It's TODAY!

My open garden tour is today!  I write this after midnight on Thursday.  It was a long day in the garden.  It won't be perfect, but it will look pretty darn good.

I also discovered some options for color adjustment on my camera which I will put to use tomorrow.  Here are some pics using the default settings which are not that good... but at least you can see that some new things are blooming!

Hope you can stop by...

Siberian 'Dance Ballerina Dance' Varner 1982 ?

'Art Form' Hager 1988

'Fall Fiesta' Schreiner 1992

'Feast of Kings' Black 2012

'Keeping Up Appearances' Black, 2000

'Mac Shawe' Spoon 2000

'Sharp Dressed Man' Johnson 2012

'Supreme Sultan' Schreiner 1987

Two Days to Open House

I will admit that despite my 'que sera, sera' attitude I WANT a nice show of irises for my garden tour. With 2 days of high 80s forecast I started to panic. This evening however I am feeling fairly confident that there will be an excellent display.  Many of the 2011 intros in my garden are ready to bloom. The first one opened today, 'Feast of Kings.' Though the camera refuses to capture accurate colors, here's some of what will be there in 48 hours (in addition to Queen's Circle.)

'Queen's Circle' Get's Its Own Post

I hope you will agree that this is one of the most stunning irises ever developed.  Frederick Kerr's 1999 introduction won the American Dykes Medal in 2007 and has parented countless other cultivars.  I have seen it shown before and many pictures of it, but when it bloomed in my garden it still took my breath away.  It's simple elegance is its greatest strength.  The falls really down fall, they float giving it the look of a freeze frame of whirling.  The falls are edged with a heavenly blue that fades, does not bleed or speckle like a plicate, into the the pure white body.  The striking golden beard floats and the pure white heavenly standards form a ruffled cloud.  Without further introduction, Queen's Circle.

Rainy Day Views

The deck that we never use gives a birds I view of the backyard gardens.

Overview

And in more detail, from left to right.

Left

Middle

Right

 And as a panorama:

Andy Smith's Photos

Andy and Mary Jo Smith stopped over to see the irises. Andy didn't have his "good" camera, but I think these are some pretty amazing images.  There is one that is of an Iris without a name.  Maybe someone will recognize it.

'Eagle Control' (George Sutton, R. 1998)

'Harvest of Memories' (L. Zurbrigg, R. 1984)

'Kevin's Theme' (Frederick Kerr, R. 1993)

'Seneca Pink Delight' (Borglum, 2005)

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Borglum Garden Pics

The iris weren't looking so good this year... at least not yet, but it's always a treat to wander through the Silvia and Dana's wonderfully landscaped property.

This beautiful laburnum (Golden Chain Tree), reminds me of a yellow wisteria.

Laburnum

Close inspection of one area with Dana's guidance reveals yellow trillium, a very rare double white trillium and a yellow lady slipper (a wild orchid) tucked amid the bleeding heart.

Yellow Trillium

Double White Trillium

Yellow Lady Slipper amid Pink Bleeding Heart

 For the photographer and painter, Borlum's provides many fascinating textures and colors.

 

First Trip to Borglum's and Video of Diamond Rise.

Sunday was my first trip to Borglum's this year.  Since we are at peak I thought they might be as well. Borglum's is at least a week later than we are.  I shall have to return!  There as also a Round-Up incident and many of their blooms are deformed this year because of it.

Here's a walk around my garden:

Brad Kasperek's creative names for his splotchy introduction are always fun.  Here's 'Toucan Tango.'

'Toucan Tango' (Brad Kasperek, 1999)

 This is a classic. Big clear yellow blooms stand tall.

'Harvest of Memories' (L. Zurbrigg, R. 1984)

Update 23 Mqy 2013

Click to enlarge these panorama shots:

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'Let's Boogie'

Jesse's Song

'Jurassic Park'

'Yaquina Blue'

'Exotic Isle'

'English Charm'

Tennessee Gentleman'

'I'm on Fire'

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'Draculas's Kiss'

'Copper Classic'

'Yaquina Blue'

Calycanthus 'Heritage Wine'

Allium