American Iris Society and the Society for Japanese Irises are teaming up for a National Iris Convention 2024.
The Greater Portland Iris Society, of Portland Oregon, has hosted many AIS National Iris Society Conventions and numerous Sectional National Conventions. We are very pleased to be able to host this first-time-ever event. Save the dates from June 26th to June 29th, 2024. Hotel, for the special rate mention AIS National Convention, call 844-209-0741 or https://Hotel online. Special room rates are available three days prior to and three days after the Convention dates, standard room (2 queen) $149.00, and premium room (2 queen or 1 king) $159.00.
2024-Convention-Registration.pdf
A proposed schedule of events can help with your timeline for travel to the Pacific Northwest.
Convention-Schedule.pdf
Geek Dinner registration is separate from the National Convention registration, please use this form to sign up for this fun dinner with its own auction. The funds from the auction help to support AIS Electronic Sevices. If you wish to donate Iris or Merchandise let Jill know. Contact information is on the form.
Geek-Dinner 2024 Registration Form.pdf
Some Highlights of the Convention
besides the Opening and Closing Banquets
Two days of garden tours visiting five gardens of which three are master plantings of the guest plants sent.
The side tour is to the world-famous Japanese Gardens of Portland Oregon. Considered the most authentic Japanese Garden outside of Japan, the Portland Japanese Garden is a haven of tranquil beauty in all four seasons. In the Spring of 2017, the Garden opened its new Cultural Village, complete with new garden spaces, classrooms, exhibition, and gallery space. The garden has very strict limits to the number of persons that it allows on tours. You also must be able to navigate stairs, narrow pathways, and long walks of hills.
There will be three in-classroom Judges Training available to all. One hour on Japanese Iris, one hour on Species-Cross Iris, and a two-hour training on the American Iris Society Awards and Ballots. The Awards and Ballots Class is a must for all Apprentices to become a Judge.
There will be a boutique, silent auction, along with programs from AIS Sections.
Special Auction for the Society for Japanese Irises
Friday night after the Geek Dinner we will be having a live plant auction of Japanese Irises and Species-Cross. Besides the guested plants being offered many newly imported iris from Japan will be on your auction list. All of these plants will be seen growing prior to the auction that afternoon on the garden tour of Mt Pleasant Iris Farm. The plants will be bare-root and wet-wrapped for you to take home. Credit card, check, or cash will be accepted. This is the major fundraiser for the section Society for Japanese Irises.
One item that is most regrettable the hotel no longer supports an airport shuttle. There are several shuttle services available, however, they require a larger party to make them affordable. If traveling with a large group, you may want to research this avenue (Google Portland International Airport Shuttle). To date what has been found at reasonable cost for one, two, or three persons is UBER, LYFT, and several major taxicab companies that service Portland International Airport each quoting approximately $40 to $50 one way. The cab companies are (in alphabetical order) Broadway Cab (503) 333-3333, Radio Cab (503) 205-3317, and Yellow Cab (503) 841-6328. Again, we regret this one extra step that must be taken.
Iris ensata Fun Facts
Iris ensata is known for its graceful foliage, large blooms of many colors, and sometimes bold patterns. The plant generally grows 36″ to 42″ tall with some as small as 18″ and others reaching over 5′ tall. Blooms can be 3″ across to more than 10″. Flower forms can be single 3 falls, double 6 falls, or multi with 9+ falls. There are also flower forms where the bloom can be found as a true double, hose-n-hose, with one bloom inside of another and others that do not open but remain as a bud for their life. All of these differences have been bred from a single species over hundreds of years. Here are a few photos of some of the many differant flower forms that can be found with Iris ensata. Join us in Portland Oregon for the Convention ‘NEW HORIZONS’ and discover for yourself the magical world of Iris ensata.
