1. home and garden

May 2015
Vol 58, Issue 8
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May Program
Meeting Place
AIS 2015 Photo Contest Winner! If winning the contest is your aspiration—or you just
First Baptist Church
want to take beautiful iris photos for your Facebook page—the May meeting is for
17765 Daves Avenue
you. Our speaker, Jan Cheung, combines a lifelong passion for flowers and
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Next Meeting
photography with a talent for teaching, and will share her tips and techniques on how
to take terrific photos of our favorite flower.
Friday, May 1, 2015
Jan studied Ikebana for 40 years, and as a certified Wafu Ikebana instructor taught in
Doors open 7:00 P.M.
her own Ikebana store for five years. She expanded that store into a full-service florist
shop, which she ran for 28 years. From there Jan transitioned into weddings (floral
and photography) and has won many photographic awards in three camera clubs.
Jan suggests you bring a photo to share—print or digital—and your camera, and (as
time allows) she will review camera settings and discuss the photos.
̶ Lynn Stuart, VP & Program
Hey Iris—Smile!
Chair
Nominating Committee Information
Come to the May meeting to find out who the slate of new officers will be. The only
Club
Membership
Dues
unfilled position is for a director. We have five of the six directors required by our
bylaws. I will be happy to hear from someone who would like to have that position.
Voting will take place at the June meeting. Thank you, Philippa Alvis and Jane
Sep 1, 2014 Aug 31, 2015
Reiter, for your invaluable help with creating the slate of officers. I express my
Adults - $12.00
slate.
Contact Information:
Barbara Pesek, President
bpesek@sbcglobal.net
gratitude to the people who have agreed to volunteer their services for the new
̶ Barbara Pesek, CBRIS President
CBRIS-May 2015
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CBRIS Meeting Minutes
April 3, 2015
President Barbara Pesek opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m., and wished happy
birthday to Richard Lango, Jean Hawkins, Pat Hawkins and Linda Stremel.
VP Lynn Stuart introduced our guest speaker, Riley Probst. Riley discussed prepping
and showing irises at a spring show. He also showed us creative ways to transport our
long stemmed beauties using a wine box or a 6 pack carrier. Save styrofoam from
packing to brace the stems and newspaper is also useful. Riley suggested walking
around the garden one week before the show to look at your stalks just forming. On
Wednesday or Thursday, cut the stalks and bring them inside your house. To speed up
blooming, you can use warm water or place under a light. To slow blooming, put the
bloom in a dark room in the coolest part of the house and use ice cold water.
Barbara Pesek
Your name and address are needed on the entry tags, so address labels come in
handy. To place the iris in the show tubes, use paper towels to avoid leaving
fingerprints on the stalk. Foam rubber is useful to hold the stalk securely in place.
After Riley’s helpful presentation, Barbara thanked Rosemary Chivers, Jane Kwant, Lynn Stuart and Mark Greene
who brought refreshments, and we took a break to enjoy them.
After the break, Barbara thanked Carolyn Craft for her comprehensive
article in the newsletter about the SF Flower and Garden Show. Wayne
Craft handed out yearbooks to those who didn’t have theirs. It was decided
at last month’s board meeting to put as much of the yearbook on our website
as possible. The bylaws, policies and standing rules have been placed there
already. The yearbook is expensive to print and most of it doesn’t change.
The membership roster will be put on a spreadsheet and passed out.
Jane Jordan announced that Jane Anne Walters’ garden would be open on
April 4th from 10 am – 2 pm and Jane’s would be open on April 12th from
2 pm – 5 pm. Mark Greene took signups for the Master Gardener’s Spring
Market on April 11. I took show signups and rounded up the trophies. The
Spring Regional was April 17-19th at Bass Lake and many CBRIS members
were able to attend.
Riley Probst
CBRIS officer nominations will be presented at the May meeting and voted on at
the June meeting. Thanks were expressed to Jane Reiter, Philippa Alvis and
Helen Bliven for volunteering to help with the nominations.
Barbara received an email from Wayne Crabbs of Monterey Bay Society asking
if we could coordinate our show dates next year so that they don’t fall on the
same weekend as it would be fun to go to both.
