Iris-mania!!

Here we are towards the end of June and as of a couple of days ago...it's rained 18 out of the 22 days of June according the Channel 10. I think we are now 20 out of the 24 days of June where rain or some sort of water has fallen from the unrelenting gray skies. I'm officially sick of this weather. I noticed my basil is starting to rot in the container and now have fungal issues in the garden. Oh well...if gardening were easy, no one would need The Garden Consultant, right?? Back to discussing happier garden topics like photos and plants. The above photo is one of most favorite places in my yard and it's just to the right of my front door. I had made the mistake of dividing a lot of the hostas about 2 years ago when it looked just like it does now. Boy, was that dumb. I should have left well enough alone because it lost it's wow factor with the lean hostas. Now, it's back to it's lush glory. I don't know why people think they are plagued with shade because I, myself, love a good shade garden. How is that photo up there boring!!! (My friend Jen who reads this is having this very battle with her mom. **wink**)

I have seems to gained a bunch of iris over the past 5 years of being here. I have really learned to appreciate iris because they are so varied and just about any color scheme can benefit from the addition of iris. I have both German Bearded Iris and Siberians...and find the Siberians to be more on the low maintenance side. The Germans do need to be staked which is okay with what I have now...but as they mature and if I get more, that could be a pain in the behind. But...on to iris-mania! Below is Iris sibirica 'Sparkling Rose' (Siberian Iris) and I use this a lot in my designs. It came as a surprise to me with a clump of Siberian Iris 'Butter and Sugar' that a client had given me (you can see the white buds emerging in the back.)


This big clump of Iris sibirica 'Caesar's Brother' (Siberian Iris) is another freebie from a different client. I think it had only 3 leaves on it when I brought it home 4 years ago and look at it now. That basement window is actually my office window and what a view I get looking up at them when I'm at my drafting table. They are starting to die out in the center like Siberians do...so in the next year or two, I'll dig them up and rejuvinate them.


Below are some heirloom irises which I unfortunately don't know the name of from another client. Hmmmmm....I'm seeing a pattern of refugee gardening still happening in my yard.


LOL...now I know I have admitted this to some. But, I have been known to buy plants off of .....**GASP** ebay. Yes, it is true and I think most of the clients I have told don't believe me. Behold, the iris below was an ebay purchase. I have had good luck with ebay sellers because I am careful of who I buy from. However, those are not the colors that I had bought. This iris here is a stow-away and came with the iris I bought. I have no idea what it is and that is not 'Persian Berry" which I did buy. Thank god it works with my colors I love.


This iris below is Persian Berry. I consider my other stow-away iris a complete bonus!


This is the iris relative I have lost my love affair with. I had these yellow flag iris in my gardens for years and they just survived which kind of had me scratching my head. I hadn't known at the time what they truly were and didn't realize they need water. So, after some research last year, I learned they were a water plant. Off I go and potted them up and threw them in Lake Larson. Well, they grew, and grew, and grew....now they are busting out of their pots and going crazy. I didn't acknowledge at the time that they are deemed invasive in MA and CT. Ugh...they are going to get thinned and become residents of the compost bin. I may actually toss all of them because I really don't like them any more. At. All. Pretty, yes....too big for their britches, totally.


My last blurb in this post is something I think is of great importance. In RI, there is a wonderful organization called The Children's Garden Network (CGN) and their mission is to have a garden in every RI school by the year 2010. It sounds like quite an undertaking and it has been. I believe they are very close in acomplishing this. Myself and the executive board of the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association have met with CGN and are looking forward to working very closely together to bring horticulture to young people. Kids today are losing their connection with nature and CGN is showing kids who may not have the opportunity to see flowers grow or learn where vegetables come from. If you are interested in learning more about CGN or if they are at your children's school but would like to help out, please check out their website - The Children's Garden Network. They are always looking for people to volunteer with them with helping develop and maintain gardens with the kids. I know from my traffic tracker I get visitors from far flung places too...if you are interested in starting up something like this in your area, please contact CGN because they are the flagship organiztion for this subject and they will help others start up networks all over the world.