March 2025

 POTLUCK MEETING, SATURDAY, MARCH 8, AT 6:00 PM

****NOTE CHANGE IN MEETING DATE****

LOCATION: IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 830 SOUTH AVENUE WEST

Directions for the November Meeting at Immanuel Lutheran Church:

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!

Call Betty Ann at 406.370.1696 if you have questions or get lost.

PROGRAM: Pending

DUES: It is time to pay your yearly dues. Dues are $10.00 per year, payable to the Missoula Iris Society. Please mail them to the Missoula Iris Society, 3128 Eldora Lane, Missoula, MT 59803

AMERCAN IRIS SOCIETY 2025 CONVENTION, JUNE 2nd – JUNE 7th, 2025, SPONSORED BY THE BIG SKY IRIS CLUB, BILLINGS, MT: It is time to make a decision on your convention participation. Registrations due by April 1. REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Go to Big Sky Iris convention. Click on, Learn More, and click on, Register Here. Also, the registration form will be an attachment to this newsletter.

It looks like some of the optional tours and dinners are sold out. Be sure to check the information given on the site for specific information.

MEETING WITH CARRIE NOWLEN, DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AT THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF FORT MISSOULA: In January, Swede Gustafson and Betty Ann Gustafson met with Carrie, per request. She would like to have an article on the Missoula Iris Society Iris Garden in the HMFM, May, newsletter. Judy Blunt will be writing the article for the newsletter.

In April, she would like someone from our society to be interviewed by Dennis Bragg, which would appear on their social media pages.

Bronwen Harris has been asked to meet with Carrie to discuss our social media exposure in regards to the iris garden and the iris society.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025.

Information is shown for each entity of the budget for 2024 and proposed for 2025.

ELEMENT OF THE BUDGET      2024 BUDGET      2024 ACTUAL      2025 PROPOSED

          SHOWS:

    MEDIAN SHOW........................300 ........................0 ............................. 300

    JUNE SHOW..............................800 ......................486                             700

                                           sub-total         1100                       486                            1000

          RHIZOME SALE: ........................500 ......................340 .............................500

          IRIS GARDENS:

                MAINTENANCE ......................900 .......................700 ..........................700

                LAWN CARE ............................350 .......................350 ..........................350

                RENOVATIONS ......................1500 ......................1380....................... 1500

                                         sub-total ..........2750 .......................2430 .......................2550

                REPAIRS TO KIOSK .................0 ............................0 ............................300

          NEW RHIZOMES:

               FORT GARDEN .......................300 ........................300.......................... 300

              PRESIDENTIAL RHIZOMES ..300 ........................300 ..........................300

                          sub-total ...............600 .......................600 ..........................600

          SOCIETY OPERATIONS:

                GENERAL OPERATIONS ......400 ......................290 ...........................300

                NEWSLETTER .......................400 .......................300 ...........................400

    DOCUMENT PRINTING ........100 .........................80 ...........................100

               CONTRIBUTIONS ..................300 ........................200 ...........................200

                                  sub-total ...............1200..........................870 ........................1000

          SPECIAL EVENTS:

               ICE CREAM SOCIAL ..............150 .......................120 ...........................150

               PLANT MARKERS ..................200 .........................0 .............................100

                               sub-total..................... 350  .....................120 .............................250

                              TOTALS ...................6500 ....................4846........................... 6200

NOTE: There is a thought by Judy Blunt and Swede Gustafson regarding the replacement of the sprayers with a new type of soft sprayer which will give a soft landing of the droplets to the flowers. We will be contacting Paul Ronaldo this spring to obtain information regarding these sprayers and an estimate to purchase these if the cost is reasonable.

There are two gardens which now have these sprayers on which Judy Blunt and Swede have observed the effects of the water on the flowers. They feel the flowers and plants are growing better. The cost for these sprayers is not included in this budget.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Checking Account Balance: $1,179.92

The Certificate of Deposit will be up for renewal on March 15.

KIOSK: As mentioned in the board meeting minutes, the kiosk at the iris garden is in need of repair. There is the possibility a member may be willing to assist with this project.

