While I'm not a collector nor an expert of iris, I can't imagine my garden without them. To me, an iris bloom is perfection. If I were an artist, I would paint irises.
There are over 300 species of the genus
iris worldwide. Given this broad array of choices we are treated to numerous fine examples of pristine beauties.
With some planning and advance planting, a gardener can be rewarded with iris blooms over several months.
One of the first irises to bloom is the tiny Iris reticulata, a great companion to crocus for zones 5-9. Two other small iris, cycloglossa and danfordiae, for zones 5-9, bloom in May-June.
I haven't
yet planted these tiny (4-5 inch high) irises in my garden, but they are certainly interesting for anyone who loves irises.
In my garden, I start off the bloom season with the Dutch iris. The label information says that these irises bloom in May-June. In my full sun garden in zone 7, my photographs are dated mid-April. The height is 18-22 inches (in bloom) and the Dutch iris bulbs are rated for zones 5-8.
The foliage of the Dutch iris is thin, almost like a wild onion. However, it's fairly easy to conceal if planted behind perennials or shrubs that emerge a bit later. I find that the blooms of my Dutch irises last for about 3 weeks. The deer and rabbits have not bothered these irises.
Given the great attributes of Dutch irises, I decided to add more to my garden.
In October, I added 50 each of 'Telestar' and 'Rosario' to provide lavender and rose colors. The foliage has already emerged, giving me the assurance that all of the bulbs were good.
In early May, my iris pseudacorus (yellow flag) begin blooming. I had experience growing these at a previous home where I literally planted them in the natural creek bank in filtered light.
The yellow flag irises multiply rapidly in wet soil. With a few low, moist locations in my current garden, I decided to introduce them here as well. These irises can reach heights of 4-6 feet and have been reported to grow in zones 4-9.
The iris in the photo is planted in a low spot that is slow to drain, while the companion, a purple smoke bush, is planted in a drier spot. Companions in the other areas include bog sage, monarda and Japanese and Siberian irises.
If you decide on the yellow flag irises, give them a lot of space, especially in wet locations. They divide quite easily so you can passalong these irises to your friends. I've not had a problem with the deer eating the blooms in May, but by late August, they were trying out the foliage. Since I cut back the foliage in late fall, I am not too concerned with the deer browsing.
Beginning in late May and first of June (in my garden), my Siberian and Japanese irises begin blooming. These dot the low areas of the garden along the path in the rain garden as well as along the dry stream.
Iris siberica or Siberian irises can handle a variety of growing conditions and are rated for zones 3-8, reaching heights of 2-3 feet. My favorite is 'Butter and Sugar' for the delicate yellow and white. The shorter foliage of this iris works well in front of my taller Japanese irises (there are taller Siberian irises, too). The foliage stays green all summer so I don't worry about hiding it and let these reside at the front of the bed. The blooms of the Siberian are beautiful to behold and are deer resistant.
Among my
iris ensata or Japanese iris varieties, I have purple, lavender and the snow white 'Mount Fujiyama.' Mount Fuji is a gorgeous white with a hint of pale yellow on the falls. Japanese iris are very different from the Siberian (or bearded). These are large, flat and frilly. Mine are between 2-3 feet in height at this point. They like moist, acidic soil in zones 4-9. I grow mine in full sun. The deer will occasionally pick the open blooms, but leave the buds and foliage alone.
The last iris to bloom in my garden is iris pallida variegata. The variegated foliage adds interest from spring until winter and is suitable for zones 4-7. The purple blooms make a showing in June. In moist conditions, this iris will multiply and grow quite tall, to around three feet high. Out in my rain garden, where the water is based upon rainfall, it has stayed short. This iris is growing alongside yellow flag iris, hardy ageratum and bog sage.
Of course, there are many more irises to grow. I still have bearded irises on my "wish list" as I continue to develop my gardens. My only delay has been in deciding upon the colors to plant!
Photos and story by Freda Cameron
S.E.G.E.R.A...
Walking on a sunny, January day with my husband and greyhound, we happened upon this beautiful Japanese flowering apricot, Prunus mume.
Many North Carolinians love to debate the best barbecue. We have a great barbecue restaurant, Allen and Son Barbecue, right here in Chatham County. In fact, it's only a ten minute drive down the road from our house. On a pretty winter day, we wanted to take a nice, long drive through the countryside. 
