Showing posts with label Iris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iris. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Lazy afternoon

Hi everyone,

It's 82 degrees (F) in the shade, so I'm brewing myself some iced tea. When I'm done writing, I'll snip some renegade mint from the old vegetable garden and relax (some more).

Caught a stomach bug that woke me in the wee hours of Monday morning, but am much better now. Maybe I overdid it with the garden chores last week!

Today I'm sharing a few garden photos. I'm still getting used to my tablet as a camera, so there's room for improvement in the photography department. As we finish the various beds, I'll post more photos.

Here's a look at our Japanese-inspired garden, which is still in the reclamation phase from a year of neglect and winter. It has three tiers, bordered mainly in Goshen stone (named for a nearby hill-town where it is abundant). The steps to the left are from stones unearthed from the hill above us.On the right are Goshen stone stiles, which swirl around the perimeter in ever-increasing height; these make it easy to climb the steep hill and tend to the water feature up there.



Full view

Close-up, left side and stone steps

Tim's newest dwarf conifer,
foreground

Home-brewed iced tea with mint and lemon

I once knew a person who designed his garden with plants selected on the basis of their name: he chose plants according to their initial letters in alphabetical order! It took him a few years to get from A to Z. I am challenged enough to group plant textures and heights in a pleasing way while considering soil and sunlight requirements! 

Do you favor any particular approach to designing your garden (color scheme, native plants, and so forth)?

Friday, June 6, 2014

Iris season is upon us!

Good morning, everyone

Fortunately, rain soaked our yards and gardens for the past two days. And that means our irises are blooming like crazy! Their cascade of colors from May through June delight my senses. This year their color is especially welcome because we were forced to say.... 

...Farewell Redbud!

Sadly, this favorite tree of our bird visitors didn't survive Old Man Winter. The deer also responded to the harsh conditions by nibbling several of my husband’s miniature specimen evergreens to the nubs. Our pink azalea didn’t escape their notice either: it barely blossomed, but seems to be thriving all the same. As you can see from last year’s photo, their combined pinks lit up the green slope behind them. 

Redbud and Azalea, spring 2013

Hello Irises!

Irises are perfect for Ikebana arrangements because they love to be in water. Our “Cat’s Eyes,” which are SDB (standard dwarf bearded) irises, just finished blooming. This year's blooms were prolific but fleeting, so I missed my chance for a group photo. Luckily “Among Friends,” which are MTB (miniature tall bearded) irises, are in full glory. Here are a few pictures.

“Cat’s Eyes”


 "Among Friends"


"Among Friends," en masse


Some of the Siberians have awakened and we love their graceful stature. I'll keep you posted on the march of irises through June. Although they require a lot of work, gardens reward one’s patience. And gardens offer a tranquil place to enjoy a cup of tea!

Tomorrow is mulch day. Too bad the masseuse will be closed when we finish! 

What kind of irises do you grow? Wouldn't it be fun to swap some this summer?