More iris pics...

Peak bloom is in full swing. Had a great open garden and really enjoyed showing all the visitors around. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

Spring work continues

The iris season is in full swing and is keeping me very busy. Our friends Kevin and Adam came out this weekend and helped us with some big projects. It is amazing how fast a large project can go when there's more than one person doing it. We:

- finished the ramp to the (eventual) chicken yard.
- widened and edged the pathway along the terraces heading down hill
- weeded a huge iris bed along the drive
- cleaned out more brush from the (formerly) big pile and rearranged the stumps into an attractive formation.

What a difference it all makes! Here's pics.


Stumps before and after - so much better! Now they forma nice arc that will be a great backdrop to the shrub border I want to put in front of them, with iris beds in front of that.


Loads of irises are opening. 90 varieties opened this past week between Monday and Thursday. My grandmother's favorite color is brown, and she had brown irises in her garden when I was a kid. Here's several in the brown family that are currently blooming. Last shot is the Kleinsorge bed at sundown.








I missed 'friday cat blogging' so here's a pretty picture of Miss Gracie. She is ever so elegant, even when sitting in the dirt. That's Daniel's truck Wanda in the back.

Unbelievable...

Friday Cat Blogging

I think it's a rule or something. Heeeeeeere's Chewie!

More irises!

Ten varieties opened today. Bloomstalks are on the rise everywhere you look. Here's a few photos.


This purple I acquired at a cemetery in South Dakota. I was driving to IL and stopped for gas. Noticed a cemetery with what looked like irises growing everywhere behind the place, so I took a little wak and sure enough there were thousands of fans covering large areas of the old cemetery. Given the abundance I felt taking a start was hardly an issue, and hopefully this iris will be preserved.


It's very cute, and probably quite old. Only one branch and four buds on the bloomstalk. Perhaps it would do better in richer soil, but I doubt it. Wonderful satin sheen to the petals, and a bright violet tone not usually seen in these early germanica types.


This richly colored little iris is called Death By Chocolate.

More to come...

-M

Whaaaahooo!

Iris season is started, and I could not be more excited. Should be an excellent bloom season, barring any unusual weather events. Here's the first photo of this little variety blooming for me. This is The Bride (Caparne, 1901). Isn't she sweet?


Continuing with spring blooms here are some shots of one of my Brunnerea ('Langtrees', I suspect - not enough silver on the leaves to be 'Jack Frost')



And a lovely spring pansy - Mr. Peter Pansy to be precise - checking out something in the iris beds. He and Gracie have caught alot of rodents lately, which pleases us to no end. And have I mentioned the savings on cat food?



Rodents. Recommended by kittehs everywhere.

Sunny day on Arcadia Point.

What a lovely weekend it has been. We got so much done in the garden, and the bearded irises have started blooming as well. Here are a few photos. Garden named 'supertiny', I believe this is really i. pumila. It is almost always the first bearded iris to bloom each year. So cute. it is joined by Plum Wine, another MDB (miniature dwarf bearded).



(as always, click the photos to see the full size image)

This is for Kellie and Doris - check it out, trees in the ground. It's like a christmas miracle! Could not have done it without you both. =) I discovered that once you get past the top 8-10 inches the soil is considerable less compacted and easier to work with. It give sme hope for getting the rest of these beds done this spring.




And last, what weekend would be complete without a good cat picture, so here's Boo Boo having a nap on Daniels quilt that his grandmother made for him. A winning combination any day.