ELECTRICITY IN THE IRIS STORAGE SHED AT THE FORT: We are going to get electricity in the iris shed. A light and a receptacle will be installed by county electricians. There will be no cost to us. However, we will need to dig a small trench as our part of the project. This will possibly commence in April.

MINUTES OF MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 21, 2025

The January 2025 MIS budgetary board meeting was held from 6-7PM at tables set up in the main clocktower plaza entrance of Missoula Southgate Mall. Present were the three 2025 board members (President–Betty Ann Gustafson, Vice President elect–Bronwin Harris, and Mitch Hall-secretary), along with Swede Gustafson, former VP, and four regular members (Gary Clark, Fred Frey, Anne Bowman, and Judy Blunt). The following topical items were discussed, but not in this order.

1. AIS CONVENTION. Billings, MT. 6/2 – 6/7 2025
   
   

Those thinking of going, Betty Ann mentioned you can register online directly through AIS. As many as 360 would be able to go on scheduled tours which are spread far apart (as far as 90 miles, one way). People from our group could drive, but most would have to fly. It’s a $1,500 commitment, not eating out a lot. Full registration has 3-days of garden tours, with lunches. Probably not worth it if you go just for tours only (which you can do for just $219, w/o lunches). It’s a pricey endeavor – there was only moderate interest shown in attending from those at the meeting, especially for the full event.

2. SHOWS
   
   

1. Median Show. It does include tall-bearded iris. Judy Blunt will chair the show and it would be at her house, should we actually have it. We have plenty of time to think and decide. We needed to turn in a schedule (whether we use it or not) to AIS by Feb 15. A variety of  dates were discussed (May 17, 24, 31). May 24 was decided upon (during Memorial Day weekend).
   
   

2. June iris show, June 14th, Father’s Day Weekend. - Anne Bowman will chair.
   
   

Judy thought we shouldn’t have the show only on a Saturday, and maybe on a weekday. Also, June 14 is a bit late - iris are starting to die down by then.

Many venues were discussed, including horticultural building at the fair ($450 total) – would need lots of advertising. Southgate Mall by Sheels ($500) – would have lots of traffic, the Butterfly House ($100) where we held the show last year (their built-in traffic is a plus), the Heritage House at the Fort (hard to book), Orchard Homes Community Room (expensive), Caras Nursery, the New Library (top floor available – not as easily accessible - it could be on the library ground floor, not convenient to load, anything at the University (too expensive, parking a problem), Big Sky High School, Target Range Schools, Zootown Community Center (about $100), Finn and Porter Convention Center, the church where the Garden Club meets (no built-in traffic). Other venues were casually mentioned, though it seems the final consensus was to get the ball rolling for booking on the Butterfly House. Could people get a discount to see the butterfly house?

Judy will work on show themes (for flower designs) for both shows, possibly literary, for both shows.

3. IRIS SALE:
   
   July 26, on a Saturday.
   Betty Ann, most likely will stay at the Fort for the iris sale. It’s the most established location people are used to. The cost at the Fort gardens is free versus what we were charged at the city park on Fort grounds last year ($150) – recall we were only at that location due to the summer storm last year.

Judy, Swede, and Betty Ann had a meeting with social media person at the Fort museum – ideas to advertise the iris garden. She wants a brochure of our society telling about stories and history of the garden, that they can put up at the museum office stand in their museum office to advertise our garden. Judy says it would be expensive but possible.

4. FORT PROJECTS:
   
   

Kiosk signage needs updated. Bronwin’s goal would be to get the “youth” of the city to do this work. The Kiosk windows need updated. Judy says you can’t put glass at the kiosk, only plexiglass (which we need to replace) which yellows in the sun - it is getting very difficult to get in and out with age, rotting wood (the kiosk ledge also holds water), sunlight, dirt. Judy didn’t do a lot of scraping, because the wood was so old, and when she was painting, Judy used headlamp cleaner on the plexiglass but it didn’t work so well. She used paraffin to help slide the plexiglass in and out. Also, Bronwin has a friend who will come look at it as well.

