joene's garden » bearded iris

A gift from the garden, for the gardener

joenesgarden — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:16:55 +0000

I think my gardens really get me. They seem to know how much their flowers brighten each day. The plants in my charge continue to bloom, continue to fight to survive the latest munching deer attack or the most recent undermining vole abuse. For the most part, except for one hydrangea and one buddleia, they stood strong when Irene blew her damaging winds this way. Now, with summer winding down to its final hours, my gardens have given me a birthday gift … my favorite flower in full-bloom at the end of summer.

It's as if my gardens understand their vole-weary, deer-weary, storm-weary caretaker needed a lift.

It's not the first time this bearded iris, variety unknown, surprized with a second set of flowers. In 2009 it opened the first of its repeat blossoms in mid-October, captured below by the lens and lighting expertise of my favorite photographer.

The business of summer gardening, summer in general, and this year's gardening trials and tribulations caused me to forget the late season gift this iris offers. But my gardens didn't forget the delight the first glimpse an iris in bloom brings and, this year, the repeat blooms will bring repeated delight from a second set of buds that promise to open after summer becomes autumn.

A gift from the garden … what more could a gardener ask for?

Categories: Focus on Flowers, Gardening, Seasons.
Tags: bearded iris, gardening in Connecticut, summer's end.

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Eyes on Iris

joenesgarden — Sun, 23 May 2010 14:16:19 +0000

What's best about May in Connecticut? The warming weather, the bright sunshine, more daylight, trees in full leaf, fantastic spring flowers, and IRIS … it's the one flower I cannot get enough of.

Siberian iris are stand-bys in my gardens. My first clump came from a gardening friend years – probably 30 – ago. They have moved with me and over the years one clump turned into many, many, many clumps in my gardens and in those of other friends. Siberians must be planted a couple of inches below the soil surface – they do not grow from bulbs or corms as other iris – but send out fleshy roots into the soil. Clumps become thick and if not divided every few years, blooms will diminish in number. A good old garden fork is the best way to divide Siberian clumps. Once replanted, in sun or partial shade, they quickly establish. The foliage remains green all summer and provides a wonderful backdrop for later blooming perennials and annuals. Like my reticulatas, my Siberian iris bloom in purples, but I see other shades of lavender and white joining them in coming springs.

established 'black' bearded iris – actually the darkest of dark purple and I'm not sure of the variety – are just about to open. But I have a new acquisition - Hello Darkness – that now resides near a palest of blue, but really looks white – bearded iris – again I'm unsure of the variety. This 'white' bearded iris surprised me with a repeat blossom last October.

A fragrant white bearded iris blooms next to the also fragrant iris pallida "'Aureo-variegata' - a rebloomer with lovely lavender blossoms standing above yellow striped leaves. The sweet scents wafting from this combo make the striking flowers all the more attractive.

Last year's acquisition - might be Beverly Sills – shines in striking peachy, lavender tones …

whether left in the garden or brought inside to enjoy in bouquet form.

Bearded iris bloom well as long as their long corms are planted just below the surface of the soil. Plant too deep and blooms suffer. Bearded iris foliage tends to turn brown at the tips as summer progresses. After flowers fade, remove the flower stalk. If the leaves brown, slice off the browned tips, but I don't remove all foliage until it has completely browned. Common advice is to thin bearded iris clumps in the fall, but I tend to move them around in the spring and early summer. As long as plants have ample water, they do just fine. When transplanting, throw out any damaged, soft iris corms, or those with tiny holes – a sign of iris borers. I've seen some signs of borers, but after removing infected parts and replanting healthy corms in a new spot, transplants do just fine in my Connecticut soils.

The first iris blossoms, the reticulatas, come in the earliest spring – or this year just before spring actually sprung on the calendar. Plant reticulatas in the fall with other spring blooming bulbs and they will tease your iris passion early next spring. Mine bloom purplely-blue but white reticulatas are in my future.

Like so many spring bloomers this year, all but my iris reticulatas started their show early – just before mid-May.

But judging from the number of buds yet to open, and knowing I have later blooming varieties yet to come, I'm looking forward to eying - and sniffing – iris for weeks to come.

Categories: Bulbs, Gardening, Perennials & Annuals, Techniques.
Tags: bearded iris, gardening in Connecticut, iris, iris bouquet, iris pallida, iris reticulata, Siberian iris.

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Octoberfest Bloom Day

joenesgarden — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:01:00 +0000

October 15, 2009. In honor of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and in spite of light frost, some flowers remain defiant to the cold.

Of course there are mums – it would hardly be October in New England without mums. These red ladies returned from last year – taller, wider, and more showy than before. Next to the mums, some Alpine strawberries still offer an occasional bite-size berry.

Endless Summer hydrangea lives up to its name – one last blossom holds on, showing purple, blue, and green.

Cosmos stand 6 feet tall, facing the weather seemingly without care while they dance in the breezes with ornamental grass fronds.

This morning glory opened earlier in the week and shines even bluer than its predecessors – it's color mimicking the temperature of the air.

One bearded iris decided to shoot up a final flower stalk before cold really sets in. A special treat for me … iris are my absolute favorite flower. The first photo shows it on October 12 … the next shots show it more open last night. A stunningly beautiful way to say so long … see you in the spring.

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Visit May Dreams Gardens - where Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day began. There you can catch links to bloggers' blossoms everywhere.

Categories: Bloom Day, Gardening, Seasons.
Tags: Alpine strawberry, bearded iris, cosmos, Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hydrangea, morning glory, mums.

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