Monday, February 21, 2011

This and that

Here's the finished work of Le Vesuve.
My front yard isn't quite as desolate as it was before the pruning but you'd never know there are roses in this picture.
Poor Clotilde Soupert has been leafless for a few months, and her normally green canes are burgundy-colored. I really was afraid she might be in trouble since my other CS had lots of leaves. While I was pruning her, I looked at the other side of one cane. What a shock to see that it is green on the north side! The poor rose is sunburned. She's showing some new sprouts so hopefully she's OK.
Madame Abel Chatenay is so prickly, but she's sprouting new growth already. We're having some very nice warm temps.
Violas grown from seeds by me.
Last year first bloom went to 'Hermosa', and this year it's 'Hermosa' again. Sorry for the blur. We had a good bit of wind today.
This is the glamorous part of composted horse manure. It's downhill from here and leaves you with stiff muscles. I added topsoil, but the hole took every bit of the load.

Tomorrow I'll finally be planting my three new babies, moving Parade, and planting this "Purple Iris". That's all that was on the label from Lowe's. I've never grown irises before. I hope it survives in my yard, and I hope Lowe's knows what they're doing stocking it in their Ocala store. I just couldn't resist it - even at $12.98. In fact, I want to go back for another one. If anyone has a clue what kind of iris this might be, I'd really appreciate your sharing. It's about 30" tall. I hope it's not a bearded iris. I don't think they do well here.
I was just thinking today that I would be entirely happy if all I ever did was work in my garden.


9 comments:

  1. My first guess was bearded iris...mine sort of look like that, they get very tall....curious to see!

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  2. I can hardly wait to see your front roses and the rest of what is growing in your garden. Your new bed looks wonderful. Hope your iris does well for you.

    Happy Gardening ~ FlowerLady

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  3. That looks like the walking iris I have, Neomarica caerulea 'Regina.' Mine hasn't really "walked" like my other types of walking iris, it just gets bigger in the clump and is easily separated to place around the garden. It's perfectly cold hardy here in my zone 9 garden and the link below says it's good from zone 7. I grow mine in part sun/part shade. The blooms are lovely.

    http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/114022/

    All your work is looking good! That new bed is going to have awesome soil. Lucky roses.

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  4. Poor Clotilde...You're going to have to put some sunscreen on her delicate side. What a load of horse poop you've got there...no wonder your roses are sooooo happy! Can't wait to see your front yard in full bloom.

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  5. sherryocala: Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving the nice comments about my blog!
    I assume the walking iris you were asking about is the one shown in the last picture? I agree with NanaK and that looks very like my Neomarica caerulea 'Regina'. When I divided them, I think I might have planted one of them too deep since a big portion of them rotted after putting into the ground. I lifted them a little higher, and now they are recoerving. Hope I can see the flowers soon since it would be the first time I see their flowers in my own garden. They are planted in a partial sun/shade area. Good luck with yours. The flowers should be big and pretty.

    I am sure I will come to visit you more often since I also love roses, but find difficult to grow in Florida. The red climbing rose in your header picture is so beautiful. Is it Don Juan? Love it!

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  6. Wow, Sherry, you did get a lot of work done in your garden. You pruned Le Vesuve into an excellent shaped bush, I am very impressed. Your hole front yard looks lovely even though the roses are just freshly pruned and mainly leave-less. Like others I can't wait to see them back in full bloom.
    That horse manure you put into your new bed will be very appreciated by the new inhabitants as will be the topsoil. Good job!
    Oh, and I love your self-sown pansies!
    Christina

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  7. Hey Sherry!
    I finally get to share some garden information with you after all the knowledge you have graciously sent my way. I bought an iris just like that last year from Lowes. It is most probably what they refer to as "apostles iris". It has a purple and yellow bloom, looking much more like an african iris in nature than a bearded or dutch. Speaking of which, my heirloom bearded iris rescued from my grandmothers yard after her passing in August, are budding and blooming here in Tampa! The trick I have found is morning sun, and NO mulch whatsoever, along with a planting depth of about 1/4-3/4 of an inch for the long rhizomes. Apparently they are happy as I counted 10 buds and 2 blooms this very morning. Iris is a favorite in our family, as is pretty much any bulb. I am the only true rose fanatic...funny how things progress through generations.

    Always,
    Ken

    PS- Im starting a blog as well...writing could make my juggling act life a bit more theraputic LOL.

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  8. Sherry, it does my poor frozen heart good to see a rose in your garden!! This means that it won't be long before spring makes its way up the Interstate, and I should have roses here before long.

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  9. Those do look like the leaves of my bearded iris. When I moved down to Georgia, 10 years ago, my mom gave me 5 iris bulbs. I now have hundreds. But I like them. If you ever see Louisiana Iris, get them, they are dark purple, bloom later and like wet feet. I just started pruning. It's been warm, but I am wary of a late freeze.

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