Finish Dykes Bed. Jim Sadler applied for a $1700 grant to finish it. We will need to keep track of all our expenses if we do get the grant (as with the asphalt pathway project). Along with the updated bed, we would purchase Dykes iris to plant there.

Water lines. Water isn’t getting to certain areas of the gardens. Paul Renaldo, our sprinkler guy, changed sprinkler heads within the garden (not the lawn) to star spray which rotates very slowly - irises seem to immediately respond much better than with existing sprinklers. Swede guessed $250 in his budget (including hosing) he will need from Paul on how much to change remaining sprayers in each one of the gardens. Swede will get pricing on updating these, experimenting with positioning (are they tall enough), timing, and better layout arrangements. We will have Paul check all of them and do a “study.”

5. ICE CREAM SOCIAL. Judy has graciously offered up her place again, and her ice cream making skills for the annual social, though she says costs for the materials will go up on pretty much all ingredients, especially eggs and dairy.
   
   

6. MEETINGS: Our monthly Society meeting with potluck will be the same. TIME 6:00 pm, Saturdays. No discussion was held. Locations to be announced, as usual. Default location at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
   
   
   

DORLEEN BAKKE AWARD: Best Design of Show (the 90-year old flower grower and floral arranger in Missoula). The $500 given to MIS by the UCC Readers Book Club

We will purchase a plaque to be displayed at the annual iris show. Award to be given in her name at the iris show.

The winner will get a certificate they can keep for a year. The award will be on a plaque that will stay with us.

Betty Ann needs help with what the plaque will say? A “Best design of show,” of sorts award in Dorleen’s name. Plaque will be made by “All American Sports” in Missoula.

A public vote is suggested (people’s choice) to pick favorite - people will get tickets so they don’t over-vote.

As an aside, Judy says we need more flower judges that know iris design. We’ve had trouble in the past with judges not knowing an alive from a dead iris, and some “favoring” their designs.

7. FISCAL REPORT 2024, highlights
   
   As outgoing VP Swede presented 2024 fiscal report
    

• Betty Ann brought up the 2024 budget which needs approval, and she handed out a couple copies for perusal. Swede went line by line over each item comparing actually spent ($4230) versus actual budgeted costs for the year ($6850) . We saved $2,600
  

• This report is just something to work with for 2025. Bronwin hasn’t made the new 2025 budget yet (though it’s committed to her memory)
  

• We went in the hole $110 for the rhizome sale, because we had to pay to rent vases.
  

• Ron and Donna Dowell lawn care. We take his $20 dues for the year out of his pay.
  

• No rose arbor repairs, they have been done already.
  

• Numerous items are expected to go up in cost (Ice Cream Social, New Rhizomes, )
  

• Judging budget: classes (mostly online), lunches. Somebody wanted to have money for judges to use, so Swede put in $100. It’s part of the MIS savings account. There was an AIS online class on Jan 25 on “novelties”
  

• New Rhizomes pricing going up. (Budget for 2025 will be $250)
  

• Ice Cream Social costs going up as she mentioned. She will need at least $200, she says.
  

• Printing costs also going up per Judy. For show schedules, etcetera. Anita, who handles the newsletter, needs money for color ink on her printer for people who don’t have e-mail and want them sent separately.
  
  

Mitch Hall (MIS Secretary)

MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR 2025: The following dates were discussed at the board meeting on January 21st.

March Meeting: Saturday, March 8, 6:00 pm

April Meeting: Date and time in April Newsletter

May 24: Median Iris Show to be held at Judy Blunt's home

June 14: Annual Iris Show, located at the G. W. Marks Exploration Center, Butterfly House and Insectarium at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. Set up will be June 13, and the show June 14.

July 26: Annual Rhizome Sale at the Historical Fort Missoula, Missoula Iris Society Garden

Rhizome sale diggings and work parties to be held in July.

Ice Cream Social: Date to be determined

Future Missoula Iris meetings will be added as the year goes on.

Presidential Rhizome winners: October, Marie Nyquist; November, Gary Clark