July 2023
JULY MEETING, SATURDAY, JULY 8, AT 6:00 PM
POTLUCK MEETING AT THE HOME OF SWEDE AND BETTY ANN
GUSTAFSON, 3128 ELDORA LANE IN LINDA VISTA
Directions: Head west on Hwy 93/Brooks to Wal-Mart. Turn left at the light onto Lower Miller Creek Road. Proceed to the roundabout and veer right onto Lower Miller Creek Road.
Travel just past the golf course. Turn left onto Linda Vista Blvd. Proceed 2 blocks to Eldora Lane and turn left. Go another 3 blocks and Gustafson's is on the left hand side.
Parking is available on Eldora Lane and also on Lori Court. We are on a corner lot bordered by Eldora Lane and Lori Court. If it is full in front of the house on Eldora Lane or you do not want walk up the driveway, turn right on Lori Court and park on Lori Court. You will cut across our neighbors yard into our yard. We have many deer in the area so be sure to watch for deer droppings.
Program: How to know if your iris are ready to dig for the sale, Saturday, June 29, and how to dig, clean, and label your iris. Also a discussion on when volunteer help will be needed prior and during the sale.
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ANNUAL IRIS RHIZOME SALE: Saturday, June 29, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. There are many opportunities where one can join in and help with the biggest event of our year. Let us know if you have iris to donate and if you can help with prepping the iris for sale.
Schedule for Preparation for the MIS Iris Sale at the Fort Missoula Iris garden.
(There is no chairman for the sale. However, Susan Hansen has volunteered to help with the organization of the sale. We can use more volunteers to take a lead in the organization. Contact Betty Ann, email: swedeandba@gmail.com if you can help.
Sunday, July 23, at 8:00 A.M. Location: MIS Fort Garden Iris Dig. Under the direction of Judy Blunt, a few iris clumps will be dug, washed, clipped and labeled. Bring a lawn chair and clippers. We may also finish processing iris from Eloie's garden.
Tuesday, July 25, at 8:00 A.M. Location: A garden dig, washing, trimming, etc. at the home of Fred Frey. Directions: At Mullan Road and North Reserve Street, head west on Mullan road away from Reserve Street. Now there are 2 choices: (1). After the Hellgate Trading Post Conoco Station but before starting up the hill to Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, turn left (south) on Homestead Drive. Drive straight back but rather than follow the street when it makes a hard right corner, keep coming straight between the 2 houses on a narrow, single paved road and follow that road to the house (a little over 1/10 mile). This is behind the subdivision. (2) Continue on Mullan Road a short distance past Homestead Drive to Frey Lane and take a left. Continue straight back past the intersection with Homestead Drive. Then, between the 2nd and 3rd house on the left, turn left on the paved drive shared with those houses and come back between their yards. Again, it is behind the subdivision. (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 26, and Thursday, July 27, 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 also 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 28 at 5:00 P.M. Load up iris and tables in pickups for transport Saturday morning to the fort. At 6:00 P.M. we will have soup, etc. for dinner at the home of Judy Blunt.
Saturday, July 29, 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 29, at 1:30 P.M. After sale party at the home of Swede and Betty Ann Gustafson, 3128 Eldora Lane in Linda Vista. (Directions are available at the beginning of this newsletter.) Chicken, pizza and drinks are provided by the society.
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62nd Annual Iris Show at Southgate Mall was a great success. Thank you to all who entered the show with their beautiful iris and to those who graciously gave their time for set up, clerking, etc. The results of the show is an attachment to this newsletter.
Fort Iris Garden: We hope all of you had a chance to see the fort garden this year. The iris did very well during our crazy winter. Of course even though the iris have finished blooming the weeds are thriving. Any chance you have to weed will be appreciated. We will try to have work parties but you are welcome to go at your own convenience.
Bibler Garden Tour: Kalispell, MT, July 31: Sponsored by the Missoula Garden Club: Contact: Gary Clark, 406-728-7633, for details.
TREASURER'S REPORT:
June 2023 reported balance: .. $ 1154.32
Expenses paid: .............................390.50
July 1, 2023 balance................$ 763.82
The expenses paid were as follows: a) to Hoagieville in Southgate Mall.... $ 230.60
b) to Judy Blunt .....................................159.90
June 30, 2023 balance................................................$ 390.50
The Hoagieville expenditure was for 19 lunches complete with condiments and drinks ordered by participants and workers at the June iris show at Southgate Mall. These lunches were prepared at the restaurant, then delivered by Hoagieville workers to the show site. The food was warm and delicious and drinks cold when we received the order. I walked down to Hoagieville after the lunch was completed to pay for the order with an added tip. I thanked them for the great service and delivery of the lunches.
Judy Blunt composed the show schedule and had it printed after it was approved by the AIS show schedule chairperson. Cost was $31.60.
Judy prepared several delicious ice cream delights complete with two flavors of sponge cake and many different types of condiments to increase the calorie count of the ice cream for our annual ice cream social. Everyone who attended the social had a wonderful treat and time.
The cost for ingredients and condiments was $128.30. Thus the total of the check to Judy as indicated.
Respectfully submitted,
Erling Gustafson, Treasurer
MINUTES OF MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETING OF JUNE 3, 2023
The May meeting was at the home of Swede and Betty Ann Gustafson. There were 12 members in attendance. We welcomed first time visitor Robin Young, a guest of member Susan Hansen. Numerous people had relayed that they would not be able to attend due to other commitments.
Minutes from the previous meeting on May 6 were accepted as printed (no updates).
Treasurer's Report: Swede reported the checking account balance – $1154.32, Savings account balance – just over $6,000.00. Jim Sadler suggested we research putting the savings account balance into a bank money market account. Roger Muir suggested looking into CDs.
