May 2023
SATURDAY, MAY 6, AT 6:00 PM
MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY POTLUCK MEETING
Location: Home of Fred Frey, located off Mullan Road, 1760 Frey Lane
Directions: At the intersection of North Reserve and Mullan Road proceed West on Mullan Road.
Proceed to Homestead Drive. Do not proceed to Frey Lane which is farther up Mullan Road although his address is a Frey Lane address. Turn left on Homestead Drive. (If you see yourself going by Sunset Memorial Gardens, you have gone too far.) Go to the end of Homestead Drive, just a few blocks. The road continues into the farm of Fred Frey. Continue on the farm road to the garage area for parking.
You will see a sign at Homestead Drive saying IRIS Meeting. If you get lost, call Betty Ann at 406.370.1696. (You can reach Fred's home by using Frey Lane but it is easier to use Homestead Drive.)
Program: A report by Gary Clark on the 2023 American Iris Society Convention in Dallas, TX, and our upcoming American Iris Society Convention in Billings in 2025.
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How are your iris doing? It looks like we may be one or two weeks late this year. That could influence the Median Show once again. It may also mean we may have some medians entered in the annual iris show June 10.
Missoula Iris Society Garden at Historical Fort Missoula: Judy Blunt has fertilized all the beds. She reports that clearing of dead foliage from the rhizomes is needed. You are encouraged to go out to work at the garden any time. Also emails will be sent when we have work parties to take care of the garden. If you have questions, give Swede Gustafson a call at 406.544.9544 or 406.251.3526. He is asking that you put down your volunteer time on volunteer sheet in a green box near the front of the Siberian bed on the east side. The information is important to the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula.
Median Show, May 20, at the home of Judy Blunt, 1901 ½ S. 4th St W : At the May meeting we will discuss if we will be able to have the show, due to the late spring. Also in discussion will be a possible garden tour that day if we are not able to have a show.
Missoula Senior Citizen Garden Tour: Anne Bowman reported there will be a garden tour sponsored by the Senior Citizen Center, June 22nd. They will be coming to our iris garden and she has requested that an iris member or members be present when they view our iris garden.
Mitch Hall, new Missoula Iris Society secretary: Thank you Mitch for volunteering to take on the task of secretary. It is greatly appreciated.
Ice cream social: Our yearly ice cream social will be held as usual. It will be in mid June, date and venue to be announced.
TREASURERS REPORT: for April 2023
Based on the March 2023 newsletter values:
MARCH reported balance.......$ 887.27
Deposits made..............................50.00
sub-balance..............................$ 937.27
Expenses paid.............................339.97
Ending balance........................$ 597.30
DEPOSITS MADE:
2 memberships received.............$ 20.00
reimbursement received................30.00
Total........................................... $ 50.00
EXPENSES PAID:....................$339.97
as listed below:
Judy Blunt - fertilizer purchased for fort garden - $60.97; MIS 2023 membership fee to Historical Museum @ Fort Missoula $100.00; AIS membership fee for Mitch Hall as the Secretary for MIS - $30.00; AIS Storefront for the purchase of 20 each 2024 Iris Calendars - $84.00; Erling Gustafson – reimbursement for use of his credit card to pay Montana State Corporation Filing form to indicate a new person as our secretary in 2023; American Iris Society for two purchases - (1) $10.00 for Iris Show seals for show tags and (2) $40.00 for entry tags, a seedling award ribbon, and the shipping and handling fee. Total expenditures $339.97
MINUTES OF MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETING OF APRIL 1, 2023
19 members in attendance.
Minutes from the March meeting were accepted as written.
Treasurer's Report: $907.27 in Checking, $6587.00 in Savings
Program: Gary Clark and Swede Gustafson demonstrated how to recognize signs of rot in your iris as they come up this spring and how to treat the iris for rot. Swede dug a clump of a Standard Dwarf Bearded iris from his garden. This gave everyone a look at an actual plant for rhizome rot. There were many good questions from our members. Gary and Swede did an excellent presentation.
OLD BUSINESS:
The Missoula Iris Society donated Montana themed gift basket items to be part of a raffle at the 2023 AIS convention in Dallas, TX. Betty Ann and Swede Gustafson delivered the items to Billings for Delane Langton, member, and Jane Tibbs to take to the 2023 AIS convention in Dallas. They gave us brochures advertising our 2025 AIS convention in Billings to be passed out at our meeting.
Fort Missoula Iris Garden: Judy Blunt has been working in the garden cleaning the iris beds. The iris are beginning to green up.
NEW BUSINESS:
Judges meeting: Local iris judges met March 23 at Southgate Mall. Individual status of each judge was reviewed. The judges need Gardening Judging credits, except for Gary Clark. A garden judging class will be held in 2024. Cindy Davis will remind judges when their activity reports and ballots are due. She will send them to the Region 11 Judges Chair.
A reminder that American Iris Society Webinars are available to all to view.
MIS Secretary needed: Deborah Belden has resigned as secretary. She and Keith have many family plans that are going to conflict with her being available for our meetings. If anyone would like to be secretary, please contact Betty Ann Gustafson.
Senior Citizen Center Garden Tour: Anne Bowman reported there will be a garden tour sponsored by the Senior Citizen Center, June 22. Our iris garden will be one of the gardens they will tour. She requested a member or members be available for questions at the garden.
Presidential Rhizome drawing was won by Carol Addeo.
Missoula Iris Society Events:
May 6: Monthly Meeting
May 20: Median Show or a possible Garden Tour
June 3: Monthly Meeting
June???: Ice Cream Social. Date and place to be determined
June 22: Senior Citizens Garden Tour—Will be viewing the iris garden at the fort.
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
DATES TO REMEMBER:
May 6: Monthly Meeting at the home of Fred Frey
May 20: Median Show at the home of Judy Blunt or a possible garden tour of members gardens.
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.
June??? Ice Cream Social date and place to be announced.
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