We had the door prize drawing and the meeting was adjourned.
Jane Kwant & John Pesek
Respectfully submitted,
Carol Dahout, Secretary
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CBRIS-May 2015
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Treasurer’s Report
Beginning balance, April 1, 2015:
To be a Judge or not…
$12,465.23
Additions: spring garden market sales
show sales
dues
misc. income (card sales)
401.72
853.88
16.00
21.00
Expenses: church rent, Jan-June
photo plant stakes
name badges
program supplies
show judges
judges lunch
show expenses
150.00)
(11.03)
(18.74)
(6.50)
(300.00)
(104.28)
(326.61)
Ending balance, April 30, 2015
$12,840.67
Look what John and Barbara Pesek ran
into while judging a show for MDIS at
Alden Nursey – an ugly sweater contest!
John is the one NOT wearing a sweater.
Culture
Hopefully you have been identifying your irises as they bloom. Check to see that the name matches the iris. Label with an
old mini- blind, a plastic knife or plant markers. A grease pencil or a china marker should be used for longer legibility as
sharpies only last about a year. Ink jet labels last two or three years. You may want to bury a marker down inside by the
roots as an added precaution. A number two pencil works well for that. An iris garden map is always a good idea in addition
to labeling. If you can, take a photo of your iris to help identify and record your irises. Work carefully, growing bloom stalks
are fragile and break easily.
Watch for leaf diseases like rust and leaf spot. These are problems made worse by crowding your irises. Of course, keep
̶ Updated from Carl Boro
those weeds pulled and watch for snails.
Tidbits for May
̶ Carl Boro
In the northern hemisphere May Day is the celebration of the beginning of spring with traditions of dancing around the
Maypole and crowning of the Queen of May. My nomination for the Queen of May is Carol Dahout, chairperson of the CBRIS
Spring Show. I was reminded at our just concluded event that there is a huge range of responsibilities to produce a show.
Carol, as always, did this with a spirit of graciousness and humor. Planning included making numerous phone calls, creating
the show poster and show schedule, gathering the trophies, and finding judges. She performed
many more unmentioned behind the scenes duties.
I won’t forget the way the queen’s loyal subjects exhibited their spirit of camaraderie, showed
what team players look like, and willingly carried out manual labor by bringing show supplies from
their homes, into the mall, and back out of the mall. They set up the sales and display tables, sold
potted irises, spoke with the public, and most importantly, staged their blooms and created artistic
arrangements. Much more work was also completed.
I offer kudos and congratulations to Clara B. Rees members for a successful show.
̶ Barbara Pesek, CBRIS President
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CBRIS-May 2015
Spring Garden Market
Refreshments
Mark Greene chaired the Spring Sale on Saturday, April 11, 2015.
Cara Vainish
The sales were down this year partly due to a lower attendance
and partly because of the drought concerns. People forget that an
Barbara Pesek
John Pesek
iris is a drought tolerant plant. You get a lot of flowers in that one
little rhizome and irises are not a thirsty plant! CBRIS appreciates
those club members that helped out at the sale. Thank you, Mark!
Drinks
Elaine Fischer
̶ photo by Mark Greene
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CBRIS-May 2015
April 2015
Jane Anne
Riley & Chris
Barbara, Linda & Georgina
Mark & Peter
Rosemary
Riley & John
Philippa & Kalpana
Jane
Henry
Jane, Jim & Elaine
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CBRIS-May 2015
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CBRIS-May 2015
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‘Simply IRISistible’ Spring Show!
We had a fine show April 25-26th at Westgate Mall in San Jose, and I thank and
congratulate all who entered and/or participated. We had 18 members exhibit in
horticulture and artistic displays for a total of 92 entries in Horticulture and 16 in
Artistic. Nineteen blue, twenty-nine red, eighteen white and nine honorable
mention ribbons were awarded. Ribbons and trophies will be presented at the
June meeting.
