Friday, June 12, 2015

AIS Convention Visitor From Holland

As the season here winds down I will catch up on postings from the AIS Convention.  First an interview with Gerard Heemskerk from the Netherlands.


Terry Aitken Interviewed

A video from the the AIS convention:  Here's Terry Aitken, internationally know and award winning hybridizer, at Salmon Creek Gardens.

 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Beautiful Orphan

In 2007 I bought a bargain batch of named iris from Pleasant Valley Iris Farm in California.  It was only when they started to bloom that "named" didn't mean correctly named.  The owner said when I inquired that he bought a batch of iris from someone else. Here is what 'Master Plan,' Keith Keppel's iris looks like...

'Master Plan' TB K. Keppel 1995

... and here's what I got.


 It's beautiful, but it's not 'Master Plan.'

The picture is really quite true to color and the gold orange hafts are striking.  Anyone know who this really is?

An Artist in My Yard

The week before last my neighbor, Kerin, brought her friend, Colette Savage, over to see the iris bloom. When she asked me if she could sit and paint the garden I was very excited.  A few days later in the afternoon sun she set up her easel as I weeded.  What an honor to have this amazing artist in my backyard!

And here it is...


Just gorgeous! Thank you, Colette. I urge you to visit her blog.

Friday, June 5, 2015

This Season's New Stunner

Wings at Dawn from Schreiner's last year was winner for me.  Show stalks would have done well if bloom time was show time.

A Lot Going On, My Little Chickadee!

       There's a lot going on at Diamond Rise. Plen Air art, photography a garden club visit, beautiful blooms and lots of gardening. But admidst it all this little chickadee found a nesting place in the bird house that my dear friend Sharon gave me last year.  So life goes on and even without W.C. Fields, our "little chickadee" is feedin chicks and cleaning the nest. The next generation is on its way.