White Iris Surprise

BY SKEETER

The Saint and I went into the front yard to work on a project together. (more on that with another posting, Stayed tuned) Something white caught my eyes in our GEORGIA WOODS.

I had to jump over the creek to get a better look at what I thought was a rogue plastic bag.

Would you just "lookie" here at what I found! I can only assume a squirrel brought this into my woods as a tasty treat during a cold winter day. A WHITE IRIS SURPRISE, In the Garden...   

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Iris Reticulata in Bloom

After my non bloom post on Monday I thought I'd showcase some blooms in Tiger Way Gardens. We do have quite a few blooms but they are coming along slowly and are spread out. Right now the following flowers are blooming: crocuses, Glory of the Snow, starflower, hyacinths, mahonia, hellebores, Iris reticulas ('Clairette' pictured above, and 'Harmony' pictured below), edgeworthia, and daffodils. There are a few other flowers blooming in the old garden such as witch hazels. Spring is here!

I really did not expect much from these Iris reticulatas planted in the fall of 2014. Generally it seems like they bloom well one year then kind of fade away. These ones surprised me by popping up through cardboard and hay mulch and blooming so nicely. I almost missed their blooms so subtle are they.

And I surely don't want to miss these little beauties....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

My Friend Angie's Garden

Garden tours are hot and heavy for me this time of the year and I love to share them with you all so here is one of my favorite gardener's garden--Angie. Many of you know Angie as she is a kind spirit with a gentle, loving, and giving heart and has an awesome Facebook page. She is a very special friend who cheers me when I am down and supports me no matter what. Her kindness during rough times for me will never be forgotten. I have many friends and I am very fortunate to have them as no matter how many beautiful flowers I have, none can really be personal and cheer me the way my friends can--so thank you to Angie and all my friends who choose to be kind and share a word of encouragement or two.

Angie is not, I repeat, not a plant collector. She is by far a designer with an eye toward beauty, practicality, endurance. She plants plants that do well and look good. Her garden always has something in bloom and when one perennial is done, there is another waiting in the wings to take its place. That being said it would appear that Angie is a plant collector because when she finds a plant she likes she has a lot of them. Irises are a favorite for Angie but simply because of their beauty, charm, and their ability to look good (with some maintenance) even when out of bloom.

This time of the year irises shine in Angie's garden.

Japanese peonies (single) are another favorite of Angie's. She likes them because they do not droop like the heavy double peonies favored by so many (including me). How smart is that? For sentimental reasons I will always gravitate to the double peonies but I do have a lot of these Japanese peonies and like them too. Check out how Angie has effectively used the hundreds she has in her garden. Massing is the name of the game in Angie's garden. You all do know to design a good garden you should mass the plants right? Onesies and twosies just don't work. Always try to plant in groups of three, fives, sevens, etc. Using one of something should be reserved for a specimen plant. These might include things like trees, shrubs, a prime perennial like baptisia, or even a peony--if there is a good structure of garden flowers around the specimen to highlight the oneness of it all.

Irises in Angie's garden are used to great advantage in their own bed. Irises need excellent drainage and need space. Planting irises in a bed all of their own makes sense and allows for ease of maintenance as all plants have the same requirements.

Here Angie under planted an evergreen spruce with her Japanese peonies.

The backyard of Angie's house is nearly all garden. She uses paths, art, and plants to great advantage to create beauty, functionality and seasonal delights.

Siberian irises are quite a focal point in Angie's garden.

A concrete path through the garden.

More peonies backed by bonsai evergreens. 

A true red peony--'Red Charm'. Love it!

Angie herself. The sweetest flower in her garden.

Views of the front perennial beds. How lucky are these neighbors to have such a good gardener next door to them?

Japanese peony.

Phlox, 'Rolly's Favorite' silene, and a path in the garden.


More phlox and Japanese peonies....

in Angie's Garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

The Garden Shines On and Is a Spot of Joy During Busy Times

Hello all! I thought I'd share some of my garden with you all today. This is the old garden called Tiger Gardens. I have moved a LOT of plants from it already but there is still so much to see and grow that you can barely tell I've moved any plants. One thing is for sure tho, the weeds love to move in to the vacant spots. Despite this and neglect, it astounds me how plants just keep trucking along with no help from the gardener whatsoever. Don't you sometimes feel like your plants will not bloom if you don't tend to them? Well, this post is proof positive that it is not so-the flowers still bloom despite us. This is an amazing thing about plants and life in general!

Thank you Angie for such beautiful irises!



The crossvine arbor used to be a crossvine/gelsemium arbor, but obviously crossvine won that battle and yellow gelsemium faded away. The crossvine has exploded with orange blooms. This cultivar is 'Tangerine Beauty'.

More irises.

The Sunny Perennial Garden.

One of the two mosaics tucked into a large bed with patio.

The Center Rear Garden (most all shade).

Center Rear Bed Garden.

Center Rear Bed Garden

Greenhouse Garden.

Hydrangea Garden.

Columbine.

Ragwort-love this perennial!

Azaleas under a cedar.


The Front Center Garden Bed looking through to the Roadside bed.....


in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Adding More Iris

BY SKEETER

 I started adding Iris to my GEORGIA GARDENS in 2010 after a gift of Yellow and Purple Iris from our very own Master Gardener Tina. Click HERE to see those first blooms and my NOT so Yellow Iris.

April 11, 2014

 I was so happy with my Iris that I started to add more each year. I normally pick them up at the bargain bin on discount and may not know the color I am selecting as tags are missing at times with bargain finds. Imagine my surprise to see this Salmon beauty as my first Iris bloom of the season! 

April 20, 2014

 This yellow Iris was playing space ship and trying to shoot up to the moon! I cannot recall a taller stem on an Iris in my gardens. The Purple ones blooming next to the yellow are normal in size to me.

This Yellow Iris blooms during Spring, Summer and Fall giving me much joy throughout the year. 

April 28, 2014

 And I enjoy the purple one by the yellow as those are my High School Colors and I have a bit of nostalgia when seeing the two colors together. 

 This Purple and White beauty (Autumn Circus) is a new one added last year.

April 20, 2014

 I had thought this one would be white when it started to bud but not so.

 I love the little purple wooly bug, on this one. Ha...

 Such a beauty with the sun shining on it.

April 25, 2014

 These are some from Tina's Tigers Gardens which have been divided and moved around a bit in my gardens.

 And a White one (Immortality Bearded) giving me a show today!

April 28, 2014

These white Iris give a nice punch to the garden on a sunny day!

April 29, 2014

 I picked up a box of Mixed Dutch Iris bulbs last fall. I was late in getting them into the ground but they have started to arrive.

April 29, 2014

Crisp white and bright yellow together. 

April 30, 2014

This color scheme reminds me of a dress I had as a child. Strange how flowers remind me of my childhood...

April 29, 2014

 This one gave me a Wow when I spotted it.

April 30, 2014

The Mixed package, seems to hold the white and purple colors only but I am okay with that as I love them both! I now have so many Iris that one is blooming at some point for many weeks during April. I plan to continue to divide them and move them around the gardens as I don't want just one spot having them all. I want them throughout the gardens. I am still on the lookout for the bargain buys and will continue ADDING MORE IRIS, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden