Memorial Day 2010

Iris Bloom Report 05/31/10

Much is waning and the "Honky-Tonk Blues" is in full profusion. On this Memorial Day Weekend the little league park was hopping on Sunday afternoon when I stopped by after church. Kyle and I were house-sitting for David and Dahn. I was the leader of morning prayer in the absence of a clergy leader at St. John's. As is too often the case to be coincidence, the reading appointed was one to which I had a special connection. I shared:

I was in Boston for a conference several years ago and the principal speaker was Massachusetts State Assemblyman, General Convention Deputy Byron Rushing. He was speaking about how to respond to those who like to “proof-text,” that is to say make a point with an isolated passage form scripture out of any context.

“Simply say to them ‘John 16:12,” he said, “Then walk away. Since they are probably not Episcopalians, they won’t have to open their Bibles.” But for the sake of those of us who are he read: Jesus said to the disciples, ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.’"

Since then, this passage has become part of the signature line on my e-mail. It certainly is the underpinning of the UCC campaign, “God is still speaking.”

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."

Now, whenever anyone speaks to you in absolutes about what the Bible says you too can respond, “John 16:12.”

New Irises from Borglum's

New Irises from Borglum's

And here are the new kids we brought home. "Bold Look" and "Tiger Honey" lost there blooms and a small pink one that was tucked in with another clump has not opened yet.


This was identified as a seedling by Silvia. While there are many, many named irises at the farm, there are also many that were raised from seeds and never registered. Dana and Silvia always say "You name it!"

"Celebration Song" is a lovely pastel two-tone with pale pink standards and lavender falls.

"Supreme Sultan"

"Seneca Creamsicle"

This may be the answer to the mystery question... I need to compare carefully. "Seneca Pink Delight" is a registered cultivar by Dana Borglum. "Beverly Sills" has a pink beard... so the picture I posted may be neither "Vanity" or "Sills." There is another iris about to bloom which may be the opera diva's namesake.

Borglum's Iris Farm - Annual Iris Visit

Borglum's Iris Farm - Annual Iris Visit

Friday was our first visit to Borglum's this year. We hit it spot on this time. The tall bearded iris were in full bloom. 4 acres of them.

Borglum's is on ridge in between Canandaigua Lake and Seneca Lake. This year we returned with 6 clumps and some beautiful named cultivars. Two were hybridized by Dana Borglum.



Here's the setting. Surrounded by working farms, we passed their neighbor's horse and buggy on our way in.


Name irises stretch row after row. If you want one of them Dana or Sylvia can usually point you to one in the "you dig" areas.




The area around their house is beautifully landscaped. Here a clump of "Mariposa Skies" blooms in front of the shed.




Behind Kyle is a "you dig" area. Named irises and un-named seedlings are mixed together here. You get a cart, recycled grocery bags and a shovel. For $7.50 you can dig a clump. A clump might contain one or more cultivar and could easily be split into two to four healthy rhizomes.


This display area by the barn contains irises, lupines, peonies and daylilies.


In this cultivation area you will see three of the named irises. "Seneca Creamsicle" is in the forground. Behind that is "Supreme Sultan." "Seneca Pink Delight stretches down the center of the area.


"Bold Look" came home with us...


... as did "Supreme Sultan"



Take a shovel and dig a clump!

Potted peonies in more than 50 varieties are also available...

Iris Bloom Report 05/27/10 more...

Iris Bloom Report 05/27/10 more...

A mystery. I beleive this to be one of two cultivars. Can anyone help?

"Beverly Sills" or "Vanity?"

Another "Night Owl"

Iris Bloom Report 05/27/10

Iris Bloom Report 05/27/10

Here's Bed A-3 with blooming irises labeled...



And new blooms today:

"Night Owl"

"Eagle Control"

... and one of the non-bearded Siberian Irises which are just starting to bloom.

Iris Bloom Report 05/26/10 comparison

Iris Bloom Report 05/26/10 comparison

Here's one side by side of the same cultivar from 2009 and 2010

2009

2010

Iris Bloom Report 05/26/10

Iris Bloom Report 05/26/10

Some special new shots today...

This is the first bloom of an new rhizome... "Indiscreet"

"Total Recall" is what this is supposed to be... It blooms beautifully every year, but I don't think it is what it is supposed to be.

