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Thursday, April 18, 2013

IRIS, AUTUMN MAPLE

The cold front blew in last night bringing rain and chilly temperatures. I knew it wasn't going to be a day to spend in the garden but I needed to go out to pick peas, parsley and lemons. Snails were loving it. They are so easy to catch on such a day. It was worth spending an extra 15 minutes going around collecting them. I also went to check on the grapefruit halves, which act as snail traps, in the front garden. You wouldn't expect to find snails in a gravel garden but they have taken a fancy to the leaves on the Macho Mocha mangave stripping the top surface off the lower leaves.
Then I spotted this dwarf iris in bloom.


I had picked up several dwarf iris in the summer at the local Saturday market in Boise, Idaho. This one is called Autumn Maple. It was hybridized in 1992 and is classified as a rebloomer. I can expect another blooming in the fall. I think the flower is a little large for the foliage and maybe I don't have it placed in the best spot but it certainly was another welcome surprise and uplifting to see on another bad news day.

6 comments:

  1. What a lovely iris! They are one of my favorite flowers and I always patrol the yard in spring, looking and feeling for buds deep in the leaf fans. I came across your blog a few weeks ago and have been lurking since then. I am very inspired by your gardens. I like the combination of cottage-style plants with cacti, agave and other drought-tolerant plants. I live in northeast Texas, so my weather conditions are much the same except colder freezing temps in winter. With the dry conditions of the last few years, I have been wanting to incorporate more drought-tolerant plants into the landscape. I look forward to perusing your archives for more inspiration.

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    1. Yes, grasshopper, drought is making us all think about what we should be growing. I wonder about your soil in NE texas. Are oyu on the blackland prairie? If so you may have more clay. Even so I am sure incorporating expanded shale into the garden will help with agaves and cactus.

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    2. Actually, I am further east than the blackland. My soil is a sandy loam but more sand than loam. My land slopes so I have a hard time with water retention.

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  2. Very unique (to me) iris...that color!

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  3. I love your iris. It is such a beautiful color and beautifully photographed as well. It's great to get such lovely garden surprises.

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