Tag Archives: Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

In A Vase On Monday – Pass Alongs

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In A Vase On Monday – Pass Alongs

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of materials gathered from our gardens.

In A Vase On Monday – Pass Alongs

A bright spot in 2020 was a gift of tall bearded irises I had admired on the Instagram feed of petalsandwingsimages. The rhizomes arrived in September but made no flowers last year. This week they revealed themselves, dark inky blue buds opened into delicate lavender confections. I had made a note that the foliage was variegated but it no longer seems to be. The irises are lightly scented, almost sweet.

Tall bearded iris – passalong from petalsandwingsimages. Japanese Roof Iris in background

Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)

Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)

Planted nearby are shorter Japanese roof iris. These beardless iris were rescued for me one summer a couple decades ago by a friend whose master gardener neighbor was dividing and sharing his. The fringed crest is white, falls and standards are purple.

Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Through the years my mother’s first cousin, Virgie, shared many garden plants with me and when we moved to this house in 2001 I brought along quite a few. One treasured pass along is a rose that she, my mother, and my grandmother all grew. The first flower opened Sunday, just in time to be included in my vase of pass alongs this week.

Virgie’s Rose

Materials
Flowers
Dianthus Ideal Select Mix
Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)
Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)
Virgie’s Rose
Foliage
Helleborus
Container
Stoneware pitcher glazed with bands of cream, green, blue. (pitcher and 4 cups, Pringle Pottery, North Carolina, circa 1977)

Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)

Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)

Thanks to our host Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for encouraging us to create and share our vases. Visit her to discover what garden surprises she and others are enjoying this week.

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

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In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of materials gathered from our gardens.

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

A neighbor was selling flower bouquets Saturday from her porch and I could not resist when the list included lupine and viburnum. I have unsuccessfully tried growing lupine seed this year. Then the flower grower didn’t bring lupine this week after all, but threw in buttercups. The viburnum heads were fairly weak even though I conditioned the stems overnight. The color is useful though and I immediately thought it would pair well with deep purple Iris ‘Crimson King’.

Iris ‘Crimson King’ and Viburnum

I filled out the arrangement with other irises of the moment, and other odds and ends.

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

Ranunculus bulbosus (Buttercup)

Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris) and Iris ‘Crimson King’

Materials
Flowers
Iris ‘Crimson King’
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’
Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)
Phlox divaricata (Woodland phlox)
Ranunculus bulbosus (Buttercup)
Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies (Narcissus x medioluteus)
Viburnum
Foliage
Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells)
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Container
Glass Pedestal Dish

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies (Narcissus x medioluteus)

As always thanks to our host Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for providing this opportunity to to share our vases. Visit her to discover what garden surprises she and others are offering this week.

In A Vase On Monday – Iris Spring

Friday Reflections

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Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

The weather has been ideal for gardening this week and I have put in a few hours each day and nearly all day on Thursday.  There are so many tasks that need attention that no matter which one I set out to do, I am finding it hard not to become distracted and end up working on something else.

I have been planting seeds, bulbs, perennials and dahlias.  I must have really craved color and flowers this winter, but it is hard to know where I imagined I could plant everything I ordered.

As part of my “Friday reflections” I wrote and then deleted paragraphs about weeds, bermuda grass infestations, yellow jacket nests. Sharing the positive highlights of the garden is more exciting.

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Dianthus Ideal Select Mix

This week I have seen butterflies: monarch, black swallowtail, and a pearl crescent (every day). None was interested in posing for me or even getting close so the image quality is poor, but I want to post them here as a record.

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

I was pleased to see a Bumble Bee checking out the ‘Pride of Gibraltar’ Hummingbird Cerinthe.

Bumble Bee and ‘Pride of Gibraltar’ Hummingbird Cerinthe

Bumble Bee and ‘Pride of Gibraltar’ Hummingbird Cerinthe

A green anole sunned on the back garage steps and scurried just for a moment each time I passed, before settling back into its sunny spot.

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

More irises opened and others are close. This is one my garden blogger friend from Petals and Wings (now mostly on instagram) sent me last fall. I’m not sure if they will bloom this year but they are growing and look healthy. The variegated foliage caught my attention and the flower is purple/blue.

Iris (passalong)

Iris (passalong)

Many of my Iris tectorum have disappeared in the past couple years, so I am especially happy to welcome this one back.

Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Another iris of note, this one is one of the only ones I have actually purchased.

Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’

Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’

Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’

Hope you are having a wonderful week in and out of the garden.

In A Vase On Monday—April’s Allure

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In A Vase On Monday – April’s Allure

Each Monday Cathy from Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

After another busy week of non-gardening duties, I stole a few minutes here and there and now at day’s end, Monday’s vase(s) finally are ready.

The colors of the late April garden are rich and deep; the flowers offer plenty of fragrance. My irises are not blooming as well as they should, but I love each new one that opens.