"English Charm"

"Batik"

Iris Bloom Report 05/25/10

Iris Bloom Report 05/25/10

No Pics today. It's too darn hot and I am so disappointed with some of this years blooms. I spent today taking pics to document height and get ready to tag some of the errant blooms. As I said before though I have had some beauties there are others that are just awful. I plan to post a few side by side comparisons to last years blooms... I guess I will hope that 2011 is a better year.

The trip to Borglum's is planned for Friday.

Iris Bloom Report 05/24/10 part 2

Iris Bloom Report 05/24/10 part 2

Here's a bit of the long view of the gardens. The first bed I planted is T-shaped running east and west with a strip running downhill to the south. For reference I refer to this as Bed A-1. Down the hill to the south is a bed which was a rock-pile. Now it has a small Pond which I refer to as Bed P. Curving to the east an north at the crest of the rise that is behind my house is bed A-2 and A-3.

The most impressive display of iris for me is a large group of a single cultivar. At the East and West of Bed A-1 below are large groups of "Honky-Tonk Blues" ready to bloom. In the center of Bed A-2 is a nice burst of "Mariposa Skies."

Last year I divided a red which is not identified, "Mother Earth," "Night Owl" and "Before the Storm." Mother Earth and the red are not looking promising, but "Night Owl" is budding nicely.

Bed A-1 East "Harvest of Memories" and huge clump of "Honky-Tonk Blues" budding

...and at the west end of Bed A-1 another clump of "Honky Tonk Blues"

In Bed A-2 "Mariposa Skies" and "Monet's Blue"

...and more "Mariposa Skies" and "Immortality."

"Everything Plus" is doing much better than the first bloom indicated!

Iris Bloom Report 05/24/10 part 1

Iris Bloom Report 05/24/10 part 1

More about the frost damage... there are some buds that are simply not going to bloom. They have turned brown.. and some foliage is not in good shape either. I believe it to be a combination of fragile hybrids, position in the garden and perhaps how much water some had before the frost or how much they got afterward. The differences are dramatic. Since I have in excess of 50 cultivars, I have a broad range of results this year.

Today they are popping. I think the open garden will be moved to this weekend. I fear there will be nothing left by the first week in June, which is what I had planned. The most prolific and reliable iris in the garden is "Honky Tonk Blues." It is has been in the garden since it was planted 8 years. This is one that was un-named I searched and found it. Distinctive for its full, ruffled standards that are low, and broad falls that fade to lighter blue at the heavily ruffled edges. If anyone wants to share I expect that this will get split in the fall... and I have dozens.

"Honky-Tonk Blues" (Schreiner 1988)

"Honey Scoop" blooms its last for the season.

"Rachel Rose" is a real favorite. As with most the camera cannot capture the subtle shades. The falls are a dusty rose and the standards are a lighter shade of that. Though the color is warm it is not as orange as it appears here. And it was hybridized by Dana Borglum, whose farm we will visit later this week...


Yesterday I listed this as an unidentified red... It is indeed "Sultan's Palace," but the stunted look of the early blooms made it look completely different. This is more like it, but still not the luxurious, full bloom that it was last year.


"Hemstitched" is a cultivar I purchased and I think I have one that was un-named from Borglum. There is a variation in the amount of purple/blue edging on the falls of different flowers on the same stem. The smaller iris beneath was apparently in the clump from Borglum's. One of the joys of shopping there... plus the $8 price for a clump you can easily split into 3 or 4 substantial plants.

Iris Bloom Report 05/23/10 part 3

Iris Bloom Report 05/23/10 part 3

Old Reliable "Gnu's Blues" is looking good.

Iris Bloom Report 05/23/10 part 2

Iris Bloom Report 05/23/10 part 2

Here are some nice blooms, but many show the effects of an early warmth followed by a frost and snow...




"Play With Fire" (Schreiner 1987) is really plum, despite the fact that it is listed as red.



Here is the given up for lost "Harvest of Memories." After 3 non-productive years in my garden it is blooming beautifully this year.



This unidentified "red" is much more a true red. It shows the effects of the late frost.



"Joan's Pleasure" is a new bloom this year from rhizomes I got late in the fall at a bargain price from Pleasant Valley.



"Everything Plus" is also a victim of the season.