My friend Bobbie Mason is hosting a Tour of her gorgeous iris gardens on Saturday, April 1, from 10 AM until we all go home.
I've seen these gardens on a bad day at the end of the bloom season, & they were gorgeous, so they'll be spectacular during the peak of the season!
To get more 'bang for our buck', we're having a Swap at the same time/same place.
Her home is just off I-35E & Ovilla Road (SH 664), 1 exit south of the Dallas County line, very easy to find.
Swap 'rules' same as always, & we're planning on sharing a potluck.
so be thinking of what you have to trade, what you need/want, what you (or in my case, Mrs Albertson) can prepare for lunch, & where you put your comfy shoes, garden hat, & camera!
can't wait to see everyone again!
sylvia
ps: the date is early due to the exceptionally mild winter we've had.
DFW Iris Garden Tour / Swap Combination
Hi Sylvia,
I had the pleasure of meeting your friend, Bobbie, at a swap at Trinity Park last fall. I will mark my calendar and hope to be able to tour her iris garden. What a nice gesture to open it to those of us who love irises. Add a swap and some food, well, it's a grand day, indeed!
Cathy
Sylvia I will try to come - not many time I get to see gardens down here! Where off Ovilla is it?
Mitch
Isn't she a hoot, Cathy?
I went over there today & took the tour (every time I go to her house, I take a tour!).
There are a number of irises with buds, paperwhites in full spate, jonquils (or narcissus, I never am quite sure) are about 20% blooming, & a bunch of stuff is starting to green up.
It should be beautiful by April 1.
Mitch, she's off Red Oak Road on the west side of I-35, just west of Hilltop Trailers.
Sylvia I have no idea where that is over there but I will sure try to take a peek and see. All my Iris are out and blooming - but not the jonquils yet. I do have lantana (trailing) blooming against the wall... I cannot wait until April - and I really cannot wait until my garden is ready for a tour!
You have *iris* blooming???
I am turning green here my own self.
Isn't it funny how different gardens wake up at different times?
Bobbie's bridal wreath spirea has flower buds already!
Only 1 of mine has new green leaves, & the other is still pretty dormant!
These are all in the raised pond are on the South facing wall so it is much warmer there then the rest of the yard. They are in the same bed with the trailing lantana still blooming - I dont know if you remember where the pond is at but they sit right on the edge of the water. So I guess there is a nice microclimate there? Anyway there are loads of buds out there to...
Sylvia, was Bobbie the one that I got the walking iris from maybe?
Oops, sorry Sheila, didn't pop in here yesterday.
Yes, your walking iris probably did come from Bobbie's garden:
I remember her excitement when she started some.
Mitch-Late last autumn I moved my potted plants to the south side of the house, & one of the salvias is already blooming there!
Should we start listing our 'haves' & 'wants' here, or start a separate thread?
As everyone probably knows, I *always* have chocolate mint:
Its ancestors escaped from a 2" plastic pot years ago, & it's colonized every square inch of soil that it has crawled onto.
(It smells just like a York peppermint patty!)
and I can bring Kwanzo daylilies,
the double form of the old-fashioned orange ditch lily.
Once established, they live through anything, so they're especially useful here in Texas for difficult spots (west-facing parkways between sidewalk & street, old country cemetaries where there is neither perpetual care nor running water, public or commercial areas where there never has been any care taken & where no care is likely to be taken, etc)
And they're good plants to use to interest children in gardening.
Nothing succeeds like success, & these things *will* grow, & they *will* flower!
They also spread like a rumor, so there are always some to share.
Can't think of other things right now, I probably need to see them before I remember they're out there, but I know I'll have lots of plants.
Sylvia, I wish I could come, but I work on Saturdays, I guess I'll just have to wait. till I have those days free.
Josephine.
I have put this on my calendar, Sylvia.
I will definately try to make it there. I will bring food of some sort. I don't know that I will have much to trade, but it depends on what is coming up. I just mainly want to see her garden and meet some other DGers that I have yet to meet, like Posie4U!
Are we bringing food? Let me know what to bring!! What I have is going to matter on what the weather does to my babies this year... should have tomatos and peppers if the first batch lives.
Josephine, I will try to remember to take my camera and take pictures to share with those who do not get to go.
Yes, Mitch, we're bringing food, just whatever snackies people feel like bringing.
(We're not going to try to plan a menu or a balanced meal or anything headache-giving like that!)
Josephine, I wish you could come, *but*...
If you want to give me or Bobbie a call, I'm sure a personal garden tour can be arranged (every time I go over there, I get an entire tour, including what plants used to be "there" & are now "here" & what is in their old places! This woman loves her garden!)
And I haven't heard from anyone else yet, but I feel like we'll have a Ft Worth or Arlington swap again; there are so many people who live in that area.
I forgot to mention I have Lamb's Ears:
makes my driver's license photo look funny, but that's life...
