Only One & More

Only one new bloom in the garden today. And for those of you who wonder if a new rhizome might bloom during its first full season, TA-DAAAA.  'Tessie The Tease' came to my garden from the 2015 Greater Rochester Iris Society sale and it bloomed in 2016.

'Tessie The Tease' (IB J. Griffin Crump, R. 2003)

Although there are hundreds of success stories, some rhizomes just don't make it.  After 3 years of limping along, 'Latin Lark' bought the farm this year.  This is the ceremony of removing of the label.

'Many Mahalos' is an Aitken IB.  Terry likes the Hawaiian names and this apricot orange beauty evokes a tropical sunset.  The second picture show how floriferous this beautiful cultivar is.  The intermediate bearded (IB), this one is 19 inches, is wonderful for smaller gardens.

'Many Mahalos' (IB J. Terry Aitken, R. 2003)

Measuring Up

I have been checking the height of various blooms.  The close-up below is of Thomas Johnson's 'Ray of Light'  It's a beauty and growing really well. The the pale 'raspberry rose' on the standards and edging the the falls frames a complex veining pattern of dark cherry.

'Ray Of Light' (SDB Thomas Johnson, registered 2005).

What is even more impressive is that it's all packed into this tiny bloom standing 11" tall.

'In Cahoots' sets an overall yellow bloom agains a lavender beard.  The yellow is far from simple.  I close look reveals a creamy fall with bright yellow on the hafts, delicately flounced and standards of buttery yellow.  Again this is an SDB blooming at 9 inches.

'In Cahoots'(SDB T.Johnson '11)

SDBs make a great rock garden plant.  Here is 'Inner Peace' nestled among the rocks near my water feature. I planted to varieties here, 'Favorite Angel' and 'Inner Peace,' white and blue respectively.  The blue was so much more vigorous that it overtook the white.

'Inner Peace' (SDB A. & D. Willott, R. 1990)

When 'Favorite Angel' bloomed I never saw it!  Today I finally got the weeds out and there is the poor thing:

'Favorite Angel' (SDB Bennett Jones, R. 1990)

Nearby is the the first bloom in my garden of 'Iris Crostata.' This species is very low to the ground. This bloom is about 5" tall and 2" wide.  

I.Cristata

Line Drive and Friends

A return engagement of 'Line Drive.'  Compare it to 'Sangone' below.

This IB looks so much like a mid size orphan that runs rampant in my garden.  These rebloom regularly but 'Avanelle' is not identified as a re-bloomer.  I fear the unknown pretenders will be savagely cleared out in July.

'Avanelle' (William Jones, Registered 1976)

'Bedford Lilac' is lovely shade of the flower that is now coming into bloom`in Highland Park in Rochester.

'Bedford Lilac' (Bennett Jones, Registered 1990)

 Here is a lovely SDB that is un-named.  Since it came from my friend, Betty it's now...

'Betty's Orphan' (SDB)

 One of my first SDBs was from Mid-America.

'Eye Of The Tiger' (Black '08) 

 I love Jenny!

'Jennyanydots' (Black '11) 

This was labeled 'Mystic Symbol.' It's not.  But I love it.  Anyone know what it is?

unknown bed F-1e

 Another Mid-America SDBeauty!

'Peach Pie' (T.Johnson '11)

 An IB that is delicately lined is 'Sangone."

'Sangone'  (Augusto Bianco, R. 1999)

 Another sweet SDB...

'Sapphire Jewel'  (Melba Hamblen, R. 1977)

More SDBs and Early Bloomers

This year we had a very early spring and then a couple of weeks of temps hovering right around freezing.  One day the temperature dipped to 20º.  I am beginning to wonder what a "normal" spring is.  These pictures are from Saturday, May 14.

At this time of year a day makes a world of difference.  Something with lots of buds becomes a clump with lots of blooms.  Here 'Spring Fresh' takes off.

'Spring Fresh' (SDB Keith Keppel, R. 1996)

Yesterday 'Line Drive' was only one unfurling bud.  Today it's a lovely bunch. This is supposed to be early-mid season bloomer.  It's proving a very early IB in my garden.

'Line Drive' (IB M. Sutton '07)

This SDB caught my eye in the Mid-America catalog and it did not disapoint. I suppose 'Eggs and Blueberries' was not an appealing name.

'A Little Good News' (Thomas Johnson, R. 2014)

'Jillaroo' is one of those interesting iris that many people would not call "beautiful." I love these.  The standard and beard are described as lobelia blue. In my garden the standard are purple as you can see and the rust colored falls are edge in the same.

'Jillaroo' (SDB A. Ensminger, R. 1983)

Paul Black has a series of SDBs named after the characters from Cats.  This is 'Jennyanydots.'

'Jennyanydots' (SDB Paul Black '11)

Aitken's 'Cinnamon Candy' yielded one bloom this year.  Registered as a 12" bloomer in my garden it is more like 5" this year.  Another victim of the weather.

'Cinnamon Candy' (SDB Aitken '13)

     

No stopping them now

The SDBs and early IBs are coming fast and furious now!

The first bloom of a favorite, Paul Black's 'Bluebeard's Ghost.'

Another SDB, 'Boom Boom Bunny.'

SDB 'Cheery Blush'

'Joyful Love'

This IB, 'Line Drive' is about ready to unfurl.

'Spring Fresh' is bursting with buds.

'Starquest' shows that two SDBs of similar color can look quite different.

One of the SDB Paul Black hybrids that was introduced through Shreiner's last year was 'Web of Desire.' 

First Bearded Blooms of 2016

The very first bearded bloom in my garden was MDB 'Navy Flirt.'  It came right after the early spring followed by a late frost.  Only one bloom made it and it was not impressive.

The next MDB to bloom was 'Snowy River.'  

Now the Rest of the MDBs and the SDBs are starting to pop.  Here's one that is called 'Panda Paws' but I cannot find it in the AIS database. It's a flaw, but not unusual, for the first bloom of an SDB to have 4 falls and 4 standards.

Then appeared Pumpkin Center!

More on the way!

An Early Spring!

Here are two pictures that tell a tale:

I Reticulate - Diamond Rise Garden - April 3, 2015

I Reticulate - Diamond Rise Garden - March 17, 2016

This is the very same clump of Iris Reticulata in the same garden. The bloom this year is two and half weeks earlier.  Projecting that forward and barring a surprise bitter cold snap, I have some planning to do!  When friends ask, when is your Iris bloom party, I usually say, the first weekend in June.  This year maybe the 2nd or 3rd weekend in May is a better bet.