April 2023

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 6:00 P.M., POTLUCK MEETING

Location: 830 South Avenue West, Immanuel Lutheran Church

Directions for the April Meeting:

Coming from the South on Brooks Street:

Turn east, right, onto South Avenue at the stop light by the fair grounds, go past the fair grounds, and the church is just across from Sentinel High School. Parking is behind the church on Sussex. Turn left onto Bow Street from South Avenue and go one block to Sussex, turn left and the church is the second church on the left. Go to the parking lot at the rear of the church. Use the church entrance from the parking lot on Sussex.

Coming from the North, East or West:

Turn off Brooks onto Stephens Avenue, go past CVS and Walgreens on either side of Stephens.

Turn left on Central at the Missoula Manor. Go one block and turn right onto Holburn Street. Proceed one block to Sussex and there is the church and its parking lot. It is the first church on the west end. Use the church entrance from the parking lot on Sussex.

Take the elevator to the Parish Hall. Someone will be at the door to welcome you!

You might also Google the address for reference. Call Betty Ann at 406.370.1696 if you have questions or get lost.


Program: A continuation of How are your iris? after the long winter. We will have a demonstration showing you how to clean your iris and care for iris showing rot. We will also talk about the early iris that are in bloom in March and April, of which we have many at the Fort Missoula Iris Garden.

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Thank You Anne Bowman for hosting our March MIS meeting. 22 members were present. Everyone seemed to enjoy being together again after a long winter.

Montana Big Sky National AIS Convention, June 2 – June 7, 2025, Billings, Montana: Swede and I met with Delane Langton, MIS member, and Jane Tibbs in Billings. The Big Sky Iris Club, Delane Langton, and Jane Tibbs are so excited about hosting the national convention.  It is going to be an exciting convention.

Deborah Belden, Missoula Iris Society Secretary regrets she has to resign as the MIS Secretary. Her 2023 schedule is not permitting her to give her full attention to the task. We thank Deborah for her willingness to serve but we understand we sometimes have to be true to our life priorities. Thank you!

MIS needs a volunteer to be secretary for at least the remainder of 2023. Please contact Betty Ann. 406.370.1696.

Show Schedules: The show schedules were submitted and approved by the American Iris Society show schedule chair person, Lois Rose.

May 13: Spokane Garden Expo at the Spokane Community College

May 27: Twin Falls, Idaho Magic Valley Iris Show. There will also be a class training.



TREASURER'S REPORT: as of March 22, 2023

CHECKING ACCOUNT:

March Newsletter reported Balance $ 1198.80

Deposit of 5 memberships............................ 50.00

Deposit of other receipts..................................1.74

Sub-total.......................... $ 1250.54

Expenditures paid .......................................363.27

March 22 balance .....................................$ 887.27


 Expenses paid:

Southgate Mall – for show space rental for June Iris Show $250.00

Elizabeth Gustafson - for printing of newsletters for the months of Nov 22, Jan, Feb & Mar 23..........40.68

Elizabeth Gustafson – postage to mail the newsletters in the months of Nov 22, Jan, Feb, Mar 23..... 30.16

Elizabeth Gustafson - for the purchase of small items for the Region 11 gift basket to be

auctioned at the National Iris show in Dallas 2023 ...........................................................................36.43

Total .............................................................................................................................$ 363.27



MINUTES OF MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETING OF MARCH 4, 2023

MIS met at Anne Bowman’s house for a potluck and meeting. After great food and conversation, President Betty Ann Gustafson called the meeting to order. There were 22 people in attendance.

Treasurer's Report - Swede Gustafson reported the checking balance of $1198.80. He deposited dues for 8 memberships. Current savings balance is $6527.58. Betty Ann turned in her receipts for the gift basket purchases and newsletter printing and postage.

MIS Dues are due by March 31. After this deadline, Betty Ann will remove names from the membership list, so that an accurate membership list can be given out at the next meeting.

The meeting topic was Can you see your Iris. We discussed pruning and cleaning techniques to prevent rot. Now is the time of year to watch your iris. If you see rot you can scoop out the rot, put aspirin water on it, or comet water, or Clorox water. Make sure there is no standing water around the plants. Keep dead material away from the healthy plant. Fred Frey said that he prunes his iris by pulling off leaves, leaving only the center 2 leaves. This prevents water from collecting in the leaves.

Swede and Judy dug some Spuria from the Fort. Swede potted about 25 plants, and they are growing in his greenhouse. There are 4 or 5 varieties and will be available to club members.

Swede mentioned that there will be no foot traffic for about 3 days when the new pathway in the Fort Garden is seal coated. He will let us know the dates when the contractor schedules the work.

Betty Ann and Swede are taking the items we are donating to the AIS gift basket to Billings for it to be transported to Dallas. AIS has 24 regions. We are in Region 11, along with Idaho and Wyoming. Idaho donated a $75 gift certificate. We donated 2 mugs decorated with iris, 2 mug rugs appliqued with iris by Debbie Belden, Range Rider wine from Ten Spoons Winery, Flathead Cherry Ale, a Montana candy bar, and soap from Judy Blunt’s daughter.

The Median Show is scheduled for May 20, at Judy Blunt’s home. With the weather we are having there might not be iris for a show. Instead of a median show, we may have an open house of various member gardens.

June 3 meeting is tentatively planned as an ice cream social at Judy Blunt’s house. Judy is retiring this June! Gary Clark was asked to give a class on design.

June 10 is the Iris Show at the Southgate Mall. The fee for the show is $250. Anne Bowman, Judy Blunt, Gary Clark, and Betty Ann Gustafson worked on the program. Betty Ann passed out the Iris Show design categories.

The 2022 Judges Handbook is now available and there are changes. Betty Ann wants the judges to get together and talk about what they need. Gary suggested they get together to take the computer tests. Judges’ training videos are open to all members and available through the AIS website: irises.org/judges/.

Iris Show themes and classes. The theme and classes pay tribute to John Denver.

“Sunshine on My Shoulder”

MIS members may cut iris from the Fort for design purposes at the show. Please be respectful and do not take from iris with limited stalks. Last year hail damaged several gardens and iris were used from the garden for design elements.


Upcoming Events of Interest:

May 13 - Spokane Garden Expo at the Spokane Community College. Free admission. Several members said it is a great expo for shopping.

May 27 - Twin Falls, Idaho Magic Valley Iris Show. There will also be a class training. There is no information at this time.

MIS meetings – Next meeting will be April 1, 2023. Location to be determined.


Presidential rhizome winner for December was Debbie Belden.  January was Garnet Ascher. February was Swede Gustafson. March was Keith Belden.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Deborah Belden, Secretary


Presidential Rhizome winners: September, Anne Bowman; October, Donna Dowell; November, Shirley Hall; December, Deborah Belden; January, Garnet Ascher; February, Swede Gustafson; and March, Keith Belden.


UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS:

April 1, 6.00 PM: Potluck meeting at Immanuel Lutheran Church

May 6: Monthly meeting

May 20: Median Show at the home of Judy Blunt or a possible member garden tour if there is a lack of medians to enter due to the long winter.

June 3: Monthly meeting

June 9-June 10: Annual Iris Show at Southgate Mall

Ice cream social: To be scheduled

July 8: Our monthly meeting

July 20-27: Preparation for the annual rhizome sale at Historical Fort Missoula. Sale preparation dates will be confirmed at a later date.

July 29: Annual Rhizome Sale at Historical Fort Missoula. 9:00 - 1:00

August: No monthly meeting

September: No monthly meeting

October 7: Monthly meeting

November 4: Monthly meeting

December: Holiday Party to be determined