Bearded Irises. Historic Iris Preservation Society rhizomes.

Irises from HIstoric Iris Preservation Society

Bearded Iris Bed #3, mostly modern varieties.

 This package, of Historic bearded iris varieties, is from the Historic Iris Preservation Society.  The rhizomes are grown by members, and sold to provide funds for the organization.  A package with several varieties, may be grown by various gardeners.  I requested specific varieties.  There was one substitution, and one bonus variety - Gay Geisha - which looks very nice on the website.

The varieties were:
Los Angeles 1927.
California Blue 1929.  From the HIPS site:  "From The Iris City Gardens catalog for 1940: "...vigorous...long blooming season... well branched and early. Rich bluish violet with a glowing beard. It is the most delightfully fragrant which we know. 4½ feet."
Gay Geisha 1959.
Frost and Flame  1956.
The substitution was Bourree, for Beverly Sills.  Bouree is described at "Nola's Iris Garden" as " 1984... 35½ inches... light lavender and the falls are white ground with ¼" petunia purple plicata band and speckles at hafts; lavender beard tipped bronze; ruffled; sweet fragrance."

Bearded Iris Bed #2, mostly historic varieties.

Irises among the peppers.  Bearded Iris Bed #3.

These came in the mail yesterday.  I planted them today.

I did rearrange one variety.  At the back of Bearded Iris Bed #1, was "Eleanor Roosevelt" - which is a small variety, and has been shaded by a Buddleia plant that grew way out of bounds.  The Buddleia will be moved this fall.  Meanwhile, I pulled the last of the Swiss Chard, and planted "Eleanor Roosevelt" in Bearded Iris Bed #2, at the front.

Meanwhile, the marigolds and sweet alyssum have both been overgrowing their places as narrow edging.  Very nice, but crowding the irises.  So I pruned the plants, and fed to the chickens.  They seem to like sweet alyssum plants, but were wary of the marigolds.  Oh well.  I was hoping the yellow petals would translate to darker yellow yolks.

Bearded Iris bed #3 was meant to be modern varieties.  I did not have room in beds #1 and #2, so a few historic varieties went into Bed #3.  I don't have to be rigid about what goes where.  At some future date, I can trade - remove a couple of modern varieties from #1 and #2, and replace them with the old

There are some chili pepper plants in Bed #3.  They will grow until frost, which is plenty of time for the new rhizomes to establish and start to grow.

Maple Seedling 9 Months Later

Maple seedling 8/15/13

 This is the maple seedling, I moved Oct 7, 2012 from the Vancouver yard to the Battleground place.

I expect next year it will start to branch out and form a canopy.  I'm amazed at how fast a small tree can grow, when grown from seed, on its own roots.

Maple Seedling 10/07/12

Maple Seedling 10/07/12

Random photos from today

Mostly fruits

 Wild blackberries, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, Black Prince tomato, Hungarian Wax pepper, and a Parisian Market round carrot.

Buddleia X Lilac Chip

Meyer Lemon

 Miniature buddleia hybrid "Lilac Chip".  This one is in a bed that I have not been caring for, only a few flowers.  If I give it better care next year, it might be dramatic.

Meyer Lemon

Meyer Lemon grew nicely this year.  Often in bloom and when it is, the honeybees are there.

Me, approx 1979

Cakmakli Turkey

Thinking about the past today.  Nothing to do with gardening.  Life is a journey.  Cliche, but true.

Moving an established, dehydrated Sedum clump.

Sedum, unknown variety

More for the apiary garden.

I recovered this sedum clump from a grass-filled area under an old cherry tree.  It has not been watered this year.

Sedum is dry tolerant but given the very dry location, that was extreme.

The advantage of the dry soil, is it was very light.  It required a couple of slices with the shovel, and came out easily.  Part of the clump broke off.  So now I have a small clump and a larger clump.

After getting them to the Battleground place, I soaked them for a while, then planted.  THe wilted leaves firmed up a little, not much.   I think they will do fine.  This year is too late to make the leaves nice looking and plump, but there will be a few flowers for the bees.  Next year I expect they will be impressive.  It was an old, well established clump.