Irises In Bloom

Jamie and I have over forty different Iris in the garden right now. Japanese, Flag, Louisiana, Dutch, African, Border Bearded and Tall bearded, it would be impossible to choose a favorite one. Oddly enough we don’t have any Siberian… that will certainly have to change. This first iris is a Blue Flag named ‘Contraband Girl’.

This Iris is a pass along from a gardening buddy online. It’s a Japanese Iris and it’s gorgeous, but I have no idea what the name is. I call it 'Bethie’s Japanese'.

About two years ago, another online plant friend sent me a box of un-named bearded. This is the first one to bloom and I’ve affectionately named it ‘Polly’s Blue’.

This beautiful pink is ‘Beverly Sills’.

Once again another pass along, we’ll call this one ‘Judy’s Blue’.

And… ‘Judy’s Yellow’. This iris is the best bloomer in the garden. It starts blooming in December and will continue into May. It beats all I’ve ever seen.

'In Your Dreams'

'Point In Time'

'Sea Swells'

This is Louisiana Iris ‘Sinfonietta’

'Owen's Yellow'

I believe this is ‘Baltic Elegy’ the storm blew away the labels and I mis-tagged it as ‘Juris Prudence’.

This iris is giving us blooms for the first time this year too, this is ‘Iceland’.

In the Garden 04.28.09

Well, I was off work yesterday for the holiday and the weather was so nice I wanted to piddle around in the yard some. We purchased some new plants to go in the little window planters so I got those nestled into their new homes. I don’t remember what the yellow flowers are, but I thought they looked pretty good together.

Our tiny little ‘Crepuscule ‘ rose is rewarding us with new blooms. It’s only about ten inches tall and wide, but it will grow.

This is clematis ‘Galore’. Jamie and I just started collecting them last year when we found some really reduced in price at one of the stores. We decided to let them grow up the same poles where we planted the roses.

I don’t know the name of this rose. It’s an old antique shrub rose and it has the most incredible scent. Do any of you know what it is?

Several weeks back Jan at Always Growing published a post about an azalea called ‘Amelia Rose’. I’m not a huge fan of azaleas although we have several, but when I saw this I had to have it. I was lucky enough to find it a couple of weeks ago. We bought two of them , one will mature to full size and the other is being trained into a tree.

This False Indigo Baptisia didn’t do a single thing last year and I almost shovel pruned it. I’m so glad I left it. What a beautiful color it is now.

These gladiolus are native to our area and can be found on roadsides and old home places. They are surprising slow to multiply, but are certainly a beautiful color.

I’m really pleased with this combination. We didn’t plan it this way, but I was noticing in the picture how nice these three plants look together. When they get a little growth on them it’s going to be very pretty.

Peggy Martin it showing off for us, this rose reminds me an awful lot of the wild roses around here we use to call seven sisters…

Last but not least is ‘Sugar Candy’. The irises are also putting on a show right now, but I’m saving that for another post.

Jasmine Hill Garden Part 3

Here’s part 3 of the Jasmine Hill posts, I decided to go ahead and submit it since everyone seems to be enjoying the tour so much. This is another view of the temple ruins from the French doors on the back of the house. I wanted you to see what the Fitzpatricks saw when they walked out of their home. Seeing this picture just makes me want to crawl into this photo to be there again.

These columns were place around the parameter of the lanai, in the second picture if you look in the background you can see how elevated the home is compared to its surroundings. The garden sits on the southernmost outcropping of the Appalachians.

The original this bust of Zeus was created from was lost at sea during a shipwreck after its creation in the 5th Century B.C. It was discovered in 1926 and excavated in 1928. The diver that found the wreck died in 1928 and the site was abandoned. What else could be there?

These very pretty Lotus blooms were all over the reflecting pool at the temple ruins.

Saturday was just beautiful, the temperature was perfect. There was a row of cherry trees along the pathway and I casually made the statement I wish the wind would blow so I can walk among the falling petals and take photos. In that very instant from a perfectly still day the wind blew in very strongly and petals were floating everywhere. It lasted only as long as we were under the trees. There was no wind earlier that morning and not a single breeze afterwards. It was if the garden heard my wish and granted it, you would just have to have been there to understand and feel the magic that was in the air at that moment. Unfortunately' the petals are only visible in the photo when you know where to look.

Okay, I’ll leave you to wander the trails on you own. I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos.

Jasmine Hill Garden Part 2

On with our little tour of the garden, this dolphin fountain was made in Italy in the 1400’s. There’s suppose to be a bronze boy on top, but he’s seems to have disappeared. I noticed walking through the garden there were several pieces broken or that seem to be missing and I wonder how much of it was theft? It’s sad the people would do such things to such a beautiful place.

This path leads to a fabulous marble bench carved in relief with a scene from the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. The stone lions on the side decrease in size the closer you get to the bench to give the illusion of greater distance.

The wall that extends around the garden is embedded with various objects. Every thing from china plates to statues can be found on and it. I never would have thought of displaying my favorite china platter on a wall in the garden.

This is ‘Nike of Samothrace’, look at the incredible way her clothing drapes and flows. A masterpiece in Carrara marble.

From the small reflecting pool you can see the wonderful stone veranda that attaches to the back of the cottage. How would you like to have a back porch like that?

The Temple of Hera was the site of Olympic games and the Olympic torch was lit at the alter of Hera. In 1996 the Olympic Flame originated at the Temple of Hera at Olympia and found its way to the only full scale replica in the world of the ruins to light the cauldron on its way to the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. I’m told it continued to burn until the end of the games.