Irises and Peonies in Klahanie’s- Island garden – May 2016

Lets come to explore Klahanie’s garden today . Maybe we will find something there for us:

This property is prettiest in April-May. Lots of plants were planted for May blooming in mind. Peonies Rhododendrons, irises, poppies all blooming in May and all are not favoured by local deer or rabbits. I found out earlier this spring that rabbit likes my young garlic plants,  my goldenrod,  my red yarrow ( Achillea millefolium ‘Red Velvet’ ) and surprisingly my Japanese grass Hakonechloa. All gone. When did they develop the taste for these? These plants have been safe in my garden for years.

Peonies and Irises are classics, never go out of style :

There are several inherited irises around but not all of them bloom every year. Lots of yellows and pale blues but also other kinds like this Brownish purple which I think is called “Indian chief”

 

I did not buy any of my irises but relocated some to different locations and they’ve multiplied.

The sky blue iris above is  “Jane Phillips” . Someone suggested the name to me because of its fairly strong scent.

Lots of yellow bearded Irises germanica  dot the property. I have no names for them and looking around internet for match but it would be only a speculation .They are very tall and have to be staked.

There are dozens of this blue iris ( probably ‘