Irises!

Good morning, Wren! Today, some lovely iris photos.

Guerilla Gardening Update: The irises did not winter well in the patches on Delaware Avenue (the city basically just dumped mulch down, and irises need decent soil that's a bit more sandy and loamy). This bums me out, as I had relocated them last fall (when it was unclear when we might be selling our house and moving) hoping to be able to subdivide in the future, and had no idea what colors or varieties I was planting. I hope I didn't lose any precious varieties. Some of the newer cultivars seem to take a bit longer to get established than those trusty heirlooms. But of course these newer varieties often have enormous, thrilling flowers so it's worth it to grow them!


I have many irises to relocate and even though fall is best for transplanting them I am going to dig more up tomorrow. I'll put them in at Emack and Bolio's, so I can subdivide them after they're established. I also planted some at Christine's place yesterday. She has gorgeous sandy, loamy, soft soil in Delmar, I am so jealous of it! I hope the irises do well there.

I love irises! These photos were all taken in my yard last year. How about that gorgeous purple one? I'm not sure what the variety is.I have so many that keeping track of the names feels like a fool's errand. I also love the burgundy one; the beard is a deep orange, almost rust. The lavender/tan one is a vintage variety called "Shaker's Prayer" or something with Shaker in the name (ETA: It is actually "Quaker Lady" ha ha). I like how it bridges/balances the colors between all the yellow and purple varieties of iris many iris lovers seem to have in their gardens, bringing out subtle tones in both. I also have a deep purple one called "Dracula's Shadow" and a lovely pale blue one I can't identify, as I got it in a grab bag of irises from Ebay. I  think it may be a "Princess Grace of Monaco." It has a glistening quality and a soft yellow beard.

Can you grow bearded irises in Florida? What about Siberian ones? I think there may be southern varieties, like the Louisiana Iris. They're gorgeous, super colorful.

Clean-up!

Good morning, Wren!

Here in the Hudson Valley region, we've had a lovely spring thaw. The huge mounds of slushy snow are slowly melting away. After yesterday's temps in the low 50s, it dropped below freezing last night and the ground was hardened again this morning. But by the time I finished my walk around 9 am, it was softening again. It will go up to 48 degrees today, NOAA tells me. So, despite there still being some snow lurking in my yard, I'm going to attempt my first spring clean-up.

There are daffodils, crocuses and tulips poking up their leaves, so I'll gently remove the leaves and trash and other accumulated detritus of our urban winter. I'll also gently prune some of the late blooming shrubs, like the caryopteris, the hydrangea, and the roses.

I have plenty of seeds I gathered last fall to sort through, and I'll be sending them off to you this week: some deep purple bachelor buttons, hollyhocks in various shades of pink, Chinese forget-me-nots in deep blue, and zinnias in all colors. I hope they grow beautifully for you!

The catalogs keep arriving, of course. My faves are Wayside Gardens, Bluestone Perennials, Gilbert H. Wild (great prices and wide selection of daylilies and peonies!), Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (here is their blog), Park Seeds, and Brent and Becky's Bulbs. For hardy plants real cheap (like creeping phlox, coreopsis, or dianthus) I also like ordering the 1-cent specials from Spring Hill. I've also found some great plant sellers on Ebay (after a great deal of hit or miss!); my favorite seller is a retired botany professor who sells really nice perennial shrubs and hosta. I've gotten nice hydrangeas, lilacs and a flowering quince from him.

I love to go through them and circle things. Since we'll be moving soon, and we're not 100% set on a new house (though hope to have it narrowed down by this week), I can't quite bring myself to order anything yet, though I am also planning more plantings at Brushwood this spring, especially some more shade plants like astilbes and hostas.

Speaking of which, I'm heading out there next weekend with my friend Krissy. Weather permitting, I hope to do some clean-up there, too, to allow the spring plants some more light and air. I planted plenty of tulips there last year. as well as a few daffodils and hyacinths in pale blue and bright orange! When we head out there for Beltane there should be plenty of colorful blooms to greet us.
(Fire shrine garden in spring 2009 at Brushwood Folklore Center)

Outside...

It is still too cold to plant. I pruned the dead banana stalks yesterday. I was surprised -- and the kitties delighted -- that the catnip was lush and full. A good time was had by all.

Today it is raining. Poetry must take the place of flowers for now...

Outside,

The tree waves.

Tickled with squirrel paws,

Trickled by rain,

She knows her place,

Plants her roots,

Holds her ground.

What does that feel like?

To remain so steadfast?

To watch the changes of time?

Birds in our hair.

Worms in our toes.

Seasons on our tongues.

Inside,

I think we used to know.

Blooming Where I'm Planted...I Hope

I made it! I'm in! Now if only my garden was "blog worthy"...

Unseasonably cold weather hit Florida and my poor plants are still feeling the pain. The pygmy date palm is as brown as a toasted...well, piece of wheat bread. Organic, multi-grain, buttered...where was I again?

I've already -- and who really can stand to look at those poor wilted dears for the recommended 'wait a few weeks' time frame? -- pruned the brugmansia down to the ground and some tiny buds look willing to help me forget the entire tragic affair.

I'll have to wait to see what else can be rescued until this weekend since we have an extended rain forecast for most of this week...

Wren in the House!

After patiently waiting for Wren to join the blog, she has agreed, and we'll now be blogging on our gardens and anything else that catches our fancy! Hope you will join us here.

Hello and Welcome!

This blog will be devoted to the gardening life...among other things. Join us as we share our thoughts on all things green and growing, the Eternal Return, the Circle of Life, and life with Mother Earth.

Blessings of the Hare Moon (also known as the Flower Moon, Milk Moon, and Budding Moon) to all! The image featured in this blog is by the incredible British artist Jackie Morris and is called "Listening to the Moon."

My garden currently has iris beginning to bloom, and clematis vines, forget-me-nots, bluebells, and pinks also starting to flower. The tulips, hyacinths and daffodils are nearly finished. The peonies' buds are growing fat and the ants are crowding over them, for some sweet nectar that tastes good to ants.

So what's growing with you?