Sunday, September 29, 2013

The Flowers on the Altar Today..

were given and grown by me, in loving memory of my parents, George and Dorothy.


Thursday, September 26, 2013

Dahlias and an Iris Surprise!

The are such wonderful cut flowers, though they don't last for a long time, but you can see how "dinner plate" dahlias get their name.  This "White Perfection."  It displays well
with cobalt blue.

Last year I bought two window box size potted dahlias at Wegmans.  They were marked as "annuals," but I hoped that if I dug up and stored the tubers with my other dahlias they might come back.  I was far from disappointed.  They obviously are quite happy!


 

And as a surprise September  bonus these are the first blooms from irises that I liberated from a neglected garden in a public area next to my house.  They were buried under  taller plants and crowded beyond bloom.  I spread clumps around the gardens as a border accent.  I did not expect a fall bloom.  SDB I think but perhaps MDB or a species.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

In The Hole


The "water feature" needed an overhaul.  With a pond that would not stay full, I suspected that the liner was damaged.  Finally I pumped it out and headed to Lowes for a new liner. The bad news: They did not have the 10' x 20' liner I wanted.  The good news: Pond liners and pumps were all 20% off and home I came with a 13' x 20' heavier duty liner and stars in my eyes.  5 work days later the pond is larger, a smaller pond feeds the largest by way of a falling cascade and, as of today a third level has been added.  Hopefully a couple more days and the liner will be hidden.  What fun!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Autumn's Iris

Irises bloom in the spring.  But some are rebloomers and return from mid August through September.  Here is the result a rhizome I won as a door prize at the GRIS picnic last summer. Many Mahalos is an intermediate bearded iris from Terry Aitken. Quite a display from that one rhizome!


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

News from GRIS. A "Newbie's" Perspective

I am a proud member of the America Iris Society (AIS) and its local affiliate the Greater Rochester Iris Society (GRIS).  It's a great place to meet folks who have been gardening, and especially growing iris, for a much time than I have.  Since I am a gardening newbie that's not a long time, but many of these folks have been at for years and years.  Many for a lifetime.

When I come to meetings I love to share my enthusiasm, the way I use technology to advance my skills and share the new things I have discovered.  More often than not they already knew what I just discovered for many years, but members graciously share in my enthusiam and celebrate with me even if in their heart of hearts they are saying, in good Southern style, "Well bless his heart." I'm OK with that!  I get to be excited and they share their vast knowledge with me.

In case anyone thinks I don't know I'm an upstart, I hope this will dispel that!

But it's all about sharing: Talking AND listening.

At our most recent meeting I shared some of my blogging experience and a blog that I set up for GRIS (rochesteriris.blogspot.com).

In return I got gifts and answers.  Wendy, one of the real experts and an AIS judge, shared a potted MDB, "Navy Flirt" with everyone there.  I also won a door prize, the Siberian iris, "King of Kings."

'King of Kings' Varner, 1982 (SIB 32" Mid-Late Bloom Season)
I'd share a picture of 'Navy Flirt' but despite search several sources with the group we could find none.  Click HERE to see what the AIS Wiki has to say about Navy Flirt the iris.  This is another type of Navy flirt that we did find.





Wendy also answered a question to which I have never gotten a definitive answer before!  "Is the MDB a median iris."  As one my logically conclude, the answer is "no."  To be in the middle something has to be between something.  In the iris world that means between SDB and TB.

Come join us at our next meeting on October 13th at the Cornell Cooperative Extension across from the Highland Park lilac display area to learn with me!








More from Schreiner's

It's "Too Darn Hot" to go outside so I'll catch up on this year's iris orders.  Here's what I planted Monday from my Schreiner's Summer Sale order.  It includes introductions from some favorite and impressive hybridizers beside Schreiner's.

'Change in the Weather' was a bonus 2013 Schreiner's intro.

'Change In The Weather' (Schreiner, 2013)

Dangerous Mood was supposed to be in my garden, but what I bought from Lowes does not look like any pictures I could find.  I went to the source and ordered on from the hybridizer.

'Dangerous Mood' (Schreiner, R. 2004)
Seedling JJ 109-1. TB, 36" (91 cm), Early thru mid bloom season

This Ben Hager intro, 'Chasing Rainbows,' caught my eye when in Oregon 2 years ago.

'Chasing Rainbows' (Ben Hager, 1995)
Seedling T5516PkBld/OcBld. TB, height 32" (81 cm), mid season bloomer.

Cupid's Arrow is the Ghio entry in this planting.

'Cupid's Arrow' (Joseph Ghio, R. 1989)
Sdlg. 85-177N3. TB, 38" (97 cm), E-M

Drifting is an amoena with  heavily ruffled standards and lacy falls. 

'Drifting' (Schreiner, R. 2011)
Sdlg. RR 1643-1. TB, 40 (102 cm), Midseason bloom.

Another Keppel beauty, 'Suspicion' promises interesting color contrasts in earthy tones.

'Suspicion' (Keith Keppel, R. 1998)
Seedling 93-83H. TB, 38" (97 cm), Mid bloom season