Welcome
Over
the years some individuals have thought about starting an iris group in
BC but as with many things it just never made it off the ground. But as
I had some extra time last fall I thought it was time to get something
going. There is a lot of knowledgeable iris people here but some of us
are getting older and I thought we needed to have a mechanism to pass
that information on. I have sold iris from our place for about 12 years:
mostly by word of mouth and mostly on Salt Spring Island where Sonja and
I have lived for 30 years [Salt Spring Island is located between Vancouver
and Victoria in the Strait of Georgia]. So I think that Salt Spring probably
has the largest ratio of irises to humans of any place in Canada!
I started
calling people last September who I knew liked plants and irises in particular
or had bought irises from us. I also asked everyone I contacted to let
me know of people who they thought might be interested in an iris group
and if they would put a notice in their local Garden Club Newsletter.
By mid October we had 16 interested people, by November, 40 plus, and
now we have 65 members/families. The fortunate part is that Harry Hill,
a member from north of Vancouver on the Sunshine Coast, said he would
set up this website for us. This gave us an excellent tool to make contact
with people and distribute information.
We have
also been very fortunate to have Marshall Soules join the group. He is
a relatively new gardener and loves irises. But even more important to
BCIS he is the Head of the Media Department at a University College on
Vancouver Island and is our Director of Media and Public Relations. He
will be developing the format and producing an electronic Newsletter that
can be printed for those who do not have internet access. Our first Newsletter
will be ready by mid February.
We have
members across BC and our biggest challenge is to be relevant to this
very scattered group of people. To do this we will rely heavily on the
website, newsletters and member involvement. For example one of our Directors
is Penny Santosham who lives in the Okanagan and is responsible for promotion
and coordination in that area. She has developed short and long term goals.
This year she will ’flood’ the Okanagan with information about BCIS. She
will then work to develop groups in the north, mid and southern parts
which will function as satellites of BCIS. We will work to have this happen
all over the province. Also, we are planning events to give member the
opportunity to learn, have access to seeds and plants, to meet people
and to have fun. For example we have three garden tours planned in various
locations so members can meet each other and learn about irises. We are
also discussing a mentoring program where knowledgeable people will be
made aware of new growers and will make sure they have sufficient attention
to be successful. Only time will tell if we have reached our goals.
We have
been most fortunate to have members who are ‘dedicated to BCIS and others
who have been really supportive. For example Kate Brewitt who is the Secretary
of the Canadian Iris Society [CIS] has given us exceptional support by
promoting BCIS and providing us with suggestions and information. Terry
Aitkin and Bruce Filardi of Region 13 have been very encouraging and Will
Plotner of GPIS and Bill McLoy of KCIS have both extended us a warm welcome
and an invitation to join them in some of their events.
At the
present time about 45% of the members live on Salt Spring Island where
gardening is a passion. Currently the Executive are from here except for
the three Directors mentioned above. However, over time as BCIS membership
increases I anticipate that the bulk of the members will be in the Lower
Mainland [Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley] with the leadership
shifting to there. Also, if we do our job well there will be many semi
independent iris groups scattered across BC and the function of BCIS will
shift to a coordinating role.
The next
few years will be exciting and we are all looking forward to many great
times together, We would very much like to hear from anyone who has suggestions
which would help us along. Of course we invite anyone who is interested
to join BCIS or to come to our events.
For further
information, contact Ted Baker at [250] 653-4430, or 185 Furness Road,
Salt Spring Island, BC, V8K 1Z7, or click the email link below:
E-mail
Request for Guest Iris
Beardless Irises
AIS Convention, Victoria,
BC, 2011
The
British Columbia Iris Society (BCIS) will host the American Iris Society
Convention in Victoria in 2011 from May 30th to June 4th. Hybridizers
of beardless varieties are invited to send rhizomes of recent introductions
and seedlings under consideration for introduction. Please observe the following guidelines when sending guest irises
as only officially submitted guest irises will appear in the convention
booklet.
