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May 21, 2004
Iris Virus
We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming today to take a walk through the yard. Here in Weld County, Colorado, the climate is a bit harsh. We had a fairly late freeze this year that killed off the lilac and spirea buds. Other gardening hazards include drought, hail, and wind. In fact, we had some big winds this spring that wiped out fields of sugar beets that had just sprouted - the wind literally pulled the sprouts out, roots and all. (Another example of why farming in this area is a bad career choice.)
But the one really spectacular plant that can withstand the rigors is the lovely iris. Some of ours were gifts from friends and relatives (well, I use the word 'gift' rather loosely - it's pretty common around here to divide up your iris rhizomes once they get too thick and distribute them to anyone who will take them.) Others were dug up on a farm about 60 miles east of here, where a doctor and well-known iris collector from Denver cultivated his own varieties. Shortly after we were allowed to take what we'd dug, the entire collection was purchased by Long's Gardens in Boulder, a well-known local iris supplier.
But I digress. I present to you, the Irises.
An uncharacterically heavy dew this morning has a couple of them looking sort of droopy. A few have yet to bloom - I'll post more pictures later in the week.
Comments
Thanks for sharing your pretty flowers. I love flowers of all kinds and colors. You have a lot of wild flowers that bloom in fields in Colorado don't you?
Posted by: Lisa at May 21, 2004 08:42 PM
Karen, these are just lovely. Thank you for the photos. Hope there's still something to see in our neighborhood when I get back to it on Monday night.
Posted by: Patricia Tryon at May 22, 2004 11:41 PM