June 2023
JUNE MEETING, SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 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 to 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: Information on the annual Missoula Iris Society show at the Southgate Mall on June 10. We will show you how to pick iris and stage them for the show.
Median Show: The Median Show, Glamour Girls, was held Saturday, May 20 at Judy Blunt's home. It was a very pretty show. We thank everyone who participated to make it a successful show.
Median Show Results:
Best Design - Artistic category: 'Marilyn Monroe: Gentleman Prefer Blondes' entered by Judy Blunt
Best Specimen of the Show: Variety 'Limonada' (IB) entered by Swede Gustafson
Best SDB: Variety 'Crank It Up' (SDB) entered by Swede Gustafson
Best IB: Variety 'Limonada' (IB) entered by Swede Gustafson
Best MDB: Variety 'Black Olive' (MDB) entered by Roger Muir
Best Novice Specimen: Variety 'Blue Eyed Blonde' (SDB) entered by Nancy Dold
Artistic Design Class: Jim Sadler, member and artistic design judge, conducted a class on 'How To Construct A Design'.
Well done Jim! Your class was very informative!
Judges: Cindy Davis, Roger Muir, Lynn Weger, Jim Sadler, and Garnet Ascher
MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY ANNUAL SHOW, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2023
Schedule of Events and Regulations
Location: Southgate Mall, 2900 Brooks Street, at the Scheels Concourse Turf Area
Show events and opportunities to volunteer:
FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 6:30 PM:
Volunteers to load supplies from the Fort storage shed and transport to the Mall.
7:00 PM: Volunteers to set up for the iris show at Southgate Mall. Includes setting up tables, skirting tables, placing table cards, etc.
SATURDAY, JUNE 10:
7:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Iris entries received and staged. Use the North Entrance that takes you to Scheels store and concourse area.
10:30 AM: Judging of iris begins. Exhibitors staging materials must be removed from the area prior to judging.
Clerks are needed to assist the judges.
12:30 PM: Lunch provided by Hoagieville in the Mall, owner, Ryan, son of Cindy Davis. The lunch will be compliments of MIS. Lunch will be brought to the show site. Choices can be made from the menu. The menu is attached to this newsletter and will be available at the June 3 meeting. As member, if you are a participant in any way to the show or an observer, your lunch will be provided.
(Please RSVP to Betty Ann Gustafson, 406-370-1696, by June 5, if you plan to have lunch,)
6:00 PM: Volunteers and exhibitors clear the area by taking down the show exhibits and tables.
ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Wednesday, June 21, 4:30 PM, at the home of Judy Blunt, 1901 ½ S. 4th Street West
Please bring a chair. Family, friends, and potential members are welcome. Judy would like to know if you plan to bring a guest so she can plan accordingly. Email or call Betty Ann if you do plan to bring a guest. Judy will make her usual wonderful homemade ice cream, toppings, and angel food cake. We do not need to bring any additional food items. She wants us just to sit back and enjoy the event.
SENIOR CITIZEN GARDEN TOUR OF THE FORT GARDEN
June 22, at 10:00 AM
ANNUAL RHIZOME SALE
Saturday, July 29, at Fort Missoula Garden
BIBLER GARDEN TOUR, July 31, Kalispell, MT
Sponsored by the Garden Club. Contact Gary Clark, 406-728-7633.
TREASURERS REPORT – for May 2023
CHECKING ACCOUNT: based on May Newsletter report:
May reported balance: .........$ 599.30
Deposits made.......................1000.00
Total ...........................1599.30
Expenses paid .........................442.98
Balance ...................$ 1154.32
Deposit was from the society savings account. Expenses paid were as follows; Judy Blunt: for purchase of soil amendment to place about the irises at the fort garden during cultivation activities - $31.96; and also for the printing cost for the iris show schedules - $44.95; Betty Ann Gustafson – for the printing and mailing of newsletters and memberships listings - $61.36; Erling Gustafson - for purchases of 126 each 11.5- inch x 6- inch x 4-inch concrete wall blocks - $269.64 and for purchase of 3 tubes of constructive adhesive to anchor the top row of wall blocks in place - $35.07.
Respectfully submitted, Swede Gustafson, Treasurer
FORT IRIS GARDEN REPORT: Friday May 20, we had a work party at the fort. The iris beds were all cleaned from winter debris. Work party participants were Judy Blunt, Swede Gustafson, Rachel Ballard, Molly Mohan, Mitch Hall, Anne Bowman, Nancy Dold, Gary Clark, Lucas Harris, and Betty Ann Gustafson. Now it is all ready for the iris bloom and of course the winds will come too. Thank you all for your hard work. It is greatly appreciated.
The west and south walls of the Beardless Iris Bed (Siberian bed) showed their age this Spring as the blocks were crumbling and cracking. Therefore, these two walls were designated for repairs. I purchased 126 blocks at Lowe's on May 8 to begin this project. These blocks were placed into my pickup on Monday May 8. The blocks were loaded into my pickup for delivery to the job site as Lowe's could not get to delivery until later in May. I unloaded 64 blocks at the storage shed to lighten my load.
