The Iris Maps are Coming Along...

This week's big project - and last week's and next week's - is mapping my gardens.  Using iDraw, I created bed outlines.  The next step was to create color and shape coded markers for various classes of irises.  Labels were added. Next I used Graphic Converter to create small versions of the ID photos I use for each cultivar in my database.

As I move through this process I have had to do some more research.  One of the most profuse cultivars in my garden I have labeled as Honky Tonk Blues, but I may have to rethink that.  Ocean Pacific turns out to be something I discovered the packaging for.  Although I had a light blue identified as OP, it seems it is darker.  These are more likely to be Monet's Blue.  All this means that my Honky Tonks may well be OP.  I cannot find any actual proof of having purchased Honky Tonk.  I hope the Greater Rochester Iris Society will help me sort this one out!

Mapping My Garden

Last year I decided to map my garden.  I have more than 150 irises (100+ named cultivars) and many hybridized daylilies, dahlias, hostas and many bulbs.

I started using an old version of Adobe Illustrator, but it was clear I needed to update and I was not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a program that I would use rarely and certainly not professionally.  Along came ArtBoard.  For $25 I could do most of what I wanted.  Here's an example:

ArtBoard was fine, but one major drawback was the ability to import and export into other editable formats.  So I started looking for another affordable program. When I fond iDraw and saw that it had an iPad companion, I thought I'd give it a try.  So far so good.

Thanks to Google's ability to display satellite images I decided to use that to plot out a promotional view of my entire yard.  Last year the image was too low resolution and had distorting shadows.  I was also way to of date.  This year the resolution is much improved but still does not show all beds.  Despite my attempts to carefully measure and plot out each bed, the arial shot revealed my mistakes and now I am in the process of reworking it.

With Visions of Irises

Think Spring! Think Irises!

It's about a month and a half from the possibility of working in the garden and another 2 or 3 months until the irises will start to bloom here.  It seems such a long time and though this winter has been very mild, it's toying with us now. Fifty one day, 20 the next, bare ground for a week and then the snow returns.

So this week was made oh so much more bearable by the arrival of 32 pages of hope and color in the Mid-America Garden Catalog.  Paul Black and Thomas Johnson who are the hybridizers at this Salem, Oregon garden have won many, many awards and it's always a treat to see their new introductions.

You can read about what I ordered last year here and what bonuses I received here.

I'll be featuring a few in upcoming posts but here are two that instantly caught my attention...

Thomas Johnson's Flamingo Frenzy and Paul Black's Princess Grace.

Flamingo Frenzy

(T.Johnson '12) Looking at a clump of these rich pink beauties, one could easily imagine a shoreline populated by a flock of brightly colored flamingos. Strong stalks and vigorous growth are distinguishing features of Flamingo Frenzy. You’ll notice the beards are solidly in the pink range rather than the more usual and often jarring tangerine to orange palette.

Midseason-Late 36” (91cm) Sdlg. TA40D: In Love Again X Secret Affair

Princess Grace

(Black '12) Princess Grace was very fond of beige to rosy beige colors. This lovely flower hopefully captures a bit of her beauty in a palette she would find attractive. Plant habit is top notch in every way, from strong vigorous growth to show stalks having 8-9 buds. Clumps transport one to a place of quiet, serene elegance. One of the last to finish blooming.

Midseason-Very Late 32” (81cm) Sdlg. N133A: Blushing Bashful sib X (Good Humor x Weekend Update)

New Iris Acquisitions, round 2

The second delivery of irises came from Pleasant Valley Iris Farm. I ordered from them in 2009 and was very pleased that all the rhizomes were healthy and true to name. Their prices are also reasonable.

Here are online photos of what arrived. Everything seems to be establishing itself well.

Kiss the Dawn
1994, Kerr

'Kiss The Dawn' (Frederick Kerr, R. 1994) Sdlg. 89-03-02. TB, 35" (89 cm), M. S. pinkish red violet; F. peach pink, veined darker, with distinct pinkish red violet edge; beards red orange; ruffled, lightly laced; slight fragrance. 'Feminine Wiles' X 'Prom Night'. Rainbow Acres 1994.

Kinkajou Shrew
2000, Kasperek

'Kinkajou Shrew' (Brad Kasperek, registered 1999). Seedling 94B-18A. TB, height 38" (97 cm), early to mid season bloomer. Standards red purple (RHS 72B), white streaking with occasional red purple dot; falls darker beetroot purple (71A), white streaking, light golden yellow hafts; beards cadmium orange, large; ruffled; pronounced fragrance. 'Gnus Flash' X 'Footloose'. Zebra 2000.

Lace Legacy
1992, Greenwood by Aitken

'Lace Legacy' (Doris Greenwood by J. T. Aitken, registered 1992). Seedling G83A -1. TB, height 34" (86 cm), Medium bloom season. Heavily laced light apricot orange, paling to white around bright orange beards; slight fragrance. Parentage unknown. Aitken's Salmon Creek 1992

Mother Earth (I had this, but it is so lovely I wanted to start a fresh grouping)
1988, Hager

'Mother Earth' ( Ben Hager, R. 1987). Sdlg. T3703RfBi . TB, 37" (94 cm), EM. S. oyster cream, tinted lavender near edge and beige through center; F. lavender, paler around beard, beige on hafts; pale blue white beard. 'Scenario' X 'Pleasure Dome'. Melrose Gardens 1988.

Rustler
1988, Keppel

'Rustler' (Keith Keppel, R. 1987). Sdlg. 81-95B. TB, 37" (94 cm), M. S. antique gold (M&P 12-L-8) flushed faded rose (5-KI-9); F. henna (6-J-12), paling to antique gold at margin; florida gold (10-L-8) beard tipped chrome orange (10-K-2); slight sweet fragrance. 'Laredo' X 'Dazzling Gold'. Keppel 1988.

