Welcome to the sixth issue of the AIS News & Notes.  Please let us know what you would like to see here.  And if you have notes you would like to add, or you would like to become a reporter, please let us know!  You can contact either Bob Pries or Wayne Messer with your comments or interest.

 

One of the things I like about editing News & Notes is it gives me an excuse for looking at all the iris websites (as if I needed an excuse).  Many of these are parts of the AIS family, AIS, Regional, and local AIS Clubs websites.  Additionally, there are also personal websites about irises or gardens that you should include in your Internet travels.  Like these:

I had found (and saved; but, forgotten I saved) Neil Houghton's Diamond Rise Gardener blog some time before becoming part of News & Notes.  I found it, and him, again while admiring the G.R.I.S. (Greater Rochester Iris Society) website, which he created, in Region 2.  One notable aspect of his blog is it includes videos such as this short tour of his garden.  There are lots of great iris pictures and be sure to note the slideshow of pictures on the right sidebar in both his and the G.R.I.S. website.

You've already seen Susanne Holland Spicker as one of the contributors to the AIS blog World of Irises where her most recent posting was Tall Bearded Iris and Companion Plants.  Did you know she also has a personal blog - Sowing the Seeds?  It highlights her passion for gardening and irises.  Included are lots of collages of tall bearded irises such as these.

All of these are great examples of how you can use a Free service (Blogger with a Blogspot address is a free service from Google) to create a website.  If you are considering creating a website for yourself, or your Club, here is some help getting started with Blogger.

As we mentioned in the previous News & Notes, the Irises Bulletin has a new editor.  There have also been changes in advertising rates and submission practices as described below.  (And as an aside, did you know the AIS Commercial Directory Listing page is commercial concerns that are current AIS Bulletin advertisers?)

Effective with the Jan/Feb issue of 2014, the following changes in advertising rates for IRISES have been approved by the board.

2 issues within same year discount  

Place a display advertisement of any size and in any location  in an issue of IRISES for the normal price as listed and place that same size advertisement in any issue within the same year for one-half the price of the original advertisement. The second advertisement within the same year is 1/2 price - it does not have to be the same advertisement.

 

Color Back Cover Rates

1/2 page outside back cover - 8.5" w x 5.5" h (centered) --$300.00

3/4 page  outside back cover - 8.5" w x 9" h -- $600 (cannot be full page due to postal franking)

 

The new editor/layout person is Kathleen Sonntag (aiseditor@irises.org).  LOCATION of advertisement is first come first served.  You may reserve a specific location in advance by payment in advance with location and size specified.  

 

Advertisements in the proper format should be submitted to the advertising editor as per instructions found on the Advertising Rates page of "Irises" (page 60 of Jul/Aug 2013 issue)(Payment and correctly formated advertisement sent to me at address below).  This includes changes you are making to your "Shopping Section" ads. 

 

Thank you, Ron Killingsworth, Advertising Editor "Irises", retmiagt@gmail.com (318) 996-9969  10329 Caddo Lake Rd, Mooringsport, LA 71060

 

For all you Emembers, the October-November issue Irises the Bulletin of the American Iris Society is now available.  And those of you who receive it through the mail should also have it in your hands.   As usual, the World of Irises had a preview of what it includes.

 

In the latest Irises Bulletin (Oct/Nov, p 18), Bonnie Nichols talks about some of the gardens you will have an opportunity to see at the 2014 National Convention.  Read her descriptions and then follow the links she mentions which we have gathered here for your convenience.  One of the gardens on the tour is the Clark Gardens with their website here.  Check out their video tour on the front page.  The Iris Society of Dallas is hosting the Convention and has a 2014 AIS Convention page here.

 

And of course, what everyone is looking for, this month's jigsaw iris puzzle.  See and enjoy it here.  Also, in researching the photo contest results, I found at the bottom of the results page are some more puzzles!  See them at the bottom of this page.