Tag Archives: twin sisters

Flowers On A Rainy Friday

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Yesterday was warm and sunny; today, is very different, only 46F., windy with hard rain at times. Today during an early morning lull I took a quick walk around the borders, coming away with garden views distinctly dissimilar to yesterday’s.

Nodding in the breeze with birdsong as backdrop this stand of Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine) is one of many that has self-seeded all around the garden.

The first Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies (Narcissus x medioluteus) were beginning to open yesterday.

Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies (Narcissus x medioluteus)

Irises continue to awaken around the garden. This pinky, peachy, sometimes orangey one in the foreground is Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’.

Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’

The first peony to flower each year at pbmGarden is always Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’. Its first bloom came out yesterday looking perky and fresh, and today is drenched.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’ (Coral Charm Peony)

Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells) are leafing out, making a nice contrast to the green of hellebores and emerging tansy nearby.

Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells)

I am quite partial to phlox and adore this Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox). It has been nibbled heavily in the last several years and am happy to see its return.

Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)

Polygonatum biflorum(Solomon’s seal) is hidden by hellebores and irises, so when I remembered to look it was already in bloom.

Polygonatum biflorum(Solomon’s seal)

With a couple of buds showing color, Virgie’s Rose is a passalong from my mother’s first cousin, and is one of many plants she shared with me through the years. The deep purple in the left background is a nice grouping of Iris ‘Crimson King’.

Virgie’s Rose

Thanks for stopping by. I’ll leave you with a closer look at I. ‘Crimson King’ yesterday basking in yesterday’s sunshine.

Iris ‘Crimson King’

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

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

Narcissus x medioluteus

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Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies / April Beauties (13 W-Y) (Narcissus x medioluteus)

I became curious this week about my last-to-bloom narcissus. With its white perianths and very small cup coronas it’s been in my April garden since 2014.

N. ‘King Alfred’, ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and ‘Thalia’ are all finished just as this little one is starting to open. I wondered why the flowers sit inside the middle of the foliage and what to call it and tried to remember where I bought it. It was I think just a little temptation in the small floral section of a neighborhood grocery, just a few bulbs lacking identification but packaged to entice.

Surprisingly quickly I found images online that matched my narcissus, read several stories about others who also searched for more information about this daffodil and concluded this is Narcissus x medioluteus. (Please let me know if you doubt or have more information.) It is a naturally-occurring hybrid between Narcissus poeticus and Narcissus tazetta. First discovered in France it is naturalized in many places now, including my state of North Carolina in the US.

Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies / April Beauties (13 W-Y) (Narcissus x medioluteus)

The common names I came across most frequently are cemetery ladies or twin sisters—twin sisters because they usually have a pair of flowers on each stem; cemetery ladies because they were often planted around graves in old cemeteries. That they normally exist in pairs threw me at first. I hadn’t at first noticed second buds piggy-backing on the stems, but yes, sure enough.

Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies / April Beauties (13 W-Y) (Narcissus x medioluteus)

Other common names for this little daffodil are Primrose-peerless, April beauty, loving couples, pale narcissus, two-flowered narcissus. The poignant “Cemetery ladies”is the one I shall most likely remember.

Twin Sisters, Cemetery Ladies (13 W-Y) (Narcissus x medioluteus)

Division 13 – Daffodils distinguished solely by Botanical Name
Consists of the Species, Wild Variants, and Wild Hybrids found in natural daffodils.

Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies / April Beauties (13 W-Y) (Narcissus x medioluteus)