Welcome to my Garden

Enjoy my favorite flowers

The Bearded Iris

These glorious spring flowers are the orchids of the flower garden, Thrive in our climate even though we frequently have severe drought conditions. They bloom from March through May and longer. Some even bloom again in the fall. All sizes of plants and blooms can be found from dwarf to median to tall.

In my Garden
Each year, after the Iris have bloomed I evaluate the flowers to decide which varieties bloom the best for me. I also have individual preferences such as I love all the blues. I also like unusual forms such as the horned varieties. Lastly, my soil is sandy and watering is often neglected so they must still grow well for me.

So I am persnickety about what I grow.

That means that iris that do not conform to my idea of what a perfect iris should be must find another home. It also means that every year I look through catalogs to find ones that I like. Then I order what tickles my fancy. Lastly I have limited space so the no longer favorites must be given to a new owner.

What I really like, this year.

All American Touted to be the red, white and blue iris, this iris has red beard, blue falls, and white standards. The catalog picture shows the blue falls much lighter than they show here.

Bronze Falcon
This iris was planted last fall and has only one fan thus only one bloom stalk. It has done well, but will be removed as it fades rapidly to a dingy color. What do you think about it? Would you keep it?

Blue Eyed Blonde

This is a median iris and blooms earlier than the tall bearded irises . It makes a clump very rapidly and in two years created a lovely show as in the next slide.

Blue Eyed Blonde clump

This is a two year old clump. Like most iris it needs full sun in order to put on the best show. Although not the first to bloom, it is early as you can tell by the dated picture.

Blowtorch
This is one of the horned iris in the tall bearded class. The flower is more orange than it shows here and the horn is deeper blue. Getting the exact color on pictures is not easy.

Cannonball
Not really as red as it appears in this picture but if you like red it is one of the best. It is the only one that I keep. The iris at the back of the picture is another variety. Most of the so-called reds soare really brown.

Chickasaw Sue
This small iris is another of my favorites even though it has a brown tone. It was given to me by Bonnie Lowenstein who many of us remember with fondness. It has a special place in my garden and my heart.

Circus World
You would think from the pictures I have shown so far that blue really isn t my color. But even I have to admit that this really showy. You can see it all the way across the garden.

Codocil
This iris was planted and then the tree near it grew enough to shade it but it still bloomed. I have moved the rhizome to a sunnier location so it will bloom more. I really like the contrast provided by the dark blue beard

Conjuration
This iris was a Dykes* medal winner in 1998. It is taller than most of the modern iris standing 40 tall. 42 in my garden. It also has white horn on the end of the beard. *The highest award given annually to newer introductions.

Conjuration again
In a large clump all the lovely flowers show to their best advantage. Far more vigorous than most iris, it should be used where it s size is an advantage.

Unknown dwarf
I obtained this little jewel from a friend who had it for many years. I have no idea what it s name is. Perhaps it never had a name. It is one of the earliest to bloom, that year in midmid-April.

Another Blue, Marc Allen

Although no longer found in catalogs this iris still blooms in my garden beside my neighbor s gravel yard. It is one of my favorite blues.

Victoria Falls
Of all the beautiful blue iris, this Dyke s medal winner is perhaps the most prolific bloomer. It is widely used as a parent of new varieties because of the long bloom season and high bud count It also reblooms in the fall in many areas. That requires fall rains or extra irrigation.

Moomba
Introduced from Australia in 1986 this iris is no longer available in my catalogs. However, the bright red beard on the blue-purple bluefalls give it a place in my garden for another year or two or more .

Mesmerizer
This pure white iris earned a Dyke s medal in 2000. The extra flounce at the end of the beard gives the effect of a doubled bloom. It is also quite tall at 37 inches. If I could have only one white iris this would be the one I would choose.

Dusky Challenger
Another Dyke s medal winner. This one in 1992. It blooms later in the season and has huge flowers which open two, three or even four at a time. It is frequently the Queen of the Show here in Albuquerque.

Electrique
This iris was given to me. It has a dusty color which some people find attractive. However, it fades rather quickly to an unattractive greyish tone which I don t care for so it has already been given away.

Emperor s Delight
The deep color of this Iris was not easily caught by the camera. However, the computer compensated for the cameras failure.

Impersonator
This is an older iris that has a very different form. There are six falls and no standards so the flower opens flat. Unfortunately that also means that the bloom is sterile so it usually can not be used as a parent. Other varieties have been developed that have this same form but most are less consistent than this is.

Fondation von Gogh

This lovely flower appears to be apricot but unfortunately it really is a buff brown. It makes a wonderful display in the garden and as a cut flower. I especially like the very ruffled form and the delicate color contrast.

Gorgeous Moment
I have dabbled in hybridizing Iris from time to time and occasionally have an Iris I consider worth keeping. This vigorous, heavy blooming iris is one such variety.

Howdy do
One of the tallest of all my Iris is this magnificent white. This picture clearly shows the distinctive horn that ends the beard. It is one of the iris I used in hybridizing Gorgeous Moment.

Harvest King
Another buff brown iris with lots of yellow tones. I am still undecided about it. What would you suggest I do? Keep it or not?

Stairway to Heaven
When I Look out over the garden it makes all the work worthwhile. Every year this clump gets bigger and the flowers get more numerous. How can I let them be unwatered and unloved?

Planned Treasure
The first time I saw this Iris I was fatally smitten and as soon as the price had dropped to what I consider reasonable levels I had to have it. Isn t it lovely? Although it blooms later in the season it is worth waiting for.

Indigo Princess
Another older blue Iris. Notice the ruffling on the falls and standards. It was a great addition when growers were able to breed for these ruffles.

Lacy Snowflake
The edges of the petals of this flower are lacinated. While that adds to the flower s beauty is also makes the bloom slower to open as the fine edges hold the falls together. I sometimes help the petals unfold with a gentle nudge.

Piping Hot
Although orange has never been a favorite modifying it with the white center of the falls makes a pleasant combination. Like many of pinks and oranges it is not particularly tall.

Immortality
This a favorite Iris of people who like finding a bloom stalk in their iris patch in the late summer. It is the most reliable of all the fall bloomers and will bloom in most climates where others will not.

Proud Tradition
Dark blue and white is always a soothing combination. The orange splash on the left bloom is the remains of a spent bloom on Brilliant Performance. Sad that it is gone.

All Iris are beautiful to me.

Another of my hybrids my friend calls Ruth s Gold. She wants me to introduce it. Should I? For more information on hybridizing iris and more pictures go to my web site at www.gardeningfromtheground up.us or www.nmmastergardeners.org.

Hybridization
If you want to try your hand at developing new Iris varieties you need to know the parts of the flower. Simply applying pollen from the stamen to the style branch is all that is required.

Seedlings are great fun

Another seedling From the same seed pod as the one shown before. This one shows the stalk with four open blooms. Blooms like that win oohs and aahs.

Getting Rhizomes for your garden.

Many Iris Societies sell iris rhizomes at the correct planting time (usually in July) when the iris are semi-dormant. semiRhizomes may also be obtained from Iris specialists nationwide. You can order on-line onand the rhizomes will be shipped in July or whenever is the best time to plant in your area.

That s All for Now Thanks for watching

Maybe more next year. Pictures and all by me, R. Bronson