In A Vase On Monday – April’s Allure

The purple anemones that survived the fall planting and winter rains are seriously beautiful, but there should be many more. None of the white ‘Bride’ seem to have taken hold.

In A Vase On Monday – April’s Allure

This is anemone is an oddity.

This Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’ has a crown of stamens on both sides.

Here are a few close-ups.

The yellow Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris) is a passalong from 1977

Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Dianthus Ideal Select Mix

Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’ and Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’

 

Materials

Flowers
Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’ – planted fall 2018
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ – one of first purchases for this garden, 2001
Dianthus Ideal Select Mix – planted this time last year, overwintered well
Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris) – yellow pass-along from neighbor Henrietta in 1977
Iris germanica ‘Immortality’) – white rebloomer
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’) – passalong from down-the-street neighbor Gary
Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris) – passalong from a historic old Chapel Hill neighborhood
Foliage
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)
Portmerion Botanic vase, made in England.

As we continue to deal with medical issues there is very little time for the garden or keeping up with blogging friends, but I sneak a peek at your posts when I can. We are finally back at home which makes us happy.

In A Vase On Monday – April’s Allure

Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower designs across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – April Charms

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In A Vase On Monday – April Charms

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens.

In A Vase On Monday – April Charms

Exceptionally cold weather this winter seems to have invigorated the peonies—first to open is Coral Charm. Its magnificent show this spring is the inspiration for today’s design. Planted in the western border May 2015, it has achieved six blooms this year.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’ (Coral Charm Peony)

I selected the oldest of the blooms to cut. Usually I do not mind cutting anything from the garden for use indoors, but I did think twice about this one.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’ (Coral Charm Peony)

It was a busy week here with obligations that kept me away from my own garden, but I did manage a few hours of weeding and each day I explored to see what might be blooming. It was the kind of week when new flowers suddenly appeared, each with their unique charms. One such wonder, Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke,’ is just a lovely plant. Its pea-like blossoms seemed ideal to include in today’s vase.

Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ and Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Many kinds of iris are in bloom this week also. I chose Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris) for the way it complements the baptisia, though its delicate demeanor enhances all the other flowers in fact. The gentle foliage belongs to the baptisia.

In A Vase On Monday – April Charms

Snapdragons are slowly opening in the meditation circle where they have survived several years. I clipped one of their first blooms to add a bit of sass.

The deep red adds impact to the arrangement overall; the interior of the peony carries a red punch of its own.

In A Vase On Monday – April Charms

A stealthy come-along from a plant exchange a couple of years ago, Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose) is deceptively pretty. After its showed up last spring I was warned last year this is a thug that deserves no mercy. It is in like-minded company–there is a waiting line of plants that need to be eradicated from this particular border where the Oenothera has made its home. What a dream it would be if these hard-hitters could compete with each other so aggressively all could be kept in check.  Meanwhile the oenothera has to earn its keep by participating in Monday’s vase.

Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose)

Materials
Flowers
Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragon)
Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’
Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)
Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose)
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’ (Coral Charm Peony)
Foliage
Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’
Vase
Hand painted Fenton Glass Vase – USA

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’

In A Vase On Monday – April Charms

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower designs across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday—Clematis Trio

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In A Vase On Monday - Clematis Trio

In A Vase On Monday – Clematis Trio

Monday brings the chance to share cut flowers from the garden by joining in Cathy’s weekly challenge In A Vase On Monday.

At the garden center last week two glazed ceramic planter saucers caught my attention. For some time I had been looking for a square black dish to use for floral arrangements. This style came in several other tempting colors, but I settled on black and white.

The new containers lend themselves to Ikebana-style designs, as do Clematis which are happily in flower this week.

In A Vase On Monday - Clematis Trio

In A Vase On Monday – Clematis Trio

Today’s design turned out quite differently from my original plan to use a red Clematis ‘Niobe’ on the white dish and white Clematis ‘Henryi’ on the black. The effect was underwhelming in this case, but I am tucking the idea away for the future.

Fortunately I had gathered additional material, Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ and several kinds of iris, most of which soon found their way into the arrangement.

Clematis Trio – C. ‘Jackmanii’, C. ‘Niobe’ and C. ‘Henryi’

Iris leaves were added for height along with Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’ and Iris tectorum. A small amount of red-purple-greenish foliage of Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ was also incorporated behind C. ‘Jackmanii’.

In A Vase On Monday - Clematis TrioIn A Vase On Monday – Clematis Trio

Materials
Flowers
Clematis ‘Henryi’
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Clematis ‘Niobe’
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’ (Bearded iris)
Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Foliage
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’ (Bearded iris)

Clematis ‘Henryi’

Clematis ‘Henryi’

Clematis ‘Niobe’ With Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Clematis ‘Niobe’ With Iris tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris)

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Thanks to Cathy for hosting this weekly flower addiction. Visit her at Rambling In The Garden to discover what she and other gardeners are placing In A Vase On Monday.