Monday, April 18, 2016

A Minor Miracle

You can buy iris plants here, put them in the ground and enjoy the bloom, but they won't bloom again.  Oh they'll grow, lovely, long green leaves, but there'll be no flowers.  It's the same for tulips.  It's something about the fact that we don't cool enough in the evenings.  Won't do any good to dig the bulbs up and refrigerate them, they still won't bloom again.
I read all about this when we first moved here and it saddened me, I love Irises, even brought some bulbs with me from California.  They didn't bloom.  So I did some research and found some irises from Louisiana that were ideal for a warm, swampy location.  I ordered a half dozen in shades of lavender and purple.  A couple of them bloomed, once, and then never again.
That is until now.  Two of them are blooming and they're beautiful.  That's my minor miracle.  I have no idea why they're blooming this year.  Nothing is different, we've changed nothing in the garden, but they're blooming.  Makes me smile.

12 comments:

  1. I love irises, I do hope you've now found a variety which will go on blooming for you year after year.

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  2. This is very interesting to learn about irises. Being from Washington state where we had severe winters and summers, I sometimes forget about the more temperate areas of the US. I guess I've gotten used to mild, warm winters here in southern California. I hope your week is off to a good start and that your daughter is safe and doing well in Japan. Hugs, Pat

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  3. You have every reason to smile, they are beautiful.

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  4. They are lovely. I hope they've naturalized.

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  5. Those are beautiful! We have iris leaves several places in the yard and I wondered why they weren't blooming. Now I know! I had several colors at home in Minnesota and they bloomed right after the daffodils and tulips and I loved them. I miss them.

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  6. They are beautiful! Perhaps your cold winter temps caused them to bloom:)

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  7. Maybe they had enough cold ? But some plants just don't work in all climates.
    They are beautiful and I hope they will bloom again.

    cheers, parsnip

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    Replies
    1. Can't be that, we had a really mild winter, no freezes at all and only a couple of frosts.

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  8. They certainly are a beautiful flower, here's hoping they will bloom again.

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  9. How very pretty! I hope these continue to bloom, now they've figured out how. I have a patch of Iris that never bloom either. I think being under the silver maple is the reason--the tree sucks up all available water.

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