Starship Enterprise Iris

As promised and with all the pomp and circumstance due such a beauty…

TA DA!

My all time favorite Iris (so far) ‘Starship Enterprise’

Doesn’t she really take your breath away. 

Didn’t I tell ya she was gorgeous!

Starship Enterprise does put the rest in the shade but they still have a beauty all their own.

This one below is similar though not quite as flashy. 

It rained here yesterday and it added a bit of panache to the photos.

Now below, in all his regal glory, is The Sultan. 

He is very dramatic indeed, and just a few steps away is another drama king…

Superstition, in real life it looks more black, but these photos show his purple side.

Not to be outdone is another royal one…

Prince George…or what is Edward…hmmm, it is Prince something or other.

See that behind him, to the left???

That is one of my trumpet lilies. 

You think this garden smells luscious now, just you wait until those babies bloom.  Then the entire neighborhood will be perfumed!

I tried to get a good photo of the entire side yard.  You would see this view driving up beside my house.

I live on a corner lot. 

I get a lot of drive by gawkers. I don’t’ blame them, I drive by real slow myself when I come up this hill. 

I also attempted to get a good shot of my roses, I stood at the top of my back deck stairs and shot downward.  So if the angle seems awkward that is why.

 

Things are changing daily in the garden.  As the iris fade soon they will be replaced by warmer weather loving flowers.

The mostly purple border will be awash with summer yellows, oranges and reds.  I tried to toss in some blue with Delphiniums and Larkspur but we shall see how well they do this year.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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I am an affiliate of Hostgator.  A gal has got to support her garden addiction somehow!

I love Sunday Mornings

I love this time of year.  The sun is up by 5 am and the birds are especially tuneful. 
The neighborhood is quiet (everyone sleeping in, I suppose) and my garden  beckons me. 

Grab a coat this time, it has turned cold this week.  I mean fah-reezing. 
Literally, 32 degrees.   I can prove it. 

One of my San Romano tomatoes just curled up her edges and will now need a bit of a trimming. 



Poor thing.  The other, not three feet away looks fine, but my Basil just completely gave up the ghost and I will have to replant.

I have extra Basil tucked away in the greenhouse, just in case of such an occurrence.  We are in the mountains and cold can strike even in June, and I gotta have my basil come Fall.

 I make the best Pesto. 

 It is my taste of summer throughout the winter months. 

Do you have your coffee or tea?  Wrap your hands around the warm mug to keep your hands warm and we will see what has bloomed.

Can you smell the faint hint of wood smoke in the air?  The campers up at Big Trees State Park must be enjoying a cozy camp fire on a chilly morning. 

Beverly Sills.  This is my only Pink iris.  I think I need to add more pink. 

 

This guy below is not as flashy as some but the colors are subtle and interesting.



I honestly used to know all the names of my Iris and I had a map drawn of where everything was.

 I kept it  in my desk drawer to refer to when I forgot plant names but when we moved for a year and then moved back I just tossed my beloved plants, bulbs and corms in the ground without rhyme or reason.
 
I was in a hurry.

Dutch Iris in blue, I had some called Tigers Eye that was striking but it has not come back.  



A friend gave me this one, it is smaller than the Bearded Iris but quite lovely. 
 


I call this one Lemon Chiffon.

Not because of its color, but because of its scent, it smells faintly of Lemon Chiffon pie.

I came in the ‘scented’ collection I bought from Schreiners.



Icy Blue



Elise’



There is an iris just to the left of this one, it is called Starship Enterprise.  It is my favorite one of all, it is just starting to open so be sure to come back to see it.  I am sure it will be ready to photograph tomorrow morning. 



I must not forget Josephine..one of my clematis, she has been putting on a show herself.  She is close in coloration to Nelly Moser but just slightly a darker hue of pink.



My cup is empty, time to get a refill. 

I am going to sit in the garden and just enjoy the quiet of the morning, sip my coffee and dream of where I want to move what plant, what I would like to add or take away. 

Half the fun of a garden is changing it around. 

The other half is being surprised in Spring by what comes up because through the long winter months, buried beneath all the snow, you forget what you have done.
  
Enjoy this long, fun weekend.  I know I am. 

Come on back, I will be sure to share Starship. 

Hand Painted signs and a sewing class

I have been busy…busy painting signs. 
That is a very good thing.  I work in my fabulous studio that everyone envies (I can’t blame them I love it!) and if it is warm enough I have the French doors swung wide to enjoy the blooms just outside.
One of the signs that kept me busy this week.   It came together so easily, the pansies covering the ground at the base of my Grandpa Nute rose were my reference as well as a photo the customer sent me. 
I am not that great with small lettering but the signs below required them, tedious for me.

They went out this week for a Bridal shower.  The customer must be from Jersey.
Ya Think.



This Yellow Roses sign was ordered along with a custom Secret Garden sign.  Time to paint another. 
One last sign to share for today..

Now I am off to watch an online class.  My sewing machine has been calling to me and I want to brush up on some techniques.  Have you ever taken a Craftsy Class? 
They are having a sale this weekend.
I signed up for the Sewing with Knits class but there are lots of others available.  The sale runs through the 27th if you want to give a class a try.   60% off is pretty good.  They also have some free ones.  


Ta ta…
Pamela

PS:  I am an affiliate with Craftsy.

