Irises- flags of many colors

  My name is Pamela and I have an iris addiction. They say the first step is knowing you have a problem but I think I am not really looking for a cure. Part of being a gardener is being a collector. This is a way of collecting things that I don’t have to trip over in the house and I don’t have to dust. Clint – who had never done irises before we got married- was astounded at the variety and range of colors. I have to say I have corrupted him and he is now an iris addict as well. I counted and there are 19 different irises in this post and yep they are all growing in my yard. I actually just planted a new one I got from a friend yesterday and I am headed to another friends to trade some blackeyed susans for another one I don’t currently have. I get most of my flowers this way. I trade, barter, and beg if necessary. I promise I won’t quit my job an stay home sniffing irises all day. Besides- they mostly only bloom in June. I will have to move on to another addiction like day lilies, roses, or some new ones like columbines or hosta. For now take a stroll and appreciate the addicts range if nothing else.

 

This one is one Clint and I bought at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It is supposed to be red, white, and blue but we decided it is more like orange, white, and pale lavender.

 

This blueish purple one is probably the most ruffled iris I have.

 

This purple and white one is Clint’s favorite.

 

 

This one gets so heavy it tends to tip over. I guess I will need to stake it in the future.

 

 

  

These are kind of a gray-ish pink but it doesn’t completely read in the picture.

  

                     

            

The dramatic black background is the solar heater for our pool –funny I know.

Swap list

More flowers- dad you will like the peonies- these are the ones you gave me from the farm. Did we move those from Grand Blanc? I can't remember. Anyway they are finally coming in to their own. Garden club pals - be advised peonies don't' like to be moved. Mine are getting quite thick and as you can see I have several different colors but expect quite a few years before they seem happy. The old adage of the first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap doesn't really apply. I would say it takes a good five years for them to start to come in to their own.

This is the iris Clint and I bought at the Chicago Botanical Gardens when we all took the trip with the Garden Club.

Sorry not enough to trade but I wanted to show it off.

Sundrops- I have tons of these- please come take some.
Purple salvia- I have two large clumps

Yellow blanket flower- Indian blanket flower- goblins blanket or gailardia -by the way does any one have the red and yellow or all red varieties? I would like to get some of those. I have several clumps of these- very hardy and drought tolerant.

Pink yarrow - tons this came from Stacy

Coreopsis- four or five large clumps

Peonies

More Flowers

We are very in to what we call "lawn elimination". Believe it or not the flowers require less maintenance, and less water than grass. Our rule of thumb, with a few exceptions, is we don't do annuals and things that require lots of water unless you can eat them. We are making "rooms" with spots of grass for specific purposes- such as a place for the kids to play or to sit and chat, otherwise we are looking to put in shrubs, small trees, and perennials with paths between them. The paths can be more fun than just a broad open space, and for the times a broad open space is needed we have a wonderful park across the street, complete with creek. Most of this was inspired by the book Noah's Garden. As a caveat on the swap list we won't trade anything under copyright. I don't believe most of my stuff is. The poppies for example- came from my dad's. My grand parents planted them over forty years ago. Copyrights on plants only last for twenty years
Bluish-purple and very ruffled -only a few extra
White ruffled- lots

Gold and burgundy- limited
This is a dusty grayish pink- I have a few extra
Deep yellow- lots of these
This is a little one- I think it is wild- I have quite a few
Medium purple- only a few extra

Pinks- these were Clint's that we moved.

Very limited but I am digging them out to move to a spot with more space so they can be divided at the time.
Poppies- lots

They will grow almost anywhere my dad grows them under a willow tree.

Painted Daisies- limited