Up to three
rhizomes of each variety, and not more than 48 plants from each hybridizer,
will be accepted, shipped to arrive after September 14 and before September
18, 2008. [Note: Pacific Coast iris can be shipped later by special arrangement].
US
hybridizers may ship plants to:
Patrick Spence
C/O A Plus Products
21828 87th Ave SE
Suite C-2
Woodinville, WA 98072 USA
Other
hybridizers, and any US hybridizers who wish to, may ship plants the same
week to:
Karen Phillips
2-804 Pemberton Road
Victoria, BC, V8S 3R4, CANADA
All packages being sent
into Canada MUST have a phytosanitary sertificate attached. Also, mark
the package as a gift to prevent taxes being charged and place a modest
value on the plants to reduce any brokerage fees being charged by the
delivery company.
The name of the variety
or seedling number should be clearly marked on each rhizome. In addition, the following information should accompany each plant
on a separate packing list:
·
Hybridizer's name and address
·
Name or seedling number of the variety
·
Type of iris (Sib, Spu, etc.)
·
Height, colour, distinguishing features
·
Bloom season (EML)
·
Year of introduction (if applicable)
If a guest seedling is later named, it will
be the responsibility of the hybridizer to notify the Guest Iris Chairman
by December 1, 2010.
A receipt will be mailed
to all contributors. Shortly before the convention, contributors will be
asked for instruction regarding the disposition of the plants. Failure to
reply by June 15th, 2011 will be interpreted as permission to destroy all
seedlings, and distribute named varieties, one to garden owners and the
rest to the British Columbia Iris Society. Returns will be sent freight
paid to Canadian addresses. International addresses, including USA, will
be charged for phytosanitary certificate and shipping.
The Convention Committee and the owners of tour
gardens will strictly adhere to the code of ethics as printed in the AIS
Convention Handbook.
BCIS
Irises for Sale
Paul
Black and Thomas Johnson of Mid-America
Gardens have generously donated 15 of their newer bearded iris introductions
as a fund raiser for BCIS. Also, the Yakima Valley Iris Society hosted
the Region 13 Convention last May and distributed surplus guest irises
to all clubs in Region 13. While
we are not part of Region 13, we are listed as an affiliate so they included
us and we received 117 bearded irises.
A listing of these plants, with prices, appears at the bottom of
the Summer/Fall 2007 bulletin. As most of these plants are recent introductions
they do not yet qualify for American Iris Society awards. However, some have already won Honourable Mentions
[HM] and other awards as noted. You can see pictures of most of the irises
by clicking HERE.
The irises whose photos
do not appear on the link provided, include:
Crown Connection
(Cadd)
Deliciously Different (Aitken)
It’s A Pleasure (Black)
Juke Box Hero ( Laurer)
Say Goodbye (Hager)
Sleeper (Ernst)
Stardust Dragon (Cadd)
The prices
for these irises are very reasonable and in some cases less than half
the catalogue price. You can order plants now and they will be ready for
pickup or mail out next July. This sale is limited to BCIS members. Robb Smith is in charge
of the sale and can be contacted at 250 537 9824 or resmith@saltspring.com or by writing
Robb at 405 Walker’s Hook Road, Salt Spring Island, BC. V8K 1N7.
Painting
of Irises
Barry
Rafuse, a BCIS member from Vernon, generously offered to paint a picture
of irises as a fund raiser for BCIS. We
plan to sell the painting by ‘open auction’. This
means you can contact Kate Brewitt, who is in charge of the auction,
and she will tell you what the highest bid is at that time. The highest bid for the painting will also be
posted on our website from time to time. (As of March 11, the highest bid for the painting
is $275.) Bids on the painting will be accepted by letter or e-mail.
Bidding closes October 31, 2008. Kate can be contacted at justonemoreiris@yahoo.ca
or by writing her at 120 Glass Drive, Aurora, ON L4G 2E8. You can reach
her at 1-905-841-9676 for call-in bids but they must be followed by a
confirmation letter within 7 business days.
Painting
details:
-
Original painting.
-
Painting will
be framed to ‘art gallery standards’ with metal frame and acid free
mat under glass.