Henry Rojas won Best Specimen of Show with his tall bearded, “Shadows of the
Night”, which also took Best Tall Bearded. Jane Anne Walters won Best
Beardless with “Ila Remembered”, a spuria which also claimed Best Spuria. Jane
Anne didn’t stop there! Her iris, “Big Money” won Best Pacific Coast. Jane Jordan took Best Bearded Other Than Tall
with “Limonada”, an intermediate bearded. People’s Choice for Horticulture and Artistic will remain a secret until the
June meeting!
Our horticulture judges this year were Barbara Pesek, Yarda and Eric Hansen,
and Lorraine and Gordon Nicholson. They had a tough task and we appreciate
their thoughtful deliberations.
The show was well attended by the public and we gained
one new member, Carolyn Marshall, and perhaps several
more. Welcome, Carolyn! Lots of people signed up for
our email list to be reminded of future CBRIS events and
sales. Our Facebook page received 594 likes last week.
Our treasurer, Mary Collins will report on our plant sales.
I would like to thank our Artistic Chair, Lisa Ayala. I would also like to thank our historic
members, Carl Boro, who always does a great job with placement and classification, and
Marilyn Boro, our official Registrar. Thanks to Kalpana Shayam for taking on Publicity, and
our erstwhile photographer, Mikey Lango! Big thanks also to Mary Collins who took care of
plant sales, and spurred us on to sell, sell, sell!
I could not chair this show without the help and support of my family. My husband,
Steven, did the show schedule design and layout, thanks to his skills in photoshop, and
my daughter, Alexandra, also skilled in photoshop, designed and did
the layout for the show posters and flyers. I am a lucky girl.
I am grateful to all those who showed up Friday night to do the very
important set up – Lynn Stuart, Christine Dickinson, John and Barbara
Pesek, Ken and Jane Reiter, Elaine Fischer, Mikey Lango, Mary Collins,
Mark Greene, Wayne Craft and Mary Bartholomew (former member).
Last but not least, thanks to the clerks and hospitality sales people:
Mary Collins, Jane Jordan, Carolyn Craft, Lynn Stuart, Grace Keng,
Elaine Fischer, Mark Greene, Rosemary Chivers, Cara Colletti, Jane
Kwant and Philippa Alvis.
Congratulations to Mikey Lango for surviving her one-on-one bench training with Lorraine
Nicholson! She is one step closer to being one of the regions next judges.
̶ Carol Dahout, Show Chair
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CBRIS-May 2015
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CBRIS-May 2015
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CBRIS-May 2015
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Report of the Awards Committee 2015 Spring Regional
Dan Cereghino’s, Guy and Carolyn Hoover’s, and Bill Tyson’s gardens were the focus of attention while viewing
the guest rhizomes for the 2015 Spring Regional meeting. It was organized and hosted by the Region’s youngest
affiliate, the Yosemite Iris Society. Forty-six attendees cast ballots for the annual garden awards. The results of the
tabulation follow.
1) Knopf Cup for the best seedling by a Region 14 hybridizer
Winner 04-16-5 by Bill Tyson
1st Runner Up 10-1-Q by Jim Cummins
2nd Runner Up 06-06-11 by Bill Tyson
2) Out-of-Region Award for the best iris (seedling or named) by a hybridizer outside of Region 14
Winner was a tie between Jim’s Gem by Jim Hedgecock
and 1610 by Linda Miller
2nd Runner Up was a tie between Beefy by Tom Burseen
and Asteroid Shower by Jim Hedgecock
3) Cotillion Cup for the best introduction in 2015 by a Region 14 hybridizer
Winner What a Beauty by Joe Ghio
1st Runner Up Not Broke This Time by Bill Tyson
4) Clara B. Rees Cup for the best introduced (not 2015) iris seen in a clump (three blooming stalks) by a
Region 14 hybridizer
Winner Teasing Tiger by John Painter
1st Runner Up Jazzberry by John Painter
2nd Runner Up In the Loop by Joe Ghio
5) Jim Gibson Cup for the best seedling or named plicata by a Region 14 hybridizer in the last five years
(including 2015)
Winner Jazzberry by John Painter
1st Runner Up 04-16-5 by Bill Tyson
2nd Runner Up Planet Hollywood by Leslie Painter
6) Hager-DuBose Memorial Cup for the best bearded iris (not tall) in the last five years
Winner was a tie between 1610 by Linda Miller
and Border Skirmish by Joe Ghio
2nd Runner up was a tie between QBDX40PQ by Riley Probst
and Little Blue Girl by Larry Lauer
The Melrose Award for the best beardless at the regional was not awarded due to there being no beardless guest
rhizomes and an insufficient number of votes cast for other beardless irises in the gardens.