Betty Ann and I decided to replace the west wall during the May 12 and 13 garden spring cleanup days at the garden. I decided to repair the west wall first as it had some wall blocks falling apart which created a hazardous situation for visitors to the garden. On Friday evening Judy Blunt, Mitch Hall, and I tore apart the west wall. There were some OK blocks within the removed wall which Mitch Hall said he could use so these were set aside for him. As the wall was being torn down, I worked leveling the base so the new blocks could be laid correctly. As this process was being done, Judy and Mitch would bring the new blocks to me and I laid and leveled the first course. Then Judy and Mitch put down the second and third levels. Once we got all the blocks in place the beauty and safety of the new wall appeared. We loaded all the bad blocks first into my pickup and put them near the cab. The good blocks were then loaded into the pickup for delivery to Mitch's home which was done later that evening.
The whole process of building this new wall was done within 2.5 hours. On Saturday May 13, I purchased 3 caulking tubes of construction adhesive at Ace Hardware. Then my grandson Lucas and I anchored the top row of blocks in place to hopefully prevent removal of these blocks for other purposes which has occurred on the past years. We will repeat the process for the south wall sometime in June once the iris bloom season is completed. It was a fun project. Swede
MINUTES OF MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETING OF MAY 6
The May meeting was at the home of Fred Frey. There were 14 members in attendance. Numerous people had relayed that they would not be able to attend due to other commitments.
Minutes: Accepted as printed.
Treasurer's Report: Checking account balance – $597.30, Bills paid – $339.97, Savings account balance – just over $6,000.00.
We learned that Carol Addeo, member, fell and fractured her ankle. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Program: Gary Clark gave a report on the 2023 American Iris Society Convention in Dallas which he and Steve Hesla attended. Approximately 200 members were in attendance, 6 garden tours enjoyed by all, judging classes of which Gary attended 4, tours of Dallas, a banquet, and fellowship.
Gary reported that Delane Langton, society member, had a booth promoting the 2025 American Iris Society Convention in Billings, Montana, being sponsored by the Big Sky Iris Club. There appears to be a lot of interest in coming to the 2025 convention in Billings.
Bonnie Nichols will be the American Iris Society President next year.
Gary Clark relayed that financial and physical help will be needed by Region 11 iris societies, of which we are one, for the 2025 American Iris Society Convention in Billings. Jim Sadler made a motion the Missoula Iris Society help financially and voluntarily. Cindy Davis seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Median Show, May 20, at the home of Judy Blunt: We are waiting for the medians to show bloom. If there is a show you will be notified by email. If there is not a median show, we will have a garden tour.
Anne Bowman, Rachel Ballard, Jim Sadler, and Swede Gustafson offered their gardens. Again you will be notified by email which event will happen.
A brief discussion was held regarding the June 10th annual iris show at Southgate Mall. Details for the show will be in the June newsletter and reviewed at the June 3 monthly meeting.
The annual ice cream social will be held sometime after June 10. Judy Blunt will be making her wonderful homemade ice cream again. Details to come in June.
Missoula Iris Society Garden at Fort Missoula report given by Swede: Water has been turned on after a repair to a pipe at the museum building. Ron and Donna Dowell mowed and trimmed the grass in the garden. Dowells have graciously volunteered to continue to take care of the lawn. The large dirt pile from the installation of the pathways is all gone. A free sign for the dirt remained on all winter and this spring the last of it was taken. Blocks around the Siberian bed are deteriorating. They have been there for 25 years. They will be replaced. A work party will be scheduled soon at the fort garden. Watch for an email.
Cindy Davis reminded the judges their American Iris Society Ballots are due July 31 and must be sent in to maintain their judging eligibility. Also the Symposium ballot which judges and members can vote are due in August. Contact Cindy by email, cibby55@gmail.com, if you have questions.
There was a discussion on what members of the club would like as presidential rhizomes and who to order from. Swede will take on this project.
The 2024 American Iris Society calendars are here. They will be available in the fall for purchase.
Anne Bowman reported there will be a Senior Citizen Garden Tour on June 22, which will include the iris garden.
Fred Frey reported he is adding Japanese Rice Fish to a water feature in his beautiful yard.
Gary Clark, Garden Club member, extended an invitation to join the Garden Club for a tour of the Bibler Gardens in Kalispell, on July 31. More information will be forthcoming.
Roger Muir was the May Presidential Rhizome winner.
Respectfully submitted, Betty Ann Gustafson
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
DATES TO REMEMBER:
June 3: Monthly meeting
June 9 and 10: Annual Missoula Iris Society Show at Southgate Mall. Set up is the evening of June 9, Iris show is June 10 at Southgate Mall.
Wednesday, June 21, 4:30 PM, at the home of Judy Blunt
July 8: 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. 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