January 2022

HOPE THIS FINDS YOU ALL WELL.

There will be NO MEETING in January or February!

DUES, DUES, DUES! It is time for your dues for 2022. Dues are $10.00 per year.

Please send them to Swede Gustafson, treasurer

3128 Eldora Lane

Missoula, MT 59803

Thank you those of you that have sent in your dues!

TREASURER'S REPORT: Checking account balance as of December 20, is $1417.33.

2022 AIS Convention Registration and Hotel Registration Are Open

Registration for the 2022 AIS National Convention in Las Cruces, NM is open. Iris Enchantment April 11-16, 2022 is an opportunity to enjoy irises and New Mexico in 6 gardens!

From the registration page, you can register online or send this form and a check to Debbie Strauss, the Convention Registrar.

Reservations for The Hotel Encanto can be booked online.

Go to the AIS Website: www.iris.org for information.

HISTORY OF THE MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY

Excerpts from our Fifty Years of Iris Growing, 25 Years of Iris Showing, written by Carolyn Addeo and edited by Peter Addeo, published by the Missoula Iris Society.

From 1956 thru 1960...the beginning

The current Missoula Iris Society (MIS) evolved from a group of women gardeners in 1956. There were rumors that the society went back as far as 1945, but we could not verify this. So in this year of 2006 we celebrate fifty years of MIS. Another milestone of our society was creation of the Iris Display Garden at Fort Missoula in 1981 by a handful of members.

Meetings were usually at 1:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month.

According to a Missoulian article, the second annual show was held at the Moose hall in 1958.

In those days the normal Society checking account balance was around $50. Funds were generated by silent auction of items provided by members.

March 9, 1964:

“Iris show will be held on June 9th at the Bitterroot Room of the Florence Hotel.

A no host luncheon will be served for $1.75 per person. It was voted we would dress in centennial dress for our iris show, also have flower and plants of blue and gold colors (the centennial colors).”

The 1980's – a garden begins:

In October of 1980, a tractor was brought over and an initial plow was done. The ground was broken. But the ground laid fallow until the following spring when planting began. Thus began the gardens with hours of volunteer hard work. In the spring of 1981, three oval mounds were built: the big bed, the Siberian bed and the median bed. The Dykes Bed was planted initially with rhizomes from members' yards. The following year the display was expanded by the addition of the long angled bed and the six parallel beds referred to as finger beds.

Annual rhizome sales were being held at the Triangle Park on Russell Street to support the society and the Fort Missoula Iris Garden.

This was just a snippet of the history of the Missoula Iris Society.

PRESIDENTIAL RHIZOME WINNERS: August, Jim Sadler; September, Jeanne Bowes.

MEETING SCHEDULE: tba – Maybe in March? Flower Show June 10-11? Fingers crossed!