-
The painting is
not a copy.
-
Painting is on
acid free watercolour paper and is 22 by 30 inches in size. The frame
size is 28 by 36 inches.
-
The medium used
was acrylic paint and oil pastel [mixed media].
-
This type of painting
would sell for $700.00 to $800.00 in the galleries which represent
Barry’s work.
About
Barry Rafuse Barry uses mixed
media and his style can be described as loose and aggressive, and he has
a strong bias to abstraction. Use of brush strokes, pastel markings and
texturing produce motion in his work.
Barry is largely self taught but has taken many courses from leading
Canadian artists and at Emily Carr College. He is currently represented
by six galleries in Vancouver, Prince George and the Okanagan. Barry is
a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and for over two decades
has competed and exhibited in juried shows in BC.
He was recently requested to complete a 10’ by 10’ piece for the
new Vernon Centre for the Performing Arts.
Minutes
of BCIS Planning Meeting for 2007
A meeting
to plan for the coming year was held 18 November, 2006, at the home of
Phillip and Ketty Hughes, 126 Fruitvale Rd., Salt Spring Island, BC.Twenty
members attended. President Ted Baker welcomed attendees and announced
that BCIS membership has grown to 100, with members residing across British
Columbia, as well as Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and one in Arizona.
Treasurer's
Report
Barb
Aust reported a bank balance of $1,494.08.
Secretary's
Report
Dee Fitton
reported that press releases had been sent to various local newspapers
and magazines preceding each local garden tour. There was a good response,
including a feature article with colour photos by the Victoria Times Colonist.
It was agreed that those organizing upcoming garden tours should send
the secretary a list of local newspapers to be contacted.
Upcoming
Events
In collaboration
with the Salt Spring Island Club, BCIS is bringing Terry Aitken, owner
of Aitken's Salmon Creek Gardens in Vancouver, WA to Salt Spring for a
joint presentation to the garden club as well as a workshop for BCIS members.
This event is scheduled for 28 March with workshop on the 29th. Pat Spiers
will coordinate a billeting list for off-island visitors.
Membership
It was
decided that memberships will run from May to May. Dues for a single membership
will continue at $15, and $16 for family. Joyce Prothero volunteered to
do memberships and will keep the lists up to date as well as send any
reminders.
E-mail
To address
security concerns, it was decided that all e-mails will go through Pat
Page, rather than distribute the addresses at large.
Website
Webmaster
Harry Hill is updating the web site and reported that 886 visitors have
visited the site since last January. It was decided that a question and
answer section be added to the newsletter and that it be archived on the
web site.
Newsletter
Editor
Marshall
Soules is preparing the next newsletter for January, 2007 and will get
estimates for colour for the printed versions. It was also agreed that
special mailings will be used for membership reminders and the iris auction
in July.
Events
for 2007
Plans
for a May 27th garden tour in Victoria are well underway, with five possible
gardens lined up. In the Okanagan, Penny Santosham has planning underway
for three possible gardens to visit on June 2. On the Lower Mainland,
garden tours are not yet organized in the Fraser Valley or in Surrey.
It was suggested that Courtenay and Salt Spring will also be organizing
a tour for spring. A plant auction is planned for 2007. Robb Smith will
organize a list of list of donations for a mail-out in April. Participants
are asked to only donate named species or varieties, and those with unique
qualities.
Other
Business
It was
decided to join the BC Council of Garden Clubs in January. Among other
benefits, the council provides access to affordable insurance rates for
garden clubs.
AIS
2006 Convention Photos
Those
who attended the American Iris Society's convention in Portland, Oregon,
in May, 2006, will be especially interested in looking at photos taken
at the various gardens visited in the Portland area. Click HERE
to view some photos.
Can-West
Iris Society
The Can-West
Iris Society will be hosting its first Iris Show in Winnipeg, Manitoba
on Saturday, June 7th 2008 at the St. James Civic, Center, 2055 Ness Avenue.
AIS Judges Training will also be offered. For information please e-mail
B. J. Jackson at jacksonb@brandonu.ca
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