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.

DECEMBER 5th BLOOMER

This summer, on our travels, we went to the local downtown market in Boise, Idaho. It was the end of the market day and I walked over to where the ladies of Iris Island Ranch had a table of iris rhizomes. I had the immediate feeling that they were very anxious to sell me some and when I learnt they had some dwarf specimens I was more than ready to buy. Perfect for my rockery was my thought.

By the time we got home a month later they were looking pretty well traveled. On September 28th I finally potted them up.

Just a temporary measure until I had a place ready for them in the ground. A few weeks later when they were settled into their pots I put them in the ground.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I noticed one of them had started to flower. This dwarf Autumn Maple has certainly lived up to its name. December 5th, 74° but still Autumn. As the flower is only 1' tall I had to get down on my knees to check out the subtle fragrance. Sweet it is.