
Montana Federation of Garden Clubs Convention – Jim Sadler discussed the 2022 convention for the Montana Federation of Garden Club at Holiday Inn Downtown on June 11, 2022. They hope for a staged display of glads, dahlia, peonies and iris. A banquet is planned and judging is planned. The iris group voted o.k. to jointly coordinate this event with the Montana Garden Club.
Rhizome Sale - will be held at Fort Missoula Iris Gardens on Saturday, July 31, 2021. A chair person is needed. Judy Blunt offered her back deck for collection and sorting prior to the sale.
Fort Garden report - Discussion of a grant to provide handicap accessible walkways in iris garden at Fort Missoula. The construction bid is a total of $7,000; $5,600 for paths and $1,200 for sprinkler heads and relocation. The grant provides $5,000 so additional monies are needed. It was discussed to hold the sale this year, encourage additional donations and then apply for the grant money when funds are secured. Jim Sadler noted that the grant funds are ongoing each year, but deadline to apply is June 15th each year. Jim made a motion to delay applying for the grant money, continue fund raising and apply for the grant in 2022.
Presidential rhizome winner for June was Gary Clark.
June 10 meeting – Our next meeting to be held at the home of Gary Clark.
The meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
Carol Addeo, Secretary
THE 60th ANNIVERSARY MISSOULA IRIS SHOW Honoring Montana Author and Member Judy Blunt held at the Southgate Mall was a huge success.
We were worried that the hail and heavy rain just days before the show would affect the entries in the show, but everyone came through with great entries.
We were pleased to welcome to our show Patrick Spence, from Cascadia Iris Gardens, Lake Stevens, WA, as a judge and a presenter of a garden judging class and a class on Siberian Iris. He shared a wealth of knowledge with our judges and members.
We also welcomed Jeanette Graham from Twin Falls, ID, as an exhibitor and judge, Mark Warinner of Region 20, from Colorado Springs, CO, as an apprentice judge, Delane Langton, of Eagle Ridge Iris Gardens, Billings, MT, also a member of the Missoula Iris Society, as student judge and exhibitor, and Jo Anne Gibbons, design judge, from Stevensville, MT.
The classes given by Patrick Spence were very educational. He has a great knowledge and expertise of the beautiful iris flower.
Our show chairman, Gary Clark, did an excellent job planning and organizing the show. It was the first time in a new space at the mall and it worked out perfectly because of his talent in how to use a space at its best.
Thank you all that entered the show and those that helped with set up, clean up, etc. It took many of you to make it a success. See the show winners at the end of this newsletter.
NOTE: LOST AND FOUND
Two items were found after the iris show cleanup on Sunday June 13, a blue bath towel and a flower/plant clipper which has black cutters and red handles. These were found together so we assume they belong to the same person. Contact Swede or Betty Ann if they’re yours.
TREASURER'S REPORT: as of June 28, 2021
SAVING ACCOUNT:
June newsletter reported balance: .......$ 5905.69
Interest Income for ..............................May 0.10
Sub Balance ...........................................5905.79
Transfer to Checking ........................(-) 1000.00
Deposit of Judges Training Income ..(+) 135.00
June 28 balance ..................................$ 4905.79
CHECKING ACCOUNT:
June Newsletter reported balance......... $ 550.88
Transfer from Savings .....................(+) 1000.00
Memberships received (3) ...................(+) 30.00
Expenses Paid ...................................(-) 1297.80
June 28 balance..................................... $ 293.08
EXPENSES PAID:
Judges Training and Seminars:
Holiday Inn Downtown Room Rental 2 nights $347.44; Plane Fare - Seattle to Missoula and return - $316.79; Dinner – for two evening meals - $34.93 Total $699.16
Show:
Judy Blunt – printing of show schedules $23.70; Betty Ann Gustafson – table skirting; $45.00; Hoagieville – Saturday lunch and gratuity $120.00; Betty Ann Gustafson - Show containers for vases and bases $45.94 Total Show $ 234.64
Miscellaneous:
Ice cream Social - Judy Blunt - $91.00; Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula annual membership - patron level – $100.00; Judy Blunt - Soil and Gravel for repairs to the grounds at the Iris Gardens $65.00; Median Bed renovations at the Iris Gardens – Marchie's Soil Mix – 5 scoops - $108.00. Total Miscellaneous $364.00
COMMENTARY:
June was a busy month for the Society with the business of the annual Iris Show at Southgate Mall, the coinciding Judges Seminar and judges training classes with visiting AIS judge Patrick Spence from Cascadia Gardens in Washington, and some renovations and maintenance issues at the Missoula Iris Gardens. Our application for the new handicap walkway was placed on hold until 2022 as the membership was advised of our financial situation at the May meeting. We surely plan to continue our efforts to install this walkway in the future but we need to improve our financial status prior to application. The grant we were applying for is available through the Historical Museum Board of Directors in June of each year.