Awards Committee: William Fink, Chair, Lucy Janzer Fink, Barbara and Ted Hawkins, Nola and Gary Prevost
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CBRIS-May 2015
Happy Birthday
Photos, etc.
Thank you to all that helped with the newsletter this
May Birthdays
month. I certainly appreciate receiving the photos
Mark Greene
5/04
from Mary Collins, Jim Cummins, Mark Greene,
Cara Colletti
5/13
Jane Jordan, Barbara Pesek, and Jane Anne
Carol Dahout
5/30
Walters. Thanks for the great editing job Marilyn
Boro and Mary Collins! It has been a busy month.
All of you made it a bit easier to get this finished.
Superstition Iris Garden
Mariposa Iris
On our way to the Regional in Bass Lake we were
One of the extra gardens that we stopped by to
fortunate to have enough time to stop by Rick Tasco and
visit on the way to the Spring Regional was Doug
Roger Duncan’s Superstition Iris Garden in Cathey’s
and Diane Kanarowski’s Mariposa Iris Garden.
Valley. Opening day and what a treat! Irises blooming
Doug is a candid hybridizer and into “iris of the
everywhere! Between all the pretty blooms and our
future” His guidelines are that an iris must be 20%
gracious hosts all three of us purchased more irises.
better or different, a good grower and have strong
Now where to put these new lovelies? Superstition has
curb appeal. Here is a man set in his personal
a very nice Facebook page with beautiful photos of their
convictions and he is quite vocal about what is
irises. Check it out. This week end will be their last open
right and wrong with any iris. Although our visit
weekend. If you want to have a little outing, stop by the
was a bit short on time, it was a definite iris
gardens. You will be glad that you took the drive.
experience! Best of luck to you, Doug! Thank you
Superstition Iris Garden
2536 Old Highway
for sharing your garden. His website can be found
at http://www.mariposairis.com.
Cathey's Valley, CA 95306
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CBRIS-May 2015
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Artistic Show Report
Thank you to all who participated. Thank you to Mark Greene for helping with clerking, water, etc.
Section A
Beginner's Luck First: Carol Dahout
Section B
It's Just Me
Section C
Up and Coming First: Lisa Ayala;
Second: Mark Greene
Third: Jane Anne Walters
Hon. Mention: Grace Keng
Section D
New Horizons
First: Lisa Ayala
Second: Mark Greene
Third: Jane Anne Walters
Section E
Arigato
First: Jane Anne Walters
Second: Kalpana Shyam;
Third: Lisa Ayala
Section F
Bootstrap Bill
First: Henry Rojas
Second: Mark Greene
First: Lisa Ayala
Second: Jane Anne Walters
Third: Grace Keng
Best Design in Artistic: New Horizons, entered by Lisa Ayala
Artistic Sweepstakes: Lisa Ayala
People's Choice: To be Announced
̶ Lisa Ayala, Artistic Char
Leaf Spot Information
Jim Hedgecock the owner of Comanche Acres Iris Garden in Missouri and the keynote speaker and judge’s trainer
at our recent Region 14 Regional just put out his third newsletter for 2015. Find it at jim@comancheacresiris.com.
This is quoted material from his newsletter.
“While I was in California, I had several people ask me about leaf spot. We don’t know exactly know what causes
leaf spot. We do know that in wet years, leaf spot will be more prevalent in irises. The thought is that water from
rain splashes soil up on the iris leaves and causes the spots. The same principle may be true if you hand water
your irises and water splashes up on the leaves. Leaf spot can be controlled with any good fungicide that can be
purchased at your local hardware or garden center. If your garden normally has some leaf spot, start early with
applications every two weeks or so until bloom starts. Adding a spreader sticker to your fungicide mix will make the
spray stick and hold better. A trick to use for spreader sticker is to add a generous squirt of dish soap to your
garden mixes. The soap mixes with the chemicals and makes it stick to the leaves better. You will notice that in dry
springs, you will have much less leaf spot.”
