Irises were beautiful!

This year, something was in the air. The bearded irises were beautiful.
I received a call two weeks ago from a woman, Phyllis Palmer, whose irises were bursting with color ~ many were so huge they needed to be staked.
Iris is one of my favorite flowers. I even created a whole new garden space in my front yard so I could put in a large iris bed.
Like Phyllis, I started the bed with bulbs given to me by family. Using bulbs that had belonged in another person's garden adds so much meaning, and history, to the experience.
Most of mine came from my great aunt's farm in Virginia, but I have added a few new bulbs that yield larger flowers. One is the near-black one that I planted to create a sort of art deco look next to a white variety, 'Immortality.'
Little did I know it would bloom later, I had yet to discover that irises have periods of bloom just like daffodils. Some are late, some are early.
Nevertheless, what did happen was an eye-popping contrast to the red valerian I planted. The photo is at the top of the blog. I admire how the carmine pink and black create a striking glow.
And that is what I love about gardening, nature always has its way, and delights you with its own plan ~ which is usually much more glorious than anything man cooks up.
In the coming weeks, look for my Coming Home article on a new, weekend-only nursery in Old Mystic, Kentwood Farms. I hear they grow 600 varieties of dahlias! The nursery is situated on vast acres, and includes five acres of public garden to roam.
I'll be visiting, and wearing my sneakers!
This weekend I will be planting small pink Queen Anne Lace plants I bought from Judy Gasparino of Preston. She had a small ad in the Bulletin, advertising her plants. Gasparino bred these beautiful pink Queen Anne Lace's with much patience, and when I visited her last year, I saw the beautiful variety of color, from maroon to pinks, that the flowers come in.
She also sells other plants from her garden, and has an honor system plant stand on Route 164, Preston. For questions, reach her at 860-889-6824.