America's Cup
Hybridized by McWhirter; Year of Registration or Introduction: 1988

Conjuration
1989, Byers

'Conjuration' (Monty Byers, registered 1988). Seedling D1-1. TB, height 36" (91 cm), mid to late bloom season. Standards white, edge lightly infused pale violet blue; falls white, suffusing to deep bright amethyst violet edge; white beard tipped tangerine; fuzzy white horns; ruffled. B-37-10: ('Sky Hooks' x 'Condottiere') X 'Alpine Castle'. Moonshine Gardens 1989. American Dykes Memorial Medal 1998

Golden Panther
2000, Tasco

'Golden Panther' (Richard Tasco, R. 2000). Seedling 94-30-30. TB, height 34" (86 cm), Mid bloom season. Gold overlaid bronze, highlighted darker bronze at edges; style arms bronze gold, edges lighter lemon yellow; beards bright golden orange; heavily ruffled. 'Guadalajara' X 90-02-03: ('Marsh Light' x 'Dazzling Gold'). Superstition 2000. American Dykes Memorial Medal, 2009

Edith Wolford
1986, Hager

'Edith Wolford' (Ben Hager, R. 1984). Seedling T3917RfY /Bl. TB, height 40" (102 cm), Mid bloom season. Standards clear canary yellow; falls mid-blue violet; blue beard tipped orange; ruffled. 'Merry Madrigal' X 'Freedom Road'. Melrose Gardens 1986. American Dykes Medal 1993.

Snowed In (a free bonus)
1999, Ghio

'Snowed In'(Joseph Ghio, R. 1998). Sdlg. 93-90L3. TB, 34" (86 cm), EML. S. light blue, thin tan edge; F. violet black, white sunburst pattern around red beard. 88-180P: ('Notorious' x (('Success Story' x ('Fancy Tales' x 'Alpine Castle')) x (('Persian Smoke' x 'Entourage') x (('Strawberry Sundae' x ('Artiste' x 'Tupelo Honey')) x 'Borderline' sib)))) X'Romantic Evening'. Bay View 1999.

Iris Racaps begin as the "Season of the Borer" ends.

It's been a long summer in the garden and I have not really updated this blog in a while.

The iris blooms in June were wonderful! As were the daylilies in July and some are still blooming...

August, however brought about the heartbreak of iris borers.

I thought the foliage was not looking so great but when I started cleaning up I discovered that, for the first time to my knowledge, the borers had invaded.


The war is now over for this season. Because of the advanced stage of development, no insecticide could be used. The only thing to do was to dig up every rhizome, discard the worst, wash them, put them in a 10% bleach bath for an hour, rinse them, dry them and replant them.

Given my collection of more than 50 cultivars and 5 to 10 rhizomes of most, that was a task. I had to label each and keep them separated. Splitting them and making room for new acquisitions also meant having to dig 4 new beds.

The good news is that many seem to be showing new growth and now I know what I need to do next year!

It's my plan to recount the season on this blog and record the new plantings. Earlier this year we had an iris bloom party and my good friend Andy Smith too some stunning photos. I posted then in Andy Smith Photos, part 1 and part 2. I will discuss all cultivars as I recap.

Ally Oops

My new purchases from Borglum's this year included Ally Oops, for which Dana was just award a medal from American Iris Association. Gotta join that!

Even though the season is almost done, since I am getting back to the blog (freed from some evil in my life) I will be recapping the season soon... and the daylilies are on their way.



2000, Borglum

'Ally Oops' (Borglum, Registered 2000) SPEC-X, height 18" (46 cm), blooms Early Midseason. Standards and style arms light blue; Falls yellow, blue veining; foliage tall, ribbed center. Parentage unknown --- presumed siberian X Iris pseudacorus . Borglum 2002. Randolph-Perry Medal, 2010.

Ok, so it's not mine....

OK, this is not in my garden... yet! It's "Evening Drama" -- from hybridizer Paul Black of Mid-America Garden and blooming in the Garden of David Cupps in Lexington Kentucky.



In the Houghton-Crawford garden, the Dwarf is gone and arguably the most well know and reliable rebloomer is about to bloom. "Immortality" is a white intermediate.

Stay tuned. And thanks David! Great photo. I'll see you in San Diego.

Irises 2010 are on the way!

Irises 2010 have started to bloom... actually the first dwarf bearded iris is already on the wane. It was in full bloom on April 24 as seen below. It is unnamed and was apparently in a clump of "Bumble Bee Deelight" from Borglum's Iris Farm. It is going to be an interesting year. I planted a host of dry rhizomes at the end of the season from Pleasant Valley. They are all going strong, but whether they will bloom or not is the big question. I also did the first major divide of some of my favorites, "Night Owl," "Mother Earth" and an unnamed red, that was a profuse bloomer. Again, their production this year is in question.

Throwing "wind to the caution," like Googy Gomez, however, we are planning The First Annual Mendon Iris Festival, High Tea Tailgate Barbecue for what we hope will be a sunny Sunday afternoon. I figure that of over 50 cultivars, something will bloom! Details will be forthcoming, but in the meantime follow the news here on what is blooming.

Dig Your Own Daylilies

It was our second trip to Borglum's Iris Farm this year. June is for Irises and August for Daylilies. These are the very nicest people! Dig your own. $8 for a huge clump that an easily be split into 2-4 plants. Even if you don't buy a thing it is worth the trip. For more info click here.