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May 2015 Door Prize List
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∆ CROWNED IN GLORY ( Johnson 14 ) 35”, M. S. peach; F. pale violet with a V shaped grape center. Light
caramel peach beards. Looping ruffles on falls.
∆ CRUISE TO AUTUMN ( Lauer 01 ) 32”, E & RE. S. cinnamon brown veined Lavender; F. lavender, paler
toward ¼” cinnamon brown border; beards mustard. Pronounced sweet fragrance.
∆ FRENCH LESSONS ( Kerr 14 ) 36”, M. S. insides are white with a yellow edge, outsides are yellow edged
white then yellow; F. mostly yellow with white edge and wire edge of yellow. White blaze with heavy yellow veins.
∆ GAMBLING MAN (Keppel 14) 38”, M. S lemon; F. lobelia with 1/16" pineapple blended edge, inconspicuous
hafts blended absinthe yellow and liver brown; beards mustard chrome in throat and middle, mustard-yellow end
with hair base of lavender-white.
∆ GOING BIG TIME (Ghio 14) 35”, L. S. white; F. ultra wide rimmed in a deep royal purple edge which bleeds
into the white starburst. Billowing bubble ruffling and a wide tangerine beard. Show branching.
∆ GOLDEN IMMORTAL (G. Sutton 96) 37”, E-M-L & RE. S. and style arms barium yellow; F. Naples yellow,
white area near beard, ¼” bronze gold centerline; beards cadmium orange, white base; ruffled, edges serrate;
pronounced musky fragrance.
∆ GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE (Johnson 14) 33”, M-L. S. brilliant yellow, heavily ruffled; fall centers are light
violet with a wide, shaded center elipse of dark violet. Mid yellow gold haft’s color continues in pleated ruffles
around falls. Dark marigold beards. About seven buds per stalk; growth is strong, vigorous and clean.
∆ HEARTBREAK POINT (G. Sutton 04) 37”, E-M & RE. S. apricot, F. violet blue; beards bright red orange, blue
violet horns, slight sweet fragrance.
∆ LEST WE FORGET (Sutton 08) 37”, E-M-L & RE. S. red-maroon, F. red-burgundy; gold beards, slight spicy
fragrance.
∆ READY FOR MY CLOSE UP (Black 14) 35”, E-M. S. rose claret that blend to rose mauve margins; F. mid
fuchsia centers blend to wide ruby red bands and hafts. Dark burnt orange beards. Heavily ruffled and laced,
strong and vigorous growth, show stalks.
∆ SMOKIN’ HOT (Johnson 14) AB OGB 28”, M. S. light lavender finely veined and lined dark lilac; F. peach
heavily blended dark rose. Big black signals, easy to grow.
∆ SPIRAL GALAXY (Ghio 14) 35”, E-M-L. S. light cream with gold base that veins into the rest of the petal; F.
bright gold with red lines and speckles to the dotted distal edge. Yellow beards. As many as 14 buds; serrated and
ruffled edges.
∆ ST. PETERSBURG (Byers 89) 38”, M & RE. Heavily ruffled silvery violet white changing to green white in
center of F., yellow at hafts, light vio- blue beards tipped yellow; slight fragrance.
∆ VARIEGATED WONDER (Black 14) 40”, M-L. S. cream rimmed gold; F. light yellow overlaid with brick red
veins and wash, ruffled cream edge. Gold beard. Variegated foliage and stalks. Sport of “Wonders Never Cease”.
∆ WINNING STREAK (M. Sutton 04) BB, 26”, M-L & RE. S. violet, F. salmon ground edged violet, orange beards,
ruffled, slight sweet fragrance.
∆ ZZ ZANZIBAR (Kasperek 05) Species, 25”, E-M & RE. S. white, F. white with blue violet veining, white beards.
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