Louisiana Iris in Bloom

One of the biggest surprises of my Iris bed is the uniqueness of the Louisiana Iris that are blooming. I have attached some photos of the three varieties I am growing. The geometry of the bloom is so different from the more well known Iris, such as Tall bearded variety. I was quite happy with the quality of the pictures as well. I wish I had the actual names of each flower but I do not. Perhaps I can get some ID help on Dave's Garden.com. I hope you enjoy the flowers. The nice thing about these Iris is that they are the last Iris to bloom in my garden so it extends the Iris bloom season. 

My Garden is Growing by Leaps & Bounds

This picture was taken on June 15, 2013. Only about 10 days of growth since the last photo. Of course Mother nature is helping out; a great deal of rain during this time frame. Not a whole lot of sun, but decent light. It seems something has stopped eating my broccoli leaves. Also I put down some little cups with beer in them and caught a few slugs; well they drowned themselves in the cup of beer. Talk about drowning in your own beer. :) Plus I was advised to put melon slices down on the ground as well. The broccoli is growing so tall. Perhaps too much leaf growth, but that is the way it works; first heavy leaf growth and then the broccoli head form.

Everything is Planted in My Garden

The Vegetable Garden of Deegan

The picture makes the garden  look longer and narrower that it is. In reality the dimensions are about 30 x 11. I am really happy with my soil this year. I ordered a few yards of Super Soil (Humus, Sand & Soil) to enrich the garden a bit and expand the bed by the old bean patch in the rear of the garden. I roto-tilled it well and mixed the new soil with the old. You can just tell when you have good texture to the soil. For some reason black soil just appeals to me as well. This soil remains black.

What is planted in my garden.

What you see from right to left is a row of green peppers, Jalapeno, Pablano,  Broccoli, Tomatoes (including Beefsteak, Cherry, Rutgers and, and heirlooms. I have three rows of green beans and wax beans. I also have a hill of Zucchini and a hill of Cucumbers for canning. I grew a beautiful egg plant for Jackie and Paul. Plus,  we are growing pole beans next to the back and side walls because it is an efficient use of space and we love beans. Nancy freezes them.  Oh, I forgot in the foreground is a row of garlic. I will show another picture of the garlic. We had a great rain the other night and it is just amazing what a good soaking will do.

Something is eating my broccoli.

I had a problem with something eating my broccoli leaves; was dusting with Savin dust but did not seem to solve it. It was suggested it may be slugs. I think I will do as my wife suggested a put out a few saucers of beer tonight. See if I can scare me up some slugs. I also planted a row of ageratum; extras that I had. It is always nice to have some flowers near the garden; adding a little color for atmosphere.

Garlic is fun to grow 

The Garlic is maturing nicely and already going to form seed heads. I usually take some of those seeds and germinate them for fall planting. They get growing this fall and will ripen next summer for harvesting. Garlic is so expensive in the store, it is a treat to grow your own. I just love to experience the glee of not having to pay for the veggies. Of course I pay with my time, but when you enjoy gardening, it doesn't feel like a burden. It is not work to me. More like recreation or therapy.

 Close up of Abe Lincoln, the new heirloom tomato 

It is interesting to note the texture of the leaf is different than regular tomatoes; seems to be smoother and a broader leaf. It is only June 7th and the plant is flowering already. I am very eager to see what the tomatoes look like, their size, color and shape. My Master Gardener friend, Nancy Whisler says this is the 'high fashion' heirloom tomato this year, creating a real buzz in the gardening community. I bought a few heirlooms from Nancy. She grows hundreds of heirlooms each year. I will try to save the seeds from a few tomatoes this year to see if I can keep the chain going. How cool that would be if the seeds performed like an heirloom should, and produced true fruit, a copy of the parent. I can't wait. I also have heirloom beefsteak. If that bears true seed as well, I will be flamboyantly excited. So much to look forward to this year.       

 

There is a Face in the Bloom of this Iris

What do you see when you look at this Iris?

• I believe this is a Japanese Iris because it does not have a beard and it tends to be flat. However, that is not the drama of this picture. It is what is in the center of the Iris. Do you see what I see? I see a face. I have never had this perception when looking at an Iris. This is a photo from above the Iris. To me it looks like a face. I wont tell you what kind of a face because that will tend to bias your perception. The power of suggestion will be at work. Please let me know in comments what you see, if anything. This is an unexpected adventure and now I wonder how often Iris lovers see something unique when viewing an Iris. You never know what is going to pop up next. Surprise, surprise.

Selected Iris Blooms 2013

 

These are Iris that have bloomed in my Iris Garden this year. Iris are still blooming beautifully. The break in temperature is going to help extend the bloom and extend my joy in viewing them. I hope you get a chance to visit the Willott Iris Garden at the Rockefeller Greenhouse & Park in Cleveland.  

What Color is Your Personality?

This Iris has real personality. I  just love the pleats or ruffles, if you prefer,  on the falls of this Iris. I don't know it's name, but no matter the name, it's personality shows through without saying a word. This is a most interesting white shading with the yellow edges. It is a large Tall Bearded Iris; eight inches across. The unfortunate fact of life about Iris is the bloom is short lived; about 3-4 days, depending on the intensity of the heat. This iris is growing in full sun, so there is no respite from the sun light. Even though the bloom ends almost as quickly as it starts, the burst of beauty when the iris first opens is worth the letting go at the other end. There is a true sense of magic in the opening act.     

First Geranium Bloom a Stunner

This red pelargonium (geranium) is the first bloom from a cutting I made just after Christmas this year. (2012) 

The sun is coming from the back direction of the flower so it almost looks like a solid flower; becoming nearly transparent by the bright sun filtering through the bloom. It mimics the look of a scarlet red poppy from this angle.

This is the first year I started cuttings so early. By the end of  May this plant will be abundant with blooms and buds. It  can be featured in a large flower pot, suitable for display on the deck or patio.  A mature plant costs about $8.00 at the greenhouse. Guess what mine cost me?

I should write a book about geranium cuttings. It is so simple to make cuttings. Learning this technique could bring so much joy to average gardeners. I am amazed at how few people are aware of how to do cuttings.  What would I title the book? I guess I should not disclose my creativity.  I will keep it a secret.   Now is a great time to try your hand at geranium cuttings. (see earlier posts for how-two's)