Program: Betty Ann talked about the Iris Show coming up a week from today on June 10 inside Southgate Mall just outside Sheels indoor entrance on the turf grass concourse. She passed around sign up sheets for Friday night setup, and for Saturday duties. Cindy Davis passed around Hoagieville menus for Saturday lunches.
Swede gave a demonstration on how to pick and stage iris for the show.
Cindy and Gary Clark mentioned that Delane Langton, society member out of the Billings chapter, is a student judge and is listed on the schedule as a third judge, if he is needed.
Cindy mentioned that she wasn’t sure she would have much, if any, iris to enter by next week, but suggested bringing bouquets of other nice flowers to show as an alternative. Jim asked if we could bring in some paintings, but Gary said they couldn’t be entered as part of the iris show. Gary said this is something that needs to be discussed for future shows down the road.
Cindy Davis was the June Presidential Rhizome winner.
The annual ice cream social will be held on June 15. Announcement of show winners will be made at the social, as there will be no awards banquet following the event at the mall. Judy Blunt will be making her wonderful homemade ice cream again.
The next monthly meeting will be Saturday, July 8. Location and details TBD.
The annual rhizome sale will be Saturday July 29 at the Fort. Susan Hansen offered to be an assistant to chair the sale, if she has help. Discussions were had about raising the price of an individual rhizome bundle to $5 (versus previous pricing of $4).
Missoula Iris Society Garden at Fort Missoula report given by Betty Ann: We had a good work party at the garden – many people helped weed, pick out pine needles, and replace deteriorating wall blocks (especially by the path near the Siberians). Judy Blunt potted up several Rudbekia Goldstrum (Black-Eyed Susan) plants from the gardens to sell at the sale.
Anne Bowman repeated there will be a Senior Citizen Garden Tour on June 22, 10AM at the Fort which will include the iris garden. Swede and Betty Ann will be there to represent.
Betty Ann contacted the asphalt person to schedule laying the seal coat on the newly installed pathway. It will probably happen later this August or September, on a hot day after the sale.
Carolyn (with Fort Missoula), called Betty Ann last week to schedule an interview about the garden to put it in their quarterly newsletter.
Median Show held at Judy Blunt’s house: THEME - “Glamor Girls”
There were 62 entries, winners were:
Design Category – Judy Blunt..................Marilyn Monroe (“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”)
Best Specimen – Swede...........................Limonata (IB)
Best SDB – Swede...................................Crank it Up
Best MDB – Roger Muir............................Black Olive
Jim Sadler gave a class on “How to Construct a Design”
Respectfully submitted, Mitch Hall (acting 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; April, Carol Addeo; May, Roger Muir; June, Cindy Davis
62ND ANNUAL IRIS SHOW AWARD WINNERS
Show Chairman: Anne Bowman Theme: Sunshine on My Shoulder
Best Specimen of Show: 'Mary Francis’...............................................Gary Clark
Best Tall Bearded: 'Mary Francis' ............................................Gary Clark
First Runner Up: Siberian — 'Coronation Anthem'...............................Judy Blunt
Best Other Than Tall Bearded – 'Coronation Anthem'................Judy Blunt
Best Siberian: 'Coronation Anthem' ..........................................Judy Blunt
Best Design: 'Take Me Home Country Road'........................................James Sadler
Design Sweepstakes: Most blue ribbons ..............................................Judy Blunt
Second Runner Up: 'Dazzling Gold' .....................................................Delane Langton
Best Historic: 'Dazzling Gold' ....................................................Delane Langton
AIS Silver Medal: Most Blue Ribbons .................................................Fred Frey
AIS Bronze Medal: Second Most Blue Ribbons...................................Delane Langton
People's Choice Award: Display Only, voted on by the public...............Gary Clark
Best Space Age: 'Conjuration'..............................................................Jim Sadler
Best Median: 'Moose Tracks' ..............................................................Joan Knutson
Best MTB: 'Moose Tracks'..............................................................Joan Knutson
Best Species: 'Iris Carthaliniae'............................................................Delane Langton
Best White: 'Got Milk'............................................................................James Sadler
Best Pink: 'Poodle Parade' .................................................................Fred Frey
Best Orange: 'Blinded by the Light'......................................................Fred Frey
Best Yellow: 'City of Light' ................................................................ ..Fred Frey
Best Black: 'Black Suited' ...................................................................James Sadler
Best Blue: 'Money In Your Pocket'.......................................................Fred Frey
Best Red: 'Tennison Ridge'..................................................................Gary Clark
Best Lavender: 'Mary Francis'.............................................................Gary Clark
Best Purple: 'Circle of Light' ............................................................. Fred Frey
Best Amoena: 'Explicit' ...................................................................... Fred Frey
Best Plicata: 'Lotto Winner...................................................................Fred Frey
Best Verigata: 'Hi Calypso' .................................................................Gary Clark
Best Banded Rimmed, Rimmed or Edged: ' Arizona Cave Painting....Fred Frey
Best Novelty Flat: 'Clydesdale'............................................................Delane Langton
12 Exhibitors
81 Entries
79 Varieties
145 Blooms
DATES TO REMEMBER:
July 8: Monthly meeting
July 20-27: Preparation for the annual rhizome sale at Historical Fort Missoula. Sale preparation as listed above.
July 29: Annual Rhizome Sale at Historical Fort Missoula. Set up at 8:00 AM, Sale at 9:00 AM -1:00 PM.
August: No monthly meeting
September: No monthly meeting
October 7: Monthly meeting
November 4: Monthly meeting
December: Holiday Party to be determined