NEWSLETTER

NO MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY MEETINGS IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!

SEE YOU IN OCTOBER 2025

OUR ANNUAL IRIS SALE WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!

Thank you everyone who donated iris, dug iris, trimmed, washed, labeled, copied pictures, alphabetized, set up for the sale, waited on cstomers, cashiered, and sold grab bags containing the left overs.

Thank you, Fred Frey, for contacting businesses for non profit advertising of our sale and contacting other garden clubs. Thank you, Bronwen Harris, for keeping the Facebook and Instagram lit up with timely videos and advertisements for the upcoming sale. There was a steady stream of customers due to these efforts.

180 varieties of iris were available at the sale. Also Delane Langton brought some of his seedlings for the sale and they were sold with the caveat that they would be a surprise upon blooming. It was an intensive week but the overall result was wonderful. There was enjoyment of 25 people working together, 3 great meals during prep time and after the sale, coffee, juice, water, and breakfast muffins the day of the sale to keep us going, and of course the monetary profits of the sale. It took a village, the Missoula Iris Society members!

IRIS SALE REPORT: $5,992.97 TOTAL SALES per Treasurer, Bronwen Harris.

A detailed treasurer's report will be in the September newsletter. Bills will be coming in for sale expenses, Dykes Bed, and Kiosk expenses.

ENERGIZE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT FOR THE DYKES BED WORK PROJECT: Judy Blunt, Gary Steen, and Swede Gustafson have rebuilt the Dykes Bed at the Missoula Iris Society Garden. Existing iris were removed and potted up, the bed was expanded, lawn removed, a tier of 3 blocks high built for framing the bed, topsoil and soil amendment added, and iris replanted. The sprinkler system has been expanded and iris ordered from Mid America Gardens for the expanded Dykes Bed have been planted. Judy Blunt and Gary Steen worked tirelessly in very hot weather to complete this project. Swede purchased necessary materials and helped Judy and Gary with laying of the blocks for the raised bed.

We are fortunate to have such diligent supporters and workers at the garden!

The next step is to provide invoices and pictures to the City of Missoula so we can collect the $1600.00 grant money from the Energize Your Neighborhood Grant.

Check out The Missoula Iris Society on Facebook for a video of the work done at the Dykes Bed at the Missoula Iris Society Garden Historical Fort Missoula.

GARDEN MAINTENANCE WORK PARTY prior to the 4th of July participants were Gary Clark, Rachel Ballard, Judy Blunt, Katie Stern, and Bronwen Harris. Thank you!

4th OF JULY AT HISTORICAL FORT MISSOULA: The Missoula Iris Society had a table at the annual 4th of July Celebration at Fort Missoula. Judy Blunt, Betty Ann Gustafson, and Swede Gustafson manned the event. Carrie Newlon, Communications Director at Fort Missoula, contacted Judy 3 days prior to ask if we would have a table. Judy got right on it. We handed out information about the society and the sale. Also, Judy dug the median iris, Autumn Jester, which is very prolific with rhizomes. We gave away 36 rhizomes of Autumn Jester to interested people during the day. She suggested they also come to the sale to purchase a sibling for their rhizome. Rain did shorten our time, but we had a good representation for the Missoula Iris Society.

KIOSK: Gary Steen will be replacing the present kiosk at the Missoula Iris Society Garden which is rotting. Gary has ordered a new kiosk made of plastic and Plexiglas. He will be working on this project soon.

PRESIDENTIAL RHIZOMES have been delivered to the winners: October, Marie Nyquist; November, Gary Clark; December, Al Ledford; March, Judy Blunt; April, Ron Dowell; May, Bronwen Harris; June, Betty Ann Gustafson; and July, Fred Frey.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and fall! See you in October!