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Iris tridentata

If you are interested in extending your iris bloom season, Iris tridentata may be what you are looking for.  It is a beardless species iris native to wetlands from Florida to North Carolina.  According to Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks at Joe Pye Weed's Gardens, it grows in a wide variety of soil conditions.  My plant is growing in pine bark mulch at the edge of a bog garden.  If you observe the flower closely, you will notice that it lacks standards.  Unlike the iris you grow, this one spreads in all directions with long rhizomes and does not form a clump.  It is just starting to bloom.

Purple Paws

Paul Blacks 2014 introduction is 'Purple Paws.' It's lovely as single bloom.  Creamy yellow standards are peppered with a medium purple plicata.  The falls are whiter, edging in yellow. The purple lays on the shoulders and speckles to the edge.  laying on this a white beard is tipped with dark purple. 

'Purple Paws' (Paul Black, 2014 SDB)

The season's performance was excellent.  Planted in 2014, the clump has established itself well. The show began May 6 and continued for two weeks.  Less than a foot high the clump has a diameter of about 2 feet.  It's getting about time to divide...

Des Moines AIS 2017

There's just too much to wade through in the photo album!  We visited the Collins garden today and the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens to see hundreds of guest iris.  We are past peak bloom here, but there were many mid-late blooming TBs putting on a show.

At Collins 'Bluebird Of Happiness' was putting on a wonderful show and getting well-deserved attention.  

At the Botanical Gardens eager to see what's blooming flocked on the Banks of the Des Moines River.

Two Sass Medal Winners

Two new photos from Kelly Roller

'Oklahoma Bandit' Hooker 1979 IB
Sass Medal 1988

'Ask Alma' Lankow 1986 IB
Sass Medal 1994

An IB from Paul Black New in My Garden!

Man's Best Friend is from Paul Black in 2008, but it didn't make it into my garden until 2016.  I sure hope it sticks around. Even my husband who general doesn't care for color mixes like this said. "That is stunning."

'Man's Best Friend' Black 2008 IB

'Man's Best Friend' Black 2008 IB

IB Stars In My Garden

Intermediate bearded (IB) iris are a great choice for the casual gardener.  One established, they tend to clump nicely and bloom vigorously.  Here are some garden stars:

Despite being in a spot where TBs have not thrived, 'Outer Edge' is in its third year and going gangbusters.

'Outer Edge' P. Black 2011 IB

No, it's not just another purple plicata.  Its wonderful substance hold up to the weather and the 23" height keeps it wind resistant. The 'purple' is a wide band of a rich red-purple (I would say mulberry).
Paul Black hit this one out of the park.

'Outer Edge' P. Black 2011 IB

Another Terry Aitken Hawaiian themed cultivar is 'Many Mahalos.' An orange self (meaning standard and falls are the same color) its beards are a deeper orange. The form is more traditional.  The falls while being held up do curve downward.  It really makes the color statement more complete and, as you can see the bloom is prolific. The iris geeks would say it is floriferous. I say: lots of color, easy to grow.  The complimentary color of the allium is a plus.

'Many Mahalos' Aitken 2003 IB 

'Many Mahalos' Aitken 2003 IB 

SDB two year clumps

Here's a picture of three second year clumps of SDBs from Rick Tasco.  From left to right we have:
'Blue Oasis' (2015), 'Chocolate Swirl' (1999) and 'Feel The Heat (2015).  They have been putting on a nice display this year.

Iris Lactea

Here's a beardless species iris from China that blooms at this time of year.  Iris lactea produces an airy display of small blue blooms.

Iris Cristata

Here's a nice beardless iris for shade that doesn't get very tall.  Iris cristata is a species iris and grows wild in the eastern United States.  It makes a nice carpet.

Arilbreds from Vaughn's Garden

'Parable' T.Johnosn 2011 AB

'Parable' (2011) AB from Tom Johnson increases rapidly, has purple based foliage and puts on a good show.

'Patriot's Gem' F. Gadd 1993 AB

'Patriot's Gem' (1993) from Fred Gadd also makes nice clumps and grows well.

"Chain Reaction' 2007 & 'Free As The Wind' 2015 R.Tasco ABs 

'Chain Reaction' (2007) and 'Free As The Wind' (2015) from Rick Tasco are also good growers in upstate NY.

'Golden Compass', T. Johnson 2012 is an easy to grow arilbred median that you can't miss when it's in bloom.

A Bad Round Up

I've been waiting for this red MDF to bloom.  One of the first Black SDBs to be introduced by Schreiner's in 2014 this first short unfurling showed its potential.

'Fire' Black 2014 SDB

Alas in an effort to save some weeding time I used Round Up.  Don't tell Kyle.  Apparently some got on the leaves of this cultivar.  I only recognize this because the same happened in friend's garden. Believe it or not this picture shows two blooms from the same clump.

More SDBs and the earliest IBs

A number of SDBs bloom with more than the expected set of petals.  This is often occurs in the first bloom.  I have seen as many 6 pairs of standards and falls. This cultivar consistently bloom with 4 of each.

'A Little Good News' T.Johnson 2014 SDB

This cream edged pumpkin orange was released posthumously from the seedlings of Bennett Jones.

'Bennett's Star' B.Jones 2013 SDB

Several shades of blue violet SDBs with light beards are blooming. 'Cliché' and 'Pulsator' are among them

'Cliché' Black 2002 SDB

'Pulsator' T.Johnson 2011 SDB

'Eye of Sauron' produced this tightly packed fireworks display. When I planted them I had forgotten the area was planted with daffodils.  'Sauron' had to fight his way for light and bloomed more like an MDB, but I love this little nosegay.

'Eye Of Sauron' Black 2009 SDB

'Jillaroo' is lovely in form and coloring.

'Jillaroo' Ensminger 1983 SDB

'Joyous High' T. Johnson 2016 SDB

'Line Drive' Sutton 2006 IB

'Pippi Longstockings' Innerst 1985 SDB

'Sapphire Gem' Schmelzer 1975 SDB Cook-Douglas Medal 1983

Labeled 'Soft Air'...

Unknown White IB rebloomer

More Mid-May SDBs

Here are more SDBs that are blooming at Diamond Rise in the past few days.  Two of them are brand new intros (last year) from Thomas Johnson.   Like to see them in person?  Feel free to stop over!

3873 Rush Mendon Rd. Mendon NY 14506  neil.houghton@me.com

'Unwritten' T.Johnson 2016 SDB

'Joyous High'  T.Johnson 2016 SDB

'Purple Paws' shows what a prolific established clump of SDBs can look like.

'Purple Paws'  Black 2013 SDB

Michael Paul is a classic beauty.

'Michael Paul' Jones 1979 SDB

'Jennyanydots' Black 2011 SDB

'Stitch Witch'  Willott 1975 SDB

'Frankenberry'  Stout 2016 SDB

'Forever Blue' Chapman 1996 SDB

'Force Field' M.Smith 2009 SDB

'Eye of Sauron' Black 2009 SDB

'Chanted' Blyth 1990 SDB 

'Cheery Blush[ Black 2014 SDB

'Canadian Kisses" Black 2006 SDB

A Beardless Dwarf

The dwarf bearded iris are not the only iris blooming this time of year.  Here's a picture of the 'Red Form' of Iris ruthenica, a species iris, in full flower.  It forms a nice clump which resembles a small ornamental grass.  The leaves of a dwarf iris which is intermingling can be seen at the back of the picture and give you an idea of the size