Annual Show - A show is held every year during peak TB bloom season, usually the first or second weekend in May at the Knoxville Center Mall, formerly East Towne Mall, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

This year's show will be held on May 3, 2007 from 10:30 to 4:30.  Area Will be open at 7:30 AM for entries. Many varieties of  unusual Iris of beautiful form and color will be on display.  Experts will be on hand to answer inquiries about growing all kinds of iris plants.We had so much fun with the demonstration type of show last year, we plan to do it again this year, instead of the usual judged show.  This type show allows more time for interaction with the public, demonstrations, and encourages participation, hopefully recruiting new club members.  In the future, we may alternate between judged and demonstration shows.

This year, we are adding a theme for an artistic section of the demonstration, with members of the public invited to participate, either in voting for their favorite display or bringing entries.  The theme is "Iris: Nature's Masterpiece".  All entries are designer's interpretation.  Design classes are “Blue Boy” using blue iris;  ‘Hello Dali, Abstract ;  “The Pieta”, white container, suitable for church altar;  “Whistler’s Mother: mass arrangement for Mother’s Day;  “Everyone’s an Artist” anything goes.  Saturday is also Kentucky Derby Day, so at least one designer plans to incorporate horse shoes!

ETIS  invites any iris grower to bring blooms to show, and anyone who likes to make “bouquets” to enter our artistic classes.  “Viewers’ Choice” Awards will be given to horticultural and artistic entries which get the most viewer votes.

For future judged shows, entries will be accepted from 8 to 11 AM. Non-members are welcome to enter the show.  Judging for the horticultural show begins at 11:00. Judging for the artistic division begins at 12:00. For additional information about entries for the show, call either Geraldine Couturier at 933-0723, Tom Parkhill at 573-8794.

We also sell rhizomes from 9 AM until sold out.

Directions: From I-40 or I-75, take the 640 bypass. Exit on Mall Road South, exit 8 and follow the signs to Knoxville Center Mall.  Enter the Mall between Dillard's and Profitts.  The show and sale are in the central court of the mall.

 

Rhizome sales - Two rhizome sales are held each year.  A limited number of rhizomes are sold in conjunction with the spring show. 

The main rhizome sale will be in June as part of the annual Blooms Days Garden Festival sponsored by the Friends of the UT Gardens. The Festival is on June 28 & June 29 in the University of Tennessee Gardens on the UT Agricultural Campus in Knoxville. As part of the Festival, members Bob Lauf and Tom Parkhill will be presenting a program each day on how to grow and care for irises.

Each year, the club orders newer iris and distributes them to members to determine suitability for our climate and provide newer rhizomes to the public after plants multiply.  Rhizomes offered for sale are excess rhizomes from club members’ gardens, proven growers in our climate.  Named tall bearded irises are mostly $4 each; varieties known only by color and smaller named varieties of bearded irises will be sold for $2 each.  We always have a few free iris and always try to add a  bonus rhizome or more to each purchase.

If you plan to come late on either of the sale days, please let us know - sometimes, we leave early if most rhizomes are sold and customers stop coming.