Let's be honest....what have you bought so far this winter?

o wow - it really is irises that smell like grape kool-aid! i always thought it was my imagination... Now that i have GOT to have!

Glad to see so many of you are trying penstemon--for awhile I thought I was the only one growing them! Visitors would say "What are those--never saw any before", but I've been growing them for ever--many only last a few yrs, but then, I try others. This year Esprit, Mystic, Burgundy Beauty. Iris pics were the perfect Valentine!

I had some purple penstemon in my garden last year... I'm not sure what the name of it was. I'll see if I can find a pic,,,,

Do all the purple irises smell like grape candy? if not - which ones? i am not that into irises, but i really want some of those!

Tamberlin I grew these... they were very pretty... but tiny... they make them look so big in the photos

http://henryfields.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_11412

my first year with penstemon seed... they look so pretty

Allison, you didn't save any seed, did you? Do they come true from seed, I wonder? I like short creeping little kind of things - I don't have space to appreciate anything bigger, lol, sad but true.

x, Carrie

i did mange to save seed from one flower head... but I might still have some left over from last year... I would say it was about a foot high ... I found a bit better shot of it... sorry no close ups

irises, anyone..?

Did someone say iris?
here is a photo of Superstition - love this one. The purple is so dark it appears black...

Navaho blue - Lizzie picked this one out when she was studying the American Indians and we told her she is part Cherokee (see most of my flowers come with stories :-) )

Edith Wolford - i think that is the spelling. A walmart purchase. I've had good luck with their iris - plant in the spring and they bloom the following year.

last one for now....
This is "Batik" with rose Toulouse Lautrec that I bought with Kassia on an excursion last year.


Thanks for giving me a chance to share these pics of my garden. I'm getting in the mood for spring just looking. Winter is starting to drag on me....

Oh those are very pretty. Superstition has really interesting colors, I like that one a lot. The pale yellow and lavender purple colors go so well together , on the two toned iris and with the yellow rose. Looking at pics does seem to help with this spring fever thing that seems to be starting to take hold. Thanks for the boost.

Amy, Iris's should not be dug up before they bloom so I can't share with you until July....but I believe I could find you an iris or 2 this spring. I'll look when they start emerging and see what I have to share. Here are some of the ones I have.

tamberlin, your "Batik" with rose Toulouse Lautrec is a beautiful combo!!!!

Thanks Pixie! Your iris are pretty stunning too! I wish I had more room. I keep squeezing them in here and there because the vertical foliage looks good with the more sprawling plants all season.
You'll have to give some detailed instructions on dividing since I have a few that need thinning out.
Keep the pics coming!

Photo is the "purple" iris I got at the Framingham Garden Club's Perennial sale (held in June - definitely worth going to) Do you consider this a PURPLE iris?

Or would you consider this a true purple iris?
I guess it's how blue or red a person percieves purple to be. As a painter, I use both, but I prefer the bluer purples....

I like blue....

I have this bud that is almost black.....

When it opened it was still very dark, not as dark as the bud though.

wow.............interesting.

I must admit I do like the blues and purples the best. Love the dark bud, is that the blue flower? This one was new last year. 'Honky Tonk Blues'

Me too....
... a departure from iris....

You people are making me really really jealous. Past jealous. I am drouling.

Pixie that is gorgeous, I love the different tones of color.

Tamberlin you can not have too many delphs of any color but the blues just stand out from a distance. Have you tried the New Zealand hybrids? Got some last year and ordered some more for spring. I hope they live up to their rep and can take the heat of July better. I hope they all have survived the snow and rain we have had this winter. Oh I am so anxious to see all my babies out there. LOL

This message was edited Feb 15, 2008 10:31 AM

The iris under the dark bud is one and the same. It's called 'Superstition'.
Blue is my favorite color.....

Here is my Superstition. again
My mom is drooling over this one....

I know this wasn't your question, but in my garden (such as it is), my clothes, my house, my jewelry etc. I definitely prefer the bluer purples!

x, Carrie

oops wrong picture... that is rose "Colette" another winner
Here is Superstition

Hi Carrie
I lean to the bluer tones in most everything. My coloring is such that I can't wear orange or yellow tones. I actually found out in college that I'm very slightly color blind in the red-orange range. The art teacher was totally on my case because I cound NOT match the tones in an orange chinese lantern in the piece we were painting. I finally switched to another still life....

PIXIE, WHAT ARE THOSE? underneath the iris, in the last picture, where you say blue is your favorite color?

Sorry to shout but I felt quite emotional.

xx, Carrie

Blue blue blue
blue campanula, blue geranium, blue iris, blue delphinium, blue pansies......

Carrie ~ http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38356/

Yes Pixie, I want to know too! What a pure blue it is!

Pixie what is that pretty blue flower? Very full and bright.

Tamberlin I find that that color rose is perfect with almost any color but it just looks great with blues and purples, quickly becoming a fav combo for me. Very pretty rose no wonder your mom is drooling. Very yummy!

This a new one from last year a DA rose 'Shepherdess'.

ngam - you should not get me started on roses! I HAVE to get off the computer and get some work done today!
Here is my parting shot - Rose Francois Rabelais (spelling, anyone?) and feverfew.

You guys are too fast for me LOL I have a blue veronica that is a bright blue but it always lays down prostrate then blooms. I like yours Pixie it is so nice and tall and straight.

I liked your booboo pic as you can tell Tamberlin. LOL

I link above will take you to it, it's a creeping speedwell but it does not creep. Stands straight up and lovely!

This is a night shot of a Dwarf Delphinium called "Blue Pygmy".

Oh, yes, I remember (grins sheepishly), I believe it's on my "want" list! Ngam, those are my two favorite colors, and appear in every outfit, room, wall, garden bed, etc. That salmon or coral or Chinese red (diluted, in this case), and that purple-blue, sapphire-blue, periwinkle-blue. And, I agree, they go so well together!

Well, now everyone knows my taste, for my birthday, I would like . . . just kidding. For my birthday I would like peace on earth and a student loan we can afford for DH and DD#1 and DD#2. A girl can dream, can't she?

xx, Carrie

This is the veronica I have, can't remember name. Blooms in the spring-early summer and is a really pretty true blue. If I cut it back after blooming it will bloom again but not as heavily end of summer.