Next Year: Iris Sabbatical

I learned a lesson.  Next year I am reserving iris bloom time for only iris related activities.  I will enjoy the fruits of my labor more fully and visit the gardens of others!  I would add live blogging of my garden's progress, but I think that is just too much to expect.

Now that bloom season is winding down and I have labeled the 2,000+ garden photos so far, I am aim to feature one iris at a time.  The goal is to talk about its vigor and bloom in my garden in upstate New York near Rochester.

It was a long hard winter.  The late start and muddy mess that dominated the soil under an insulating blanket of snow, had me concerned.  Indeed many perennials in my garden did not live to see the 2014 season.  Some newly planted rhizomes did not make it.  This season the bloom overall was spectacular!  Some rhizomes newly planted last year produces profusely.  Here is the most incredible example:

'Thornbird' is a newly acquired American Dykes Medal winner (1997).  These blooms on three strong, 38" stalks are from one rhizome from Schreiner's planted last year.  Blooming was observed on June 8 when I returned from a four-day trip.  On June 14 several blooms were still beautiful.

The the ecru base of this flower, overlaid with violet and a greenish cast make it unique. Having seen pictures only I was not a devotee. Now that it has bloomed in my garden I am won over.  The blooms are large with great substance.  Deep violet beards that terminate in a thin horn accent the falls perfectly.

'Thornbird' (Monty Byers, 1988). TB, height 35" (89 cm), mid season bloom