Knowing the popularity of Honey Monk's, we arrived late for lunch at 2:00 pm on a Monday afternoon, only to find the parking lot overflowing. The smoke billowing outside was the indicator that there would be no shortage of this North Carolina specialty, no matter how large the crowd of diners.
If you're not from the South, you probably don't know about hushpuppies. These are nice, lightly crisp, deep-fried, dropped in the oil by spoonful, delicious cornmeal batter delicacies. Just look at the upper right side of my photo of the food. That's a nice batch of hushpuppies in the little container beside the plate. 
Although I couldn't finish the generous portions on my platter, I still wanted Honey Monk's famous peach cobbler. My husband ordered it with ice cream, but I prefer the cobbler served without any distractions.
Gather your friends and family to learn about the miraculous migration of the Monarch butterflies. The yearly migration can cover up to 2,000 miles and take two months. 
Many gardeners look for the eggs on the host plant, milkweed. They protect the larvae by placing the milkweed leaves and eggs in a chrysalis house. This helps to ensure that the caterpillars hatch, a chrysalis forms and the butterflies emerge unharmed. 
I put my faith in the plant description and brought three Fargesia home from a plant nursery in spring 2007. I was on a mission to find deer-proof evergreens that would provide a bit of privacy screening while adding a nice leaf texture. The clumping bamboo has met all of my needs.
Since this "desert island" has no growing limitations, then my imagination is my only constraint. 
This Garden Inspiration was written by Brenda, a gardener in Zone 5, western New York.
It's true that at first it seemed as if they were banished, banished to a bed far, far away by the barn. But my conscience was salved that at least I was keeping Aunt Susie's tiger lilies alive, and besides, those oranges and yellows act like beacons in the distance.
Around here, schools are cancelled just on the forecast of snow! This puts a lot of pressure on our favorite meteorologist at a local TV station. 
This truffle is not chocolate! 
With frigid, dangerous weather all over North America and Europe, you'd think Mother Nature is in a bad mood. The temperature here this morning at 9:00am, with the sun shining, was only 11°F on the west side of our house. On the south side, it was 40°F, thanks to the design of our house. 
This is interesting since that phlox isn't supposed to reseed. That said, I like the combination and have started moving sprouts of 'Robert' to this grouping since I like the look. The standard form Encore® Azaleas are behind the grouping while creeping jenny is the gold ground cover.
While I'm not a collector nor an expert of iris, I can't imagine my garden without them. To me, an iris bloom is perfection. If I were an artist, I would paint irises.
In early May, my iris pseudacorus (yellow flag) begin blooming. I had experience growing these at a previous home where I literally planted them in the natural creek bank in filtered light. 
The last iris to bloom in my garden is iris pallida variegata. The variegated foliage adds interest from spring until winter and is suitable for zones 4-7. The purple blooms make a showing in June. In moist conditions, this iris will multiply and grow quite tall, to around three feet high. Out in my rain garden, where the water is based upon rainfall, it has stayed short. This iris is growing alongside yellow flag iris, hardy ageratum and bog sage.
Of course, it is my husband that has a great idea for marking bulbs! He suggested that we buy a bag of golf tees in mixed colors. Then, use a different color for each type of bulb. He's not even a golfer, so we don't have any around the house.
In one of my creative (you may disagree) moments, I decided to plant orange crocosmia with orange coneflowers. Sometimes, a gardener just has to have a little fun! 
While visiting the Shed Style blog of Debra Prinzing, I was impressed with her list "Seven Habits of a Highly Successful Gardener." Each habit resonated with me. I asked Debra's permission to pass along her Gardener's Resolutions story. 
Robin at Robin's Nesting Place has written about rain gardens this week. Her town in Indiana received a grant for constructing rain gardens.
If an orange (the fruit) is so appealing, why not orange flowers in the garden? 
When I grew up, I started planting gardens of my own. Once upon a time, I had a shade garden where orange impatiens glowed among large and small hostas and ferns. I loved the look. 
The butterfly garden is a mix of host and nectar plants that are attractive to butterflies. The garden was started in the fall of 2006 and expanded in the spring of 2007 and 2008.
For Black Swallowtail butterflies, I have planted bronze fennel at the back of the butterfly garden. Again, since this is a host plant for caterpillars, the foliage will be eaten. 
During the summer and fall, I look forward to each day in the garden, not only to enjoy the flowers, but in search of butterflies to identify and caterpillars to count.