Iris - The Poor Man's Orchids

[Rebecca]

Okay, so technically, Iris are not bulbs, but rhizomes, but until there is enough interest for a separate forum, here is were I will be posting!

Because I just can't seem to get around to putting images into one of my on line albums, I'll be posting several images of what has bloomed and what is now blooming.

First up are the Dwarf Bearded Iris, I have a total of 6 different ones, 5 of which are named; first to bloom was WILD CHERRY, but even before it blooms I have this tiny Mini-Dwarf Bearded Iris, who begins to bloom in early April, often while there is still snow on the ground!

[Rebecca]

This is WILD CHERRY, only 10 to 12 inches tall and with up to 3, sometimes 3 blooms per stem.

[Rebecca]

SDI OPEN SKY begins it's show about two weeks after WILD CHERRY starts:

[Rebecca]

About the same time, both of the yellow ones start to bloom, this year it was within days of the sky blue one. I like this little unknown soft yellow:

[Rebecca]

This would be SDI Mr. ROBERTS, a very bold, bright yellow:

[Rebecca]

This one, SDI CAPTURED SPIRIT, was actually blooming before MR ROBERTS. I really like the bi-color and patterned iris, but somehow, this is the only dwarf version of them that I have:

[Rebecca]

This one is the last of the Dwarfs that I have and also the last to begin to bloom. A lovely pale pink, SDB BETSY BOO:

[Dazed_Lily]

Oh fudge pops ! I am going to have to break out the digital camera and join in the fun.
I love the yeller iris; I'd like to add a similar color as well as a pink and a red(I guess burgundy) to the collection.

[Rebecca]

The very first of the TB Iris to bloom is RARE TREAT, which will also re-bloom in late summer and early fall, often getting zapped by frost or an early freeze. It starts before the dwarfs have finished, unfortunately I don't have them in the same bed, except for a couple of the TBI just recently put in the mound bed where the dwarfs are. This image is of the one in the mound bed:

[Rebecca]

Here is a drop dead white TB that I have had for perhaps 12 years. I got the start from the doctor who I used to live next door to, along with a few others I still have and do not know the names of either!

White is difficult to photograph, but I feel this image has good contrast, you can see the mound bed in the background and a few of the dwarfs still in bloom.

[Rebecca]

Only one more after this one! This is another one I got from the good doctor. Not the fanciest iris, but I love the apricot peach color and the bright orange beard!

[Rebecca]

This is an unbelievably beautiful iris and no image can do it justice. I love this one and can just stand there and look at it for hours. This is TBI VIOLET RINGS, it's first bloom of the season. It has three more stems to bloom and I will enjoy every single one of them! The deep pink bud you see in the background is OLYMPIC PINK, it should be open tomorrow and I will get a "portrait" of it before the rains ruin it.

[Rebecca]

This is OLYMPIC PINK, it started blooming on Friday the 13th!

[Rebecca]

This one is another one I got from the good doctor, sorry about the junk in the background.

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

Here's a nice image of Siberian CESAR'S BROTHER:

[Rebecca]

Had a new Siberian open yeasterday, but I couldn't get a decent image of it, will try in the morning; lots of blooms open on it now. Also should have two new TB Iris open tomorrow, both "Unknowns", well I used to know the name of one of them! One is the famouse "Horned Yellow" that I believe I shared an image of a couple years ago, the other one is multi-colored. Both will be huge blooms! There's one more TBI that will be open by the week end and I have it labled as EVER AFTER, we'll see soon enough.

My three clumps of Siberian seedlings are all showing some to a lot of color in the buds. Two are a dark blue-purple and the third is a lavender one and I'm actually more excited to see it open than the other two. Also have a couple in the mound bed that were purchased last Spring as bare root divisions at Wally World. One is most likely CESAR'S BROTHER, but the others aren't showing enough color yet to be able to tell.

The Japanese Iris, sitting in the pond keeps getting taller and taller and the two initial buds a getting fatter and fatter, but not showing any color yet. This will be my very first Japanese Iris and I am quite anxious to see it in bloom. I've been seeing pictures of some really awesome JI I would love to have, but I really want to see what I have already. I've also seen a couple of TBI I'd like to have, of course I haven't an idea on where I'd put them!

Well that's it for tonight, G-nite y'all!


Rebecca

[Rebecca]

Quick post for now, wanted to show y'all the lavender Siberian that opened the day before yesterday, more bloom open this morning. I have a STBI I'll show this evening!

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

But it's still a beaut!

