Iris Seed Pods

The irises that bloomed profusely near our front door (May 16 post) were fading by the first of June although some of the petals still remained. I snapped most of the spent flowers from the stalks to help the plant send all its energy to increasing the rhizome mass rather than the seed pod….but left a couple for observation.

By mid-June, all the color had faded from the petals even though the dried, twisted petals still topped the green pod forming underneath.

Now - a month later - the pod is beginning to brown. I’ll continue to take pictures as it ripens. The plan it to start a new bed of irises with the seeds and some rhizomes I’ll move from a bed that is becoming overwhelmed with new bushes and mint. I’m going to mark where I plant the seeds so I can observe their progress over the next few years.

View from the Front Door

The view from my front door is about the best of the year right now. The irises are blooming. It seems like every time I look out there are more open and plenty of buds beginning to unfurl. They seem to be thriving in their prominent location.

I got the rhizomes from my mother many years ago and planted them in a backyard flower bed and they did not do well at all. The few blooms they did produce were often unnoticed because there is not a window with a direct view to that flower bed and they did not proliferate. I dug the rhizomes a couple of years ago and replanted them in the front flowerbeds where they get eastern sunlight. And they have thrived. I seem to have more plants each year. I’m using them to fill in the flower bed until the ninebark bushes are large enough to fill the bed. Then I’ll have to find somewhere else to plant those irises but I’ll leave the plants that frame the step down from the front porch!

Brookside Gardens - Early Spring Bulbs

My walk around Brookside Gardens last weekend was a great time for early spring bulb photography.  The daffodils dominated with different configurations of yellow and white…big and small. Miniature irises were in bloom too. It seems like there are fewer hyacinths every year; I’m not sure why. The tulips were up but there were no buds showing; they will be worth another trip to Brookside a few weeks from now. Enjoy the early spring bulbs slide show!