Open Garden You are all Welcome!

Thank you Ticker for the iris show...and thank you Wanda!
Now I have a request. Someone PLEASE breed an iris that blooms ALL summer!!! They are so beautiful..it's just a shame they don't last long enough!

LOL Lincolnitess........we posted at the same time...and look at what we said!!! To each his own I guess!!

Actually, they do have iris that will bloom non-stop all season, it just depends on what zone you're in. I think Wanda told me that she has thirty re-bloomers in her gardens. I have pretty much all re-bloomers, but I can count on both hands and toes the different Iris I have. Iris are a lot of work, you really have to stay on top of them to get the kind of display Wanda has. I'm not that dedicated or observant. Two years ago I had a beautiful stand of Bethany Claire and then it was attacked by Iris borer and all I have left of it is one sad little root. But given enough time it will rise again. Wanda works hard at her gardens and it shows. :)

Diann

Sandy--Hot Dogs & Mustard is correct! Great guess!

Diann, I didn't realize you took so many pics! LOL WOW! Good job! It was great to see you & meet everyone. And your granddaughter was an absolute sweetheart.

I have 30 re-bloomers, but the most that have ever bloomed in the fall for me is 7. With as heavy as the iris bloomed this spring, I don't that ANY of them will bloom this fall for me. We'll have to see what happens...

Yeah, I get a bit carried away with that camera. :) But, it was really fun and everyone in our party enjoyed themselves. Grand-niece was beginning to wilt in the heat, but she was a good trooper about it.

Diann

Wanda,
Wish I lived closer...It would be worth it to take a weeks vacation just to see all those gorgeous iris in bloom. Thank you ladies so much for all the beautiful pictures. I love irises. It is so exciting to see the re-bloomers in Fall. Best thing that ever happened to irises is getting to see some of them bloom twice in a year.

Shirley

Wow - how impressive - great job with your gardens, Wanda

Wanda--- what is the iris taken by ticker at 5:57??? jam

Ticker posted Red Rooster (BB) at 7:57 pm. Is that the one?

Here is a shot I took last evening down the "Butterfly fairy" bed. Most TB's are Still going strong with 3 new ones opening today... :)

Hi your gardens are beautiful and so are the sculptures .wished I lived close by would have loved to see in person !!..Sharon

wow!! Thaey are amazing!!! I love Irises! I have a few.. I have just started! It is hard to find them down here..

THey look amazing!

Tall bearded Iris like to rot with too much moisture, but love the dry summers here.

I had 3 new late ones open yesterday as some of the earlier clumps are finishing up. Took 2 hours to deadhead & clip off old scapes. I need another big Yardy cart from the city. Mine is almost full of iris waste & I have 5 days until next pickup!

Wanda, What is the iris in the 8:10 PM photo by Ticker?
Just starting to come down from my "Iris High" of last weekend! We got torrential rain and wind a day or so ago, and I was hoping that it didn't come thru your yard and shred everything in sight.

One vivid memory: I couldn't believe how much more spectacular Rustler was in person than in a catalog picture. The subtle nuances of color have to be seen in person.

And now I must get busy painting a spectacular painting to trade you for a few of the crumbs off of your sumptuous table! (Yes? Is this a plan?)
Sharon

Wanda, Nessie would look great in a pond! Love, all your beautiful pics!
We just got home from KY Lake.
Teresa

Steve, if you think Wanda's gardens are impressive in photos, you should see the real thing! No photos can do it justice. It really is an amazing place to visit.

Diann

What a lovely garden tour. Appreciate virtual but wish I could have been there.

Good goin, Wanda!

Ticker's 8:10 pm posting is "Liason" with historic "Rose Garland" visible behind it.

A spectacular iris painting? I see you were taking notes on your favorites- I always enjoy fine art! Or will your hubby insist on keeping it again... LOL

I didn't show you how I framed up your last watercolor--it's hanging in the dining area.

I was on the phone to Tazzy last night. i discovered 3 "hitchhikers" that tagged along with roots she sent me. She thought all 3 had died off along time ago! Great historic iris I hadn't expected!

Went to heaven last friday and look who was there! Wanda! After treating us to a delicious lunch at Metro Buffet she shared her beautiful garden with us. For many years I've been seeing pictures of Wandas garden posted here on Daves. What a pleasure it was to see it in person!! The iris were still in bloom and absolutely breathtaking! Thank you Wanda for sharing your piece of heaven with us! Beve and Nan

Starship Enterprise? Wanda, is this the name of the iris in the front yard? We went crazy over this one!

Statues throughout the garden made it even more beautiful!

And I see you got me looking my typical gorgeous self... LOL

your gardens are just breathtaking!!
When the bloom is over do you crash for a little while? LOL

Wish I were closer..

