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The Greater Omaha Iris Society

Founded in 1950, GOIS is a group of iris enthusiasts in the greater

Omaha, Nebraska area who get together to learn and discuss all

aspects of growing irises. We welcome guests and new members.

Contact: Susan Anderson at 402-731-0962

Becky Kadel at 402-556-2025.

2012 Officers

Becky Kadel, President

Linda Wilkie, Treasurer

Janet Karaus, Vice President

Di Semper, Secretary

Sass Memorial Iris Garden

Built and maintained to show historic iris in a beautiful garden setting.

This garden is devoted to the pioneering iris hybridizing work done by

Hans, Jacob, and Henry Sass. The garden also includes modern

reblooming irises, as well as varieties which have won the American Iris

Society Dykes Medal or the Sass Medal.

Please see seperate 'Sass Iris Garden page' on this web site.

Club meeting dates

(all meetings held at the Douglas/Sarpy County Extension office at 8015 West Center Road in Omaha

unless otherwise noted.)

March 12, 2012/ 6:30 PM Program: Bob Flick (hybridizer of daylilys)

March 17, 2012 / Work day at the Sass Memorial Gardeat 10:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up. Coffee and donuts will be provided by the club.

April 9, 2012/ 6:30 PM Program: Backyard Birds presented by Sandy Seibert.

Note: Garden work day POSTPONED due to threat of storms. RAIN DATE is Saturday, APRIL 21st, at the Sass Memorial Garden at 9:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up.

Coffee and donuts will be provided by the club.

April 16 - 20, 2012 American Iris Society National Convention in Ontario, California. If you've never been to a national Iris convention, this may be your year! You will be immersed in the wonderful world of iris. See http//www.region15ais.org for more information.

May 4, 2012 Early Bird Lauritzen Gardens Members Only Sale. This is a special sale at Lauritzen Gardens for their members only to take advantage of our early Spring. GOIS will participate with a Rhizome sale, GOIS member recruitment, and Display of any iris blooming in your gardens. You are urged to bring iris from your gardens so we can show a beautiful display of our favorite flowers.

May 12, 2012/ Work day at the Sass Memorial Garden at 9:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up. Coffee and donuts will be provided by the club. We're working on touring a iris

garden after the Garden clean-up. Current plans are to eat at the Mahoney Lodge before going to tour the iris garden. Exact cetails on this, later.

May 14, 2012 / Program: Discuss and show how to prepare iris for the Show, for Horticulture Section and Design Section. People experienced in showing iris of all classes will give you tips on what to do and how to do it to win at the Greater Omaha Iris Show and other shows.

May 18 - 20, 2012/ Spring Into Spring Festival at Lauritzen Gardens. Buy lots of treasures at a reasonable price. This is a great plant sale that benefits GOIS as well as the Lauritzen Gardens. We will sell potted iris on the 18th and 19th and have a display only on the 20th. This is a great opportunity to talk about your wonderful iris and maybe even find new ones!

May 20, 2012 / Annual Iris Show Entries accepted from 7:30 to 9:30 AM. Iris entered in the Horticulture Division must be correctly identified as to variety name and grown by the exhibitor. Arrangments may also be entered in the artistic design division. An exhibitor may enter only one exhibit per class, but may enter as many classes as desired. Judging will be done by judges of the National Council of State Garden Clubs and/or The American Iris Society. Open to the public at no charge from 12:30 to 4:00 PM.

May 25 - 26, 2012 / Regional Spring GardenTour and AIS Region 21 Spring Meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska. Contact Gary White, Convention Chairman at 402-432-1550 (cell) or 402-421-6394 (home) for more information.

June 16, 2012/ Pot Luck & Picnic at the Sass Memorial Garden at 10:00 AM. Work at 10:00 AM followed lunch. Members are asked to bring food to share; beverages and utensils will be provided by the club. Of course, we'll talk about all the great (and maybe not-so-great) iris blooms this Spring.

July 21, 2012 / Work day Digging Project at the Sass Memorial Garden, 8:00 AM. Get there early before the heat. We'll have cold drinks and donuts ready for you. This is the day we dig iris for sale to the public. Rain date is July 22 - just in case!

July 23, 2012 / Meeting: Prepare Rhizomes for sale 6:30 PM. Bring scissors, paper bags, black markers that will work on iris, and newspapers to work on rhizomes. Great opportunity to get your hands dirty again! Meeting will be held at Becky Kadel's house: 4527 Frederick St. It is 3 blocks west of 42nd St between Interstate 80 and Center St. for this meeting only.

July 27 (Friday, 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM) and July 28 (Saturday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM), 2012 / Annual Rhizome Sale at the Douglas/Sarpy County Extension Office. There will also be an Iris Auction at Noon on Saturday where we'll auction off beautiful iris from several commercial hybridizers. These will be iris introduced in 2010, 2011, or 2012. Don't forget to use your coupon for free iris . Coupon may be redeemed only at this July rhizome sale for any iris in the 'club' sale, but not for the Auction. (Coupon may be found on Vendor page of this web site)

August 10 - 11, 2012 / / Fall Region 21 Tour and Meeting Details to follow closer to the meeting date.

August 18, 2012 / Work day at the Sass Memorial Garden at 8:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up. Cold drinks and donuts will be provided.

September 10, 2012/ Program: "Plant Exchange and Ice Cream Social". Bring potted plants of any kind from your garden. Be sure to pot up several weeks in advance so plants are well rooted in their containers and look nice. If you need pots, contact Becky Kadel at 402-556-2025 or Phyllis Randall at 712-520-0911 sometime in August. Ice cream to be provided by GOIS; bring your favorite toppings to share.

September 15, 2012 / Work day at the Sass Memorial Garden at 9:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up. Drinks and donuts will be provided.

October 8, 2012 / Program: OPPD speaker will will talk about their Tree Planting Program. Hear

an expert tell you which trees work the best around and under power lines.

October 20, 2012 Work day at the Sass Memorial Garden at 10:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up. Again, GOIS will provide drinks and donuts. (We're not trying to increase the size of your waist - really!)

November 12, 2012 "Early Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner" 6:30 PM Always a favorite activity. Bring your family and invite friends who may want to know more about iris for our annual festive dinner. The club will provide the Turkey and Gravy; please bring a salad, vegetable, casserole or dessert to share. Best deal in town.................great friends, great food, great comaraderie.

November 17, 2012/ Final Work day at the Sass Memorial Garden at 9:00 AM. Bring garden tools and bags or buckets for clean-up. Help put the gardens to bed for the winter. Hot coffee will be provided along with the usual donuts.