Judy Blunt has been a trooper at the Iris Garden this season as she's been at the garden many hours keeping the gardens weeded and the iris plants looking wonderful by deadheading spent blooms and cleaning leaves and trash away from the plants. Many times I have wanted to be there to assist her but issues in Betty Ann’s and my lives have interrupted. Nothing serious but things just seem to pop up at the incorrect times to be at the garden. Judy also has been available to answer questions and receive comments and compliments from the many many visitors to the garden this season. Flowers were slow to show their blooms this season but did put on a beautiful show in June. I personally have noted several photographers on their knees taking upside and sideways pictures of the blooms. Quite humorous to watch the contortions these people go through to get the right focus on a bloom.
Judy and I have started the one project we designated to complete this season which is to increase the size of the Median Bed. We are doing this by moving the rock wall on the east side of the bed. The wall will be relocated approximately 3 feet east at the north end of the garden and as the wall proceeds south the wall will be tapered to meet with the existing wall near the south spirea plant. One reason for moving this wall now is we have ordered 21 newer medians to plant in this garden which are scheduled to arrive around the middle of August. Moving the wall now will give the newly added soil the time to settle before iris rhizomes arrive and planting begins. We hope you approve of our design and efforts to improve the garden.
Judy and Swede
JUNE 12, 2021 MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY ANNUAL SHOW RESULTS
THEME: HONORING MONTANA AUTHOR JUDY BLUNT
BEST SPECIMAN OF THE SHOW ............................PAINTED LOVE..........................JUDY BLUNT
FIRST RUNNER-UP ...................................................PERRY DRYER ............................FRED FREY
BEST OTHER THAN TALL BEARDED ....................PERRY DRYER ...........................FRED FREY
BEST DESIGN OF SHOW .........................................“WINTER KILL” ..........................JIM SADLER
EXHIBITOR WITH MOST BLUE RIBBONS, SILVER MEDAL .....................................FRED FREY
EXHIBITOR WITH NEXT HIGHEST BLUE RIBBONS, BRONZE MEDAL .................JUDY BLUNT
SWEEPSTAKES FOR ARTISTIC DESIGN .......................................................................JIM SADLER
BEST SPACE AGE ..................................................HOOK ................................................SWEDE GUSTAFSON
BEST MEDIAN .......................................................POUNCE ............................................ROGER MUIR
BEST IB ...................................................................CAPTAIN INDIGO ............................ROGER MUIR
BEST BB .................................................................UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS ................FRED FREY
BEST ARIL-BRED .................................................PERRY DRYER ...................................FRED FREY
BEST SIBERIAN ....................................................NAGAREBOSHI .................................SWEDE GUSTAFSON
BEST SPURIA ........................................................AMANDA'S EYES ..............................DELANE LANGTON
BEST HISTORIC ....................................................BLACK HILLS GOLD ........................SWEDE GUSTAFSON
BEST WHITE .........................................................NORDIC KISS ......................................JUDY BLUNT
BEST ORANGE .....................................................TERERO ................................................FRED FREY
BEST YELLOW ....................................................BLACK HILLS GOLD ..........................SWEDE GUSTAFSON
BEST BLACK ........................................................COAL SEAMS .......................................CINDY DAVIS
BEST BLUE ...........................................................ABSOLUTE TREASURE .....................JUDY BLUNT
BEST LAVENDER .................................................INDIGO PRINCESS .............................GARY CLARK
BEST PURPLE .......................................................NAGARBOSHI .....................................SWEDE GUSTAFSON
BEST BLEND.........................................................GOTHIC ROMANCE ............................GARY CLARK
BEST PLICATA ......................................................HIDDEN INNOCENCE ........................FRED FREY
BEST NEGLECTA .................................................SWEET SURRENDER ..........................JUDY BLUNT
BEST VARIEGATA ................................................NOT A CLUE ........................................JUDY BLUNT
BEST BI-COLOR, BEST BI-TONE ......................SCENTED WONDER ............................FRED FREY
BEST BANDED, RIMMED OR EDGED ..............ELEGANT ..............................................SWEDE GUSTAFSON
NUMBER OF EXHIBITORS: 13
NUMBER OF ENTRIES: 104
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CULTIVARS ENTERED: 104
SHOW CHAIRMAN: GARY W. CLARK AND HEAD JUDGE: DONNA DOWELL
JUDGES: GARY W. CLARK, DONNA DOWELL, CINDY DAVIS, DELANE H. LANGTON, MARK WARINNER, JEANETTE GRAHAM, ROGER MUIR, PATRICK SPENCE, AND JO ANNE GIBBONS
Presidential Rhizomes: Linda Sadler, August; Lotte Bowen, September; Ron Dowell, October; Swede Gustafson, November; Judy Blunt, December; Carol Addeo, January; Roger Muir, February; Betty Ann Gustafson, March; Fred Frey, April; Cindy Davis, May; Gary Clark, June
MEETING LOCATIONS:
Saturday, July 10, 2021 – Potluck at the home of Gary Clark and Steve Hesla
Saturday, July 31 – Rhizome Sale – See detailed schedule above
Saturday, September 11, 2021 – 3:30 p.m. An outdoor meeting. No pot luck, just snacks and drinks. At home of Mitch Hall – 1945 Alzina Drive (Rattlesnake area)
Saturday or Sunday, December 4 or 5, 2021– Christmas Party still under discussion.