May Morning Walk

Good morning. 

Would you like to join me on a fine early morning walk?

Grab yourself a hot beverage of choice and a sweater, the morning air is chilly, and join me.



The robins are singing their sweet song of spring, they serenade us as we mosey along the garden path. 

Fresh iris’ have opened.



Nearly all take our breath away.  Each has a unique twist, some release a sweet perfume.



Their names even sound delicious, Boysenberry Truffle. 



A few yellows are adding contrast to the many shades of purple we have in the garden. Some garishly bright..



and some delicately subtle. 

A few roses have started to open, a bit early for us here on this mountain but welcome all the same.

Dream Weaver



A little darker and one that supposedly will do well in the shade.

Zepherine Droughn



Now we must walk on past the old straw bale raised bed, it has done its duty and now it is seeing new life.



Last year it held big fat Brandywine tomatoes and some Tromboline zucchini, which soon grew so lush it camouflaged the entire bed, and they were so delicious. 
 
Now the rich compost is being used to start new beds and heavily mulch others.  No waste here. 

Once past the straw we turn right, and what greets our eyes but a rather shabby looking chicken house…



Cecile Brunner is glamming it up with her abundance of blooms whose spicy scent greet you as you approach to collect the eggs. 

And a sweet surprise as we glance along one of the garden beds, planted with seeds.



A humble green bean shoot.  How such a small event can make your heart sing. 

There were a few popping up in this row, now to plant another. 

I hope you enjoyed our morning walk. 

Come join me again, we shall do another soon, very soon.   I promise.

My Mega Millions Potting Bench

Yep, my humble, lowly DIY cedar fence board Potting Bench is my #1 Pinned item on my Blogs. 

Crazy!  The photos pinned are rather bland looking but it is something people have taken a liking to, blasé or not.

Over the past couple of years I have decorated it and redecorated it.    I was able to view it out my large sliding glass doors and I liked to see it all gussied up.  (past tense something has now taken its place, more on that at a later date)

This is one of the inspirations for my potting bench, I did not get a good photo but it was enough for me to go from. This was taken at a garden show in Boise, Idaho in 2010. There were tons of vendors with unique and beautiful things for the garden, if you are ever in Boise when they have this show I would recommend going. 



Potting Benches are one of the “Jack of all Trades” type piece of furniture.  I use it in lieu of a mantel, I have a wonderful wood stove that provides comparatively inexpensive heat for our little cottage on the hill but there is no fancy smancy mantel to decorate upon.  So my potting bench is transformed each season.



The creamy color is Annie Sloan Chalk paint and it has held up well for being outdoors for a couple years through all sorts of weather. 

And I do mean “all” sorts of weather. (The dark streaks on the back is mildew, that sands right off once warm weather returns.)



I loved my pink roses with it last summer, it set off my hypertufa planters I had made and planted with succulents. 



The top, in yellow, was not the chalk paint but a milk paint without the exterior additive.  I am sure if I had used the additive it would’ve held up much better. 



Styled for Autumn.



Now that you have seen all the ways to fancy up one of these babies, you probably would like to build one for yourself.  The cost for materials not counting the glue or screws was about $45. 

If you wish to view our step by step building of this versatile potting bench, please click on over  POTTING BENCH BUILD

Another thing I use my potting bench for is a backdrop for some of my sign photos. The back of this was left unpainted and the cedar has aged to a lovely weathered gray.

Time to go play in the garden.  Until next time…

Pamela

My garden keeps blooming, May 15th

I hope you enjoyed my post yesterday.  I cannot believe how quickly flowers just start popping open all over the place when it gets sunny and warm this time of year. 

I have a few more photos to show you from my walk this morning and one from a few mornings ago, I had forgotten to share my Rhododendron that has not bloomed in 6 years and has this.

If you recall I mentioned having another color Iris that is scented deliciously like Grape Kool Aid and this is it.

It is even more powerful that the one I shared yesterday. 



I have them scattered throughout the garden so as you walk you can be delighted by their sweet perfume. (makes you wish this was ‘scratch and sniff’ doesn’t it)
This iris is rather understated with its dull yellow color but still a beauty.



If you stopped in yesterday I had shared a shot of my Purple Speckled Idaho Homestead iris, and behind it was a peach colored bud, well this morning she was open and ready to shine. You can see the speckled one behind now.



I attempted to get a good shot of the front garden today.



I know that ugly fire hydrant and snow pole is distracting but I work around them.  I have vines climb the pole to disguise it in summer and the Black eyed susans grow up taller than the hydrant so it is not as visible either later in the summer. 
 
Below is my Fire Witch dianthus, love this stuff, I keep saying I am going to get more and make an edging of it along my walkway.  It is so bright and cheerful and it blooms and blooms.



Now to my favorite Clematis…. Warsaw Nike.  Why is it my favorite???  Because it blooms not once but ALL summer long and it is a hearty soul here. 



It is climbing up my back deck rail and is nearly to the top.  I will have to attach a lattice above the rail to let it climb even higher soon.



Here is my parting shot for the day.  This is the front walk entrance from our upper driveway.  This iris along with my Bourban clematis steal the show right now.



Here's to sunny skies today! Tomorrow we are to have rain but the garden needs it so I will not begrudge a day or two for a good soaking rain.

 
ta!
Pamela