Whoops--yes. that tall , brilliantly marked iris is "Starship Enterprise".
It's thriving in the front yard in 1/2 shade. VERY strong grower for a newer cultivar. The picture on Schreiner's page does not do it justice.

http://www.schreinersgardens.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SIGO&Product_Code=STAE&Category_Code=SU

I have Starship Enterprise growing in mostly sun and it does just as well. It's a definite winner.

Wanda sure wished I lived closer! You gardens looking stunning in the pics so I am sure in person leaves visitors speechless

The blooms are slowing down now and many clumps are finished. good thing. i see daylily scapes raiaing up now. Lots of stalk trimming to do.

Wanda, If you see an iris that is looking rotty-spotty, do you dig it right up and deal with it early on, or do you wait until July or so?
Sharon

I cut the blades waaay down first. It is often a sign of too much wet or cool weather that TBs hate. Cut the blades & let some air into the clump. If the root looks or feels "mushy" , then dig it up & cut off rotted part. TBs always shed some leaves after a lush blooming, but you want plenty of green blades to feed the roots for next year's blooms.

Hi Wanda,

I'm just back into TB and Reblooming Irises and yours are beautiful! Thanks to you and all who went and took pics to share.

I was going to ask the name the Iris that Ticker posted at 3:15, but I think that one was answered; Starship Enterprise. Very eye catching and beautiful!

What is the Iris that Ticker posted at 3:32? Beautiful (as all of yours are)!

Is the Iris posted at 3:33 Ecstatic Echo? It is beautiful! My neighbor had it, but then lost it.

What is the one posted at 3:44?

I love the one posted at 8:05? Beautiful! What is it?

What about the one posted at 8:15? Another beauty! Love the beards!

What Reblooming ones do you have and like?

I bought Best Bet (hope it turns out to be the right one) at a local nusery this fall and plan to add more Irises next year.

Thanks!

Marilyn










This message was edited Nov 29, 2006 4:18 PM

Marilyn, your time zone is one hour ahead of mine, so i was a bit confused when I first read your post.

2:32 pm is Triumphal Entry--HUGE floppy blooms!
2:33 You are right--big blooms of Estactic Echo
2:44 Tazzy's Blues--seedling unregistered & a surprise hit from our own Tazzy!
7:05 Congratulations--a handsome bi-tone
7:15 Traitor--a very unusual green with a navy blue beard

I have planted 32 re-blooming iris. Our summer is too short for them to perform properly. My rebloomers do not set buds until September or October and often get hit with an early frost. The MOST I have ever seen re-bloom was 6 clumps one year with a late frost. I usually just see Immortal & Clarence rebloom.

Wanda,

Thanks for replying. Sorry to confuse you on the 'times'. ;-))

Your Irises are very beautiful!

Marilyn

Thank you. It was an unusual year. Everything bloomed heavily and the cool weather plus little rain allowed the blooms to stay fresh longer. Sigh. Wishes for next spring?

I really like the 'High Master', 'Megabucks', 'Starship Enterprise' and 'Seapower' Irises to name a few. There are others I really like on the Snowpeak Iris site, but can't remember them offhand.

Marilyn

I grow TB Starship Enterprise, but no the others. It is only 2 years old, but has settled in well and already increasing. I grow over 300 iris including 225 Tall beardeds, Dwarfs, Intermediates , Minature tall beardeds & Border Beardeds. Not that many compared to many of the DGers.

Wanda, glad someone bumped up this thread. Beautiful, beautiful flowers. Found more I like.
Love 'Loch Ness'. Did you find a good location to get your wonderful statues resonably priced? Would love to locate somewhere around here.

What does the Loch Ness Iris look like that Caganimalover mentioned? I didn't find it in PF. Thanks!

Marilyn

hahaha No no, she has a Loch Ness statue shown in a couple of different pictures above.

LOL

I forgot about that! Silly me! ;-))

"Nessie" is a favorite in our yard. She's covered with plastic bags now against the winter ice & snow. We have several places near here that have their own forms & offer concrete statues at a reasonable price. Going "statue shopping" is fun with some of my local DG friends. Here is a thread on one such "road trip" last spring...

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/607740/

Thanks for posting the link for:

Upper Midwest Gardening: ROAD TRIP to DUBUQUE and beyond !

I hadn't read it before. Good thing I live too far away, I'd be looking for "rabbits and bunnies" to put in my yard to go along with the wild ones I already get. DH and I have 2 adorable lopped eared bunnies that we keep in the house. Our male bunny is Scout and our female bunny is Cuddles.

Here is a pic that DH took April 2005 of Cuddles sitting on the Lane chest on evening (they always get to come out in the evening).

Marilyn