Thursday, April 15, 2010

Iris Crestata now blooming!

Folks,
Several years ago the septic field was planted smack in the middle of the wild Dwarf Crested Iris  patch. Now it has more than doubled in size, I personally thought it would thin the patch dramatically. The patch used to be somewhere around 10' x 15' now it is like 15' x 30' and not quite as filled in as it was before the septic field.  So we have 100s of blooms open and more coming tomorrow with our mid 80s temps. They only last a few days.
Keeping the tree seedlings at bay will help them from getting taken over, it is a job around here pulling tree seedlings and dealing with blackberries and Japanese Bamboo Grass.
Above is a sample of what the actual patch looks like. Anyone local wanting some of these please let me know, many plants are in the proposed walkway. They can be moved or shared just the same.

The above plant was a gift last fall. Does anybody know what it is?

16 comments:

Floridagirl said...

That is a beautiful iris! And beautifully photographed. It must be wonderful to see them by the hundreds! Remember...everything grows greener (and purpler) over the septic tank. I like that mystery flower as well!

Chandramouli S said...

Wow! My day began with such beautiful blooms! Aaah! I loooove Irises!

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

Goodness, all of a sudden it seems to be Iris season! I've seen a lot today, and these are beautiful!

Your mystery plant looks like some sort of Solomon's seal perhaps (though not necessarily Polygonatum genus). The leaves look about right, very similar to our native form here...although your blooms are quite large.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Wow, those are beautiful! It's so cool you have a big enough area to let things like that spread about.

I don't know your mystery plant, but I think I knew Jan's. I hope someone knows it. It sure is full of blooms.

Randy Emmitt said...

Floridagirl,
These native irises grow in the woods here better than anywhere I have seen. Just lucky I guess. They are growing aver and around the septic field and in the woods nearby.

Chandramouli,
You really have to have timing to enjoy these, by Sunday the show should be over.

Curbstone,
This mystery plant is growing next to the solomon's seal. Been watching other blogs hoping somebody would be growing it.

Jan said...

Randy, I know what you mean about having to pull tree seedlings! We have literally hundreds of mini-oaks growing everywhere from the acorns that fell last fall. We've never had so many at once! It's a major project that isn't going to get done properly, I can tell you right now, because I don't have the patience for it! What a gorgeous shade of blue on the iris! And so many...it's a real treat, isn't it?! I like your mystery flower but can't help ya, sorry;-( Sue did manage to correctly ID one of mine, though. Isn't it nice having garden blogging friends?! Happy spring!

Southern Lady said...

Your flowers are very pretty. I do not know the mystery plant, but I can identify with pulling up tree seedlings. We have lots of baby oaks to pull up every spring.
Carla

sweetbay said...

I think the mystery plant is a Bellwort. The whole patch of iris must be a beautiful sight. I have one open right now. One of my favorite native wildflowers.

Anonymous said...

I am no expert, but it seems to be some kind of fairy bells, disporum? What a fine patch of the iris. We have some too, but they have not spread like that, too dry perhaps. What beautiful flowers, if fleeting, and great shot! :-)
Frances

D said...

Randy, I can imagine that field of iris and how beautiful it must be; if it is anything like our Iris tenax, a lovely lavender flower, it self seeds everywhere; thus we enjoy it on the hillside and naturalized along the highways, but it is persistent in wanting to be in places I don't want it to be. ;)

You and Meg have a wonderful weekend.

Sarah Knight said...

looks wonderful, irises are my favorite flowers (I have a lot of them in the yard too!)

: )

Q said...

Wonderful Iris! I love seeing the native flowers I think they are the most beautiful of all. Anytime I see flowers enmass I always think they look amazing. Iris are Mother's Day flowers for me, at least they used to be. With the warm temps we have been having I also could have iris in bloom soon.
April seems to be flying by.
Sherry

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Hi Randy, I agree with Frances, I believe your pretty little yellow flower is Fairy Bells. We have had some in the Learning Garden over the years. I will have to look and see if we still have some....lots of vole activity in the garden.
Love the blue color of your Iris, just lovely.

Randy Emmitt said...

Thanks everyone for commenting! Thanks to Frances and janet on the mystery plant it is Disporum flavens and it was introduced into the US from Korea and likely it was purchased locally at Plant Delights. The Iris Crestata has hundreds of blooms in the woods today!

Les said...

What a great patch of iris. I wish I was closer to take you up on your offer.

Victoria Williams said...

You have some very interesting plants there.
I love where you've put your deck. Nice viewpoint.