May 2021

SATURDAY, MAY 1, at 3:00 P.M.

MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETING

The meeting will be held outside at the home of Gary Clark and Steve Hesla, 2275 Sunlite Lane. Snacks will be provided. 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.)

We will be finalizing details regarding the annual iris show, June 12, 2021, and workshops held on Saturday, June 12, 2021, by Patrick Spence, an expert on iris, especially Siberians.

We plan for Patrick Spence to conduct a garden judging workshop at the fort garden Saturday afternoon and a class on Siberians Saturday evening. These workshops will qualify for judges training which is needed by our local judges. These will also be open to anyone in the society who would like to learn more about iris. Information on the workshops should be finalized by our May meeting.

Gary Clark is the annual iris show chairman, and he will give details at the meeting on the entering of your iris for the show and answer any of your questions.

We had a great turnout for our April meeting. It was a beautiful day and we so enjoyed getting together after a long 'Covid 19' winter. If you remember, I said there would be a special Easter egg for those in attendance and there was! The egg disclosed that everyone would receive a new rhizome this fall!

We had 15 people who will be excited to see what their rhizome may be.

Betty Ann Gustafon, President

TREASURER'S REPORT : as of April 18, 2021

SAVINGS ACCOUNT;

Balance as reported in April Newsletter....$6605.97

Typing error correction................................... (-).50

Sub balance ...................................................605.47

Interest income ..................................................0.11

Sb balance ...................................................6605.58

Transfer to Checking to pay bills ..................300.00

Balance April 18, 2021 ............................$ 6305.58

CHECKING ACCOUNT:

Balance as reported in April Newsletter ....$ 479.83

Deposits ........................................................320.00

Sub-balance....................................................799.83

Expenses paid in April ..................................346.95

Balance April 18, 2021 ..............................$ 452.88

Deposits: Received $20.00 from a member for 2 years of membership and the transfer of $300.00 from the savings account to pay upcoming expenses equal $320.00

Expenses paid as reported above: $150.00 --to Anita Cervenak - for the publishing and mailing of the monthly newsletter to members who do not receive this document via email. Also, some reimbursement for the use of her email facilities; $196.95 -- to Schreiners Gardens --for the purchase of the following irises: 3 rhizomes of “That's All Folks” which is a missing Dykes Medal Award winner from our Dykes garden space. Schreiners also has a Special Offer in their 2021 catalog of 21 newer median irises listed as 3 groups with 7 irises each for $47.00. I ordered the three groups for an upgrade for the median bed at the Fort Gardens. There may be some free irises come with our order. The shipping fee was included in the check sent for the irises purchase. These will be received in August 2021.

Fort Missoula Iris Garden Report: Old Man winter was not kind to the irises within the garden. The lack of snow cover is really evident in all the beds. Judy Blunt has worked for some hours cleaning up the gardens and I did some today while starting up the irrigation system. As you know, Judy and I did a lot of work last summer and fall upgrading the soils about the irises and replanted several varieties in the same or new locations. We also had quite a few new varieties to plant from some three growers. There was loss which occurred across the entire garden due mostly to the lack of snow cover and subsequently moisture. All we can hope for is that the remaining irises grow abundantly and provide us with plenty of flowers and rhizomes. We are planning for a sale this year to augment the financial status of our organization so hopefully there will be a lot of product to sell. We hope your irises survived well and will have a few extra rhizomes to assist in raising the sale proceeds.

Respectfully submitted, Erling Gustafson, Treasurer

MIS MINUTES OF APRIL 3, 2021

The Missoula Iris Society meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by President Betty Ann Gustafson at the Fort Missoula Iris Gardens. It was an outdoor meeting because of Covid restrictions.

New members in attendance were Fran Burmeister and Angela Sandberg, both from the Potomac area.

President Betty Ann gave all 15 members in attendance an Easter egg, which is a promise that each one will receive a free rhizome later this year as their reward for attending the meeting.

The treasurer's report was read by Treasurer Swede Gustafson.

OLD BUSINESS

Iris Show......Gary Clark, Show Chairman, reported on plans for the June 12, 2021 Iris Show. It will be held at Southgate Mall. The visiting judge will be Patrick Spence from Cascade Gardens in Lake Stevens, Washington. He will be here through Saturday and Sunday evening so there will be judges training classes on Siberians. There is no longer a meeting room at the mall. A location is needed to hold the judges training session and equipment will be needed to show videos. Tentative plans call to hold the training at Cindy Davis' church which has the equipment for Power Point programs. Details will be provided at a later date.

The mall location charges $250; we must have insurance; and we need to order skirting. Set up will be Friday evening, June 11, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Donna Dowell is head judge. There will not be a show banquet this year, due to Covid restrictions.

NEW BUSINESS

Rhizome Sale......Sale will be held at Fort Missoula Iris Gardens on Saturday, July 31, 2021. A chairperson is needed. Judy Blunt offered her back deck for collection and sorting prior to the sale.

Ice Cream Social......Plans will be finalized later for the June ice cream social, hopefully to be held during the iris bloom. Judy is not available June 18, 2021.

May Meeting.....The May 1 meeting will be held at the Target Range home of Gary Clark and Steve Hesla on Saturday afternoon 3:00 p.m. outdoors. Bring your lawn chairs and favorite beverage. Snacks provided.

Fort Garden report....Swede and Judy deserve a big applause for all the work they accomplished in the garden last year to current. There is still a need for additional soil to cover exposed rhizome roots.

A question and answer session followed on subjects such as when to fertilize, what type of fertilizer, how to deal with root rot, and preferred soil.

Presidential rhizome winners were January Carol Addeo, February Roger Muir, March Betty Ann Gustafson, April Fred Frey.

The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted

Carol Addeo, Secretary

Previous Presidential Rhizomes: Linda Sadler, August; Lotte Bowen, September; Ron Dowell, October; Swede Gustafson, November; Judy Blunt, December

MEETING LOCATIONS:

Saturday, May 1, 2021 – 3:30 p.m. An outdoor meeting. No pot luck this time, just snacks and drinks. Home of Gary Clark and Steve Hesla, 2275 Sunlite Lane, Missoula – Phone 728-7633

Saturday, June 5, 2021 – To be announced

Saturday, June 12, 2021 – Iris Show at Southgate Mall, judges training with Patrick Spence

Saturday, July 10, 2021 – To be announced

Saturday, July 31 – Rhizome Sale – final information to be announced

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.