ALright I will dig something up to bring for food ..... ummmmm any ideas? lol I have almost no juice left to think with after the great night we had here...
I wish I could join y'all, but I've got tickets to Phantom of the Opera that afternoon. Have fun & I want to see lots of pictures!
Yikes!
For those who saw the news story about the 2 houses in Red Oak that burned/exploded:
those were neither Bobbie's nor mine!
Thanks for the concern.
Her address is:
121 Creekview Drive West
Red Oak Tx 75154
Directions from I-35W & I-20:
Go south on 35 past DeSoto.
Exit Ovilla Road (SH 664)
Continue south on the access road.
Go right on Red Oak Road.
Creekview is a "U" shaped street on the right:
Pass the first street that says Creekview.
Turn right on the second Creekview.
House is pretty far down on the left, next to a vacant lot (our playground!)
see you all there!
Mitch, didn't you bring a relish tray or some such last time?
Whoever did it, it was a nice touch, gave people the opportunity to nibble on fresh things that they could eat with their fingers.
Veggie tray - sounds perfect for the cooking challenged!
She's at it again!
This is gonna be fun:
went by Bobbie's last night.
Her newest passion is Louisiana irises:
She's working to get different cultivars, especially open-pollinated or native ones.
so we may have La irises to ooh & aah over!
She's giving a presentation at the Dallas Iris Society this spring, will get the info & post asap, so she's knee-deep in pamphlets, books, magazines, research.
I have a number of plastic pots, some of them pretty decent size, & I think some vases, that I can bring if anyone is interested.
& I can't remember if we talked about "other than purely gardening" stuff to trade, but I have a dusty rose decorative window with a sort-of window box, for interior decor, & 3 wooden hearts that say "Follow" "Your" "Dreams".
Hi Sylvia (waving) I haven't talked to you in forever. I have this on my calendar and planning on meeting up with Adeline to go. I can't wait to visit with you again.
Venessa
I am trying to put a trip togather and be there. If I can visit my son on that day I will try to make it and also pick up some fish from Sheila.
i am a new person to this thread and for that matter to daves. can i just show up to see these iris gardens? i don't know if i will have any plants that anyone would want. but next year............. i hope. i am 51 and i have 2 elementary aged school kids ( i know you're all laughing now) so i may not can come because of something to do with them but i would like to try and come. what time? can i just show up when i can? or is this more formal than that? can i wear jeans? thanks. barbara allison
Barbara - Jeans is fine, come on down and see the gardens - someone will have a plant or 10 for you to take home!
thanks mitch. does anybody need any red spider lilies? i have tons. or mondo grass? i live east of dallas. i will come in on i-30. then i should get on I-20 west and turn south on I-35? is that right? what time is everyone going to be there?
Mamajack that sounds great I need a few of both . LOL
Get there before lunch. Early bird gets the best seat.
thanks and i hope i get to come. barb
You guys be sure to take pictures!! Ted, I didn't realize you had family close by. Here I just thought you were one really devoted DG'er! (Of course, you are that, too!)
:-)
Venessa!
Where you been hidin', girl???
I sure do hope you & Adeline get to come.
The swap will be fun, but y'all *gotta* see this place.
Mamajack, I know where Fate is!
I once sold a house in Royse City!
I loved giving people the directions: "Take the next right after you pass the flying saucer."
& there was a really nice median flower bed at I30 & Something (close to Grandy's), maintained by a garden club.
*Please* do come:
You'll just love the gardens & the company, &, believe me, there'll be enough "free-to-good-home" plants to keep you busy for quite some time!
thanks sylvia. i will do my best. barb
Just found this thread and may try to make it over. Sounds like fun. I have only personally met Frostweed and would love to meet other DGers.
Sharon
Great Sharon, hope you make it there!
I've just been taking a long break from the computer. I'm glad Adeline told me about this tour because I would hate to miss it. I bet it is gorgeous.
OK this is a sure thing for me. Got everything lined out for that day.
Anyone want some more canna lily 'Florence Vaughan' ? Will dig them if so.
Have some Coleus to trade also.
TARogers you know any and all cannas or Iris I always have room for and would be more then willing to take all you want to get rid of (hehe)
Ted, save some coleus for me...please.
TARogers, i would like one of those cannas. thanks for offering. i have some canna i can bring also.
Great I willl start digging. Have a 35 foot row of them.
I have a lot of purple larkspur plants that have seeded where they shouldn't have. I am going to pot them up. Then I have a few starts of night blooming cereus and fishbone that someone might want. Along with a few other things that I can't think of right now.
Also I will bring a fruit tray with a sweet dip for the snack. And hopefully my DH will come and take pictures of our day! He hasn't met any of my DG friends so I am anxious for him to come.
I want some larkspur and fishbone
I just dug up a bunch of variegated elephant grass is anyone wants some. To contain it , Treat is as bamboo. It was next to my pond liner and did not want it to punch a hole in it.
Moved most of it to a new bed in the corner of the yard.