[Rebecca]

I don't know what it's registered name is, that's just what I call it! Check out the "horns" on this lovely yellow:

[Rebecca]

Here's a close-up of one of the horns:

[Rebecca]

I have one more TB Iris yet to open it's first bloom, EVER AFTER is it's name, I think. The buds were still quite tight yesterday evening and I haven't been outside yet today!

Several Siberians yet to open and the one Japanese Iris, so there will be a few more images of these before I start sharing Lily images.

The cooler weather seems to be good for the Iris and the Lilies, but it is causing the daylilies to be a bit late, but it will perhaps make for a much nicer bloom season for them and hopefully with larger blooms than last season.

Taking the cacti and succulent plants out today and the big Hibiscus. Will have to finish cleaning up the patio so everyone has space. Still have to find a spot for the amaryllis and the palms, then everything else!

Potted up several new cacti/succulent gardens after work yesterday and need to combine more of the smaller plants into "gardens", but have run out of suitable containers - which might be a good thing!

Hope to have new images of something this evening!

Rebecca

[vicki]

Rebecca,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful iris. I love everyone of them! I LOVE Iris'.

[Rebecca]

This is what opened today on"Texas Long Horn", tryly a strange bloom; extra parts and short parts:

[Rebecca]

Another view:

[Rebecca]

This one is my neighbor's. It reminds me of PERSIAN BERRY, but they weren't home to ask! It's awesome!

[Rebecca]

This is one of three Siberian seedlings I've grown from collected seeds. It had it's debut last year, a very wimpy bloom at that. Well it has made up for the poor show last year by opening two blooms today out of 7 scapes. It isn't as large as most Siberians, but it has some very interesting patterns on the falls and the standards are streaked and dashed like the STBI BATIK! Take a look!

[Rebecca]

Here's the second bloom from today:

[Rebecca]

There are a lot more blooms to come, which is a good thing as I'm thinking about trying my hand at hybridizing this one with an unknown lavender SI (photo attached). I'm hoping the splash is a nominant trait that will be passed on th the offspring along with the overall size of the pollen parent.

Hope y'all have enjoyed the show! EVER AFTER should be open tomorrow, cross your fingers that it doesn't get rained on!

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

after a wait of many, many years of waiting to see it bloom for the very first time, the incomparable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TBI EVER AFTER:

[vicki]

Gasp, gulp, drool, oh Rebecca that is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

[Rebecca]

This is one of my Siberian seedlings and if I remember correctly, it did this last year with the only bloom it put out. It has somewhere between 7 and 9 bloom stems this year, so I'll get to see if it's just a fluke or a sport.

[Rebecca]

Siberian seedling #3

[Rebecca]

A better image of the first seedling:

[Rebecca]

There are actually two blooms in the last image, the newer bllom is in front of the older, faded bloom.

This one was sent to me as a Japanese Iris, unfortunately it looks like the Siberian Iris Cesar's Brother. It likes being in the pond though as the bloom stems are 3-feet tall!

[Rebecca]

Here's EVER AFTER in full bloom, both scapes!

[Rebecca]

Now that I have your attention again, here's another one of the bare root Siberians I planted in the mound bed last summer. In fact, I planted two seperate divisions and they are both the same one!

I have one more that is just now scaping that is in another bed, I'm hoping it's a white one. Time will tell!

[Rebecca]

Garden Visitor:

[Rebecca]

The last of the Siberians opened on Tuesday, not totally white though. I think it's the one named 'Butter and Sugar'; take a look:

[sue salley]

Rebecca, Your siberian iris are lovely. And ever After is beautiful!
I truly love your garden visitor, I have several of those. I can see you now lying down in the garden to get that picture. Good job.

[3girls]

Rebecca, thanks so much for the pix. It has been a real feast for me. Keep posting 'em.

[vicki]

Seeing all Rebecca' beautiful pics, thought I'd share a few of mine.

[vicki]

another 1

[vicki]

1 more. Is there a limit?

[vicki]

another

[vicki]

still one more

[vicki]

And yet another one

[vicki]

Should I stop? No, o.k.! ;)

[vicki]

And yet still more

[vicki]

Another

[vicki]

I LOVE iris! This is the last one. Others still opening.

Love your Ever After Rebecca, truly to drool for.

[Rebecca]

This really is a beautiful Iris, so well worth the wait to see it bloom!

[Rebecca]

'Chilled Wine' had one last bloom to grace the garden with. I have two clumps of this one so I may have to take the front clump out and move 'Butter and Sugar' into it's place later this summer so I can have color on the mound a bit longer while waiting for the lilies to bloom and herald the coming of the Daylilies!

[Rebecca]

My little "Whirlybird" surprised me with another bloom as well: