Iris update 2009

As it seems as if all my irises that are supposed to boom either blooms or have been blooming, I can make my annual report! And as I have international readers that follows my iris gardening skills, I better make this in English. (Can't any of you people surfing in here from that russian website tell me what you report about?!)

First out to bloom was of course my Iris sibirica, lovely as ever.

Purple iris above, NOT 'Aubade' at the bottom.

Old variety of iris from Öland.

Then the ones I told you about last year, the purple one I stole in Lomma, the Iris germanica NOT 'Aubade' and the old one I stole at our neighbours on Öland. Pity it seems as if I didn't get the black iris with me from the space at Mr Emerson's mum's, where I stored the irises a winter a few years ago. Because I keep getting purple flowers everywhere. Or the purple one just over grew the black one. Either way, I will dig a pit of the purple one up, and plant another one just beside it (I am already getting excited about the new iris I am going to buy for myself! Don't tell Mr Emerson, he's convinced the garden is full and can't take more plants.) So, any one up for a purple iris (Markus?)?!

Now for some new exciting irises I haven't seen bloom before!

Iris germanica 'Exotic Isle'

Iris germanica 'Tomorrow's Child' - My new favourite!

Iris germanica 'Provençal' - with a hint of chocolate in it's scent!

Iris germanica 'Loop the loop' - Which I bought just because I really wanted an iris with a blue outer lining, as I was so dissapointed with the one that was not 'Aubade' last year.

This year's surprise - light pink!

I'll end with some stolen favourites, of which you at least have seen two of last year. New this year was the light pink one. And no, I don't remember where I stole that one, or the lilac-pink one. The blue one I stole outside our friend Mattias house when he lived at Blåsbackegatan, here in Halmstad.

I promise, this looks way more pink irl!

Iris germanica 'Blåsbackegatan' - Hahahaha!!!

Next year I am hoping my Iris germanica 'Dazzling Gold' will bloom, because I am longing for a colourful yellow iris to enter the stage here at home! Greetings until then!

Waiting impatiently...

As you all know by know (and if you don't, you can read about it here) my favourite flowers are irises. Irises are just amazing flowers with all their colour and their speical leaves. Also, irises can endure hot and dry weather and still look lovely. They also are easy to dig up and give away, and the bulbs can stay alive even if you forget about them and leave them above ground for a while. Just amazing flowers.

As we have had rather hot weather for a couple of weeks here in Sweden now, irises are bursting out in bloom almost a month too early. On my way from work, I have seen at least two places with irises in full adoring colour. But the irises I have in my tiny little garden, are just in bud still. I can´t wait to see them in bloom!

I always notice irises when I'm out walking (especially when they bloom) and I always get the same thougts: "Do I have that colour?" "Can I steal a bulb from that lot?" This means that yes, my tiny garden have at least 14 kinds of irises even if it is a small garden, and I have a lot of funny stories about some of them.



This is a real pride. Always grows fast and with blue-purple flowers. A real joy. I stole the first bulb in Lomma, when I still was at university. Mr Emerson and I where out walking, and I took a shoot outside a garden. Then I didn't dare to hold it on the way home, afraid someone would hunt me down and accuse me for being a garden invader. Mr Emerson had to carry it for me. I'm glad he did.



This I found last year, so I am happy it is blooming so soon. It was lying at the bottom of a 50 %-off basket. A good buy! Will be blooming with white flowers with an outer edge of purple.



This I stole outside our friend Mattias' house at Blåsbackegatan. I have no idea what colour it has, but I am dying to find out!



This I bought last year for my birthday and I planted it just last autumn. Very surprised to see it bloom so soon too, but I can't complain. If you like irises, I strongly recommend this plant shop outside Båstad. Not big, but very well sorted and with two very nice and excentric people running the buisness.



This was given to me by Mr Emersons' mum. She understood my love for irises, when I borrowed a piece of her garden to store some irises, while I was without a planting place. When I finally got a real garden of my own (even though it is relly small) I moved everything here and then she gave me a piece of this old iris. All my irises are Iris germanica (big garden iris) except for this one, which is a Iris sibirica, more of a wild type.


The last one is from Öland. I stole a shoot from outside our neighbours, as they almost never are there to enjoy their garden. I will appriciate the irises for them! If I remember correctly, these will be pale yellow and pale purple in colour. I prefer stronger colours, but variation is always nice and this is an old type of iris, that I am interested in and want to keep alive for following generations.

This was not even half of my iris collection and I'll have to wait at least one or two weeks before I can see them in full bloom. I will keep you informed on my blog, so you can all see for real what I am so excited about. Then you might get as anxouis as I am about my black iris which I NEED TO SEE but never ever wants to bloom.


PS: It's Nic's birthday today! Post a comment and greet her on her special day!

PS2: While you're greeting, you can think of me as well, and wish me a happy birthday too. I won't care if it is one day too late ;) .