May update on Delaware Valley Iris Society events.
Greetings DVIS members and friends. By now most of you should be enjoying iris bloom in your gardens. I have posted above some of what is currently blooming for me in the Lehigh valley. If you attended the DVIS Spring Meeting, you are also considering the companion plants that enhance your iris display. We had interesting and informative presentations from several members on what they grow with their irises both to enhance the bloom season and to fill the season when irises are out of bloom. Many thanks are due to Cynthia Marriott, Cathy Button, Bernie and Debbie Miller, and Carol Ann Moyer.
There are two upcoming events that I would like you to keep in mind as you are enjoying your irises: The upcoming iris show on May 28 and the July rhizome sale. Both events will be at Jenkins Arboretum, 631 Berwyn Baptist RD, Devon PA.
May 28 Iris Show at Jenkins Arboretum
Members and the general public are encouraged to bring irises of any type both bearded and beardless that are blooming in their gardens. If you want to enter your iris for judging, you must know its name and type. There will be help available to assist in filling out entry cards and securing your stalks in the wine bottles provided for displaying them. Bring your entries between 7:30 and 9:30 am. All stalks must be ready for placement in the exhibition area by 9:30. If you wish to enter the artistic division you will have until 10:00 am to place your arrangement in the exhibition area. Judging will occur from 10:00 until noon at which time the show will be open for public viewing until 4:00 pm.
Visit the DVIS website <dvis-ais.org> for full show details in “May 28th Show Rules & Schedule”. Whether you are a novice exhibitor or want to be a more successful exhibitor, there are many useful suggestions on the website in “Prepare Your Iris For Judging” and “Preparing Irises For Exhibition”.
All members and their friends are encouraged to come to the Show even if they don’t have anything to exhibit. We can always use extra hands to assist during the morning or for the hospitality table and end of show clean-up. If you are thinking of participating in the July Rhizome Sale, the 1:00 pm demonstration will be excellent preparation for being a plant donor and for being a happy customer as well.
Special Iris Culture Presentation at 1:00 pm: There will be a demonstration of dividing clumps of several bearded and beardless iris types and preparing divisions for sale or replanting. Participants will take home several bare-root or potted rhizomes which were produced during the demonstration.
July 22 Rhizome Sale at Jenkins Arboretum
The sale this year will be very similar to the past two years. We will publish a catalog of donated irises in late June for customers to pre-order from. Orders will be available for pickup on sale day at which time walk-in sales will be available to drop-in customers as well as pre-order customers.
Donors are needed for the sale. When you are cleaning off your plants after bloom season look at the increase and select varieties from which you will be able to dig at least four nice rhizomes to donate.
All donations of irises will be welcome for sale day but for the purpose of the pre-order catalog we will list only varieties for which a donor can confidently promise at least 4 rhizomes.
Lists of donations will be needed by June 15 for production of the Iris Sale Catalog by June 30.
If you have any questions, please contact me by phone or email. I hope to see you at the show.
George Hildenbrandt, DVIS president
Email: grh3@psu.edu
Phone: 814-571-6839