Iris Eyes are Smiling

 
(Ooh, the title is bad and I apologize for that.)

The tulips in my garden are at their peak, and now it's time for the irises.

'Cherry Garden' Iris



I'm getting loads of dark irises this year. Don't think I'm complaining though. I'm pleased that they have done so well. And back again this year, with a first bloom four days later than last year, is my small and delicate dwarf bearded iris 'Grape Orbit'.

'Grape Orbit' Dwarf Bearded Iris



I also have some yellow irises around and about. I'm not sure where they came from, but I remember buying some unmarked irises for a dollar during a big garden centre sell-off a few years ago, so the yellow ones are probably what I bought then. You can see one that is about to bloom near the bird bath.

Irises Near the Bird Bath



And in other exciting news (well, exciting is a relative term, but maybe it's exciting to other hardy geranium lovers), 'Johnson's Blue' just got its first bloom.

First Bloom for 'Johnson's Blue' Hardy Geranium



Oh, and I found the greatest 10-inch basket at a local garden centre. You know the 10-inch basket? That saviour of the gardener's pocketbook, a source of cheap and cheerful filler material? Well I found one that was chock full of happy, healthy, hybrid double petunias. The only one, I might add.

My Big Find: A 10-Inch Basket With Double Petunias



The last thing I want to show you is some beautiful foliage that is coming into play right now, particularly these geraniums (pelargonium) that I bought for their variegated foliage. (I haven't quite got around to potting them up yet.)

Variegated Foliage on (Pelargonium) Geraniums



My 'Mardi Gras' heuchera took a beating, so it's not the beautiful huge plant it was when I bought it last year, but at least it came back. And it still looks good.

'Mardi Gras' Heuchera



And here is another little heuchera, a solid performer from my heuchera garden under the maple. It's probably 'Beauty Colour', but it could be 'Dale's Strain' or 'Green Spice'.

Heuchera (probably 'Beauty Colour')



Oh, and I inadvertently lied to Sigrun at Hillside Garden. She posted her 'Red October' hosta and I said mine was still in the ground. I should have known better. It was just overwhelmed by all the tulips and irises in the side bed. But it's there and I took a photo. Et voilà.

'Red October' Hosta

How Does My Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row

There's none of that in my garden, but on the weekend I did do some shopping at the local garden centre attached to the grocery store. This is a great time of year to go there, just when they have all the new stock in and they haven't been picked over too much. I found a great ornament that matches my buddha statue. It's the same type of thing, only just the head.

New Garden Ornament



I picked up the first of my container plants. I haven't actually planted them yet, but I'm getting a feel for how they will go together by gathering them in my favourite pot (a sphere with an angled edge -- I've looked and looked but I can't find another one like it; my mother wants one too).

Plants Gathered in My Favourite Container



The lamium at the front of the pot survived from last year. Bonus!

Many of the daffodils and early tulips are fading, while late tulips and irises are coming into play; for example, these fringed tulips.

'Blue Heron' Fringed Tulips



'Pink Fountain' Fringed Tulip



Here are some bright pink tulips in front of the irises that are ready to bloom now. You can just see my 'Snow Angel' heuchera sending up flower stalks in the bottom right.

Pink Tulips, with Iris and 'Snow Angel' Heuchera



Here are some late tulips just starting to bloom. You can also see my Holger juniper, 'Rosanne' hardy geranium, some 'Chocolate Chip' ajuga (bugleweed) just starting to bloom, and an expanse of flagstone pathway.

Late Tulips in the Backyard



Here is a close-up shot of one the tulips. I think it is a 'Black Hero' double late tulip.

'Black Hero' Double Late Tulip



As I mentioned, the early tulips are finishing now.

White Tulip Dying



These Tulips Remind Me of Fried Eggs



And, to finish up, a picture of the little fritillaria whose purple is now fading as it gets ready to give up the ghost for another year.

Little Fritillaria, Almost Finished


Photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without attribution.

Tulips

 
It's tulip time!

I like to stick to a specific colour scheme for my tulips, which is cream and purple (all shades, from pinkish-mauve to almost black). Here are some examples.

Zurel Tulips



Two Shirleys and a Black Parrot



Jackpot!



Two 'Ballade' Tulips



A Pair of 'Raika' Tulips



Closeup of a 'Zurel' Tulip



An Unexpected Orange Tulip



What Happened to My Colour Scheme?



These Flowers Are Not Fitting In



Solving the Problem



Waiting for the Vase



Tulips in a Vase


Photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without attribution.

Yes, I solved the colour scheme problem by cutting all the orange-yellow tulips and displaying them inside in a vase.

A Little Gardening Humour

 
"I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died."
~ Richard Diran


The good news is, I spoke too soon about my 'Ankums Pride' cranesbill (hardy geranium). It has new growth the last time I checked.

'Ankums Pride' Hardy Geranium



Oh, and these must be the three rocks that died:

Rocks and Hydrangea



No, it's actually a photo of my climbing hydrangea. And tucked off to the left behind where the daffodils are now, a columbine will soon enough be blooming in this quiet, unremarkable bit of garden along the east fence.

Spring Photos

Just as it was last year, this blog is about the garden photos. I've tried to get a bit more of the variety in my garden, which changes from day to day. The daffodils are out in full force, and the tulips are just starting. There won't be any magnolia photos from my garden this year, although I have seen other people's trees that are blooming.

Tulips in Evening Light



Newly Blooming Double Daffodil



Pretty Pink Daffodil



I've got some interesting purples in the garden right now. My mom had pulled some bulbs out of her garden and was about to throw them away, so I took them home and planted them in my garden. I'm not sure exactly what they are, but I think they are a type of fritillaria.

I Think These Are Fritillaria?



Close Up of the Flowers



Right next to these is a hosta that is just starting to sprout. I like the little purple jackets on the leaves, and how they come up in a circle.



And still on the purple theme, here are those purple hyacinths with a background of 'Saybrook Gold' juniper.



Oh, and some photos showing the life cycle of a pasque flower.

Bud



Bloom



Spent Bloom



Finally, another view of my favourite spring garden bed.


Photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without attribution.

It Feels Like a Real Garden Now

Well, at last there are enough bulbs blooming that my garden feels like a real garden again. Here is my favourite spring bed. It just keeps getting better as I plant more bulbs. This year there are nice clumps of daffodils to look at.

My Favourite Spring Garden Bed



Mixed Daffodils



The hyacinths are reaching their peak. They have such a strong fragrance, I don't even like to get close to them in the garden (except the white ones, which have a more delicate fragrance, reminiscent of cinnamon). However, they are all lovely to look at. These light purple ones are growing amongst the vinca, which is also blooming with a carpet of light purple flowers. Surrounded by yellow 'Saybrook Gold' juniper (which you can't really see in this photo), the effect is quite pleasing.

Light Purple Hyacinths



The first tulips have also bloomed. This is only two days later than last year, instead of a whole week, but the ones that are blooming are a new variety I planted in Fall 2006. The ones planted in Fall 2005 that are returning are still only buds, just getting a touch of colour. (Just as a side note, that curly grass in the top left corner of the photo is really popular with nesting birds right now. It's amazing how carefully the birds will choose -- and reject -- materials for their nests.)

First Tulips of 2007



Tulip (Opening Soon)



Open Tulip



Finally, even though I've had daffodils for a while, the daffodils I was most looking forward to have just "arrived". Here are two of them.

'Delibes' Daffodil



'Flower Record' Daffodil


Photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without attribution.