Iris Siberica ‘Concord Crush’
Yesterday (Wednesday, May 3) I had a few moments to wander the borders in midafternoon. I had been eying a patch of Siberian iris through the windows and finally had to inspect them.
Iris Siberica ‘Concord Crush’ and Iris ‘Immortality’
The day was sunny, bright, and very breezy, not great conditions for photographing the flowers, but it was a lovely opportunity to just be in the garden.
Added to the garden last year, this Siberian iris seemed unhappy last weekend after so much rain but rallied nicely.
Planted nearby is Peony Pink Parfait, the first peony I ever added to the garden. It’s been crowded out this year by irises and has only a few flowers.
Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ (Peony)
Seeking a little shade, my favorite spot yesterday was underneath a Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) in the southwest corner.
Southwest Corner. Dianthus, Artemisia, Heuchera, Iris
Southwest Corner
Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)
For a time Iris ‘Helen Colingwood’ and Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells) pair up to form a dynamic color combination.
Iris ‘Helen Collingwood’
Iris ‘Helen Collingwood’
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ is quickly laying claim to this section of the garden as evidenced by its emerging green foliage surrounding the heuchera and beyond.
Iris ‘Helen Collingwood’
Given half a chance, Lamb’s Ears fill in anywhere and beyond. As they are fairly easy to remove I’ve left them to ramble for now.
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris) and Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Hellebores have been wonderful this year. I appreciate their long bloom time. Even as they fade they continue to add interest throughout this area.
Hellebores and Tansy
Iris ‘Helen Collingwood’
pbmGarden 
You made me smile with these photos. Mine are up about 6″ so I still have a wait. Waiting is good sometimes because I really appreciate those first couple of blooms. 🙂
It’s so true the anticipation of those first flowers makes them all the more precious.
Your garden is so beautiful! The Japanese Roof Iris have an interesting name. They look similar to Walking Iris that we can grow here.
Walking Iris sounds fascinating. I see Japanese roof iris in a lot of gardens around town. Wikipedia says, “The common name is derived from the historical use on thatched roofs in its native China and Japan.”
Interesting. Walking Iris grow a little plant on the flower stem and they fall forward and root. Search my blog if you want to see a photo, as I have posted about them before.
Every photo shows the breathtaking beauty of your garden, Susie. The mass of bearded Iris in the southwest corner had me laughing at myself as I celebrate the paltry display I’ve received from the one Iris germanica in my back garden that has done me the favor of presenting a single flower and 2 buds in waiting. (I still love it but it’s nothing by comparison to your display.) Your Iris siberica is gorgeous too.
I saw your iris on instagram today and it’s a lovely one. It’s been a very good year for iris here and I have a lot of varieties that flower at different times so I’ve been enjoying irises more than ever this year. I have a huge be that’s overgrown with a pesky aster and I need to dig up the whole area–not something I look forward to.
So many beautiful iris cultivars! If I had more sunny spaces, I’d grow more. Your gardens are looking so inviting!
Thanks Eliza, the garden is making me happy right now. It’s about to get completely out of hand! 😀
Beautiful photos of your garden Susie. The spring light is quite lovely, especially in the corner under the Redbud. I hope you can see that spot from indoors too!
Thanks Cathy. Yes, I so appreciate that we have lots of windows facing the garden, so I can keep an eye on it even when I can’t be out there.
What a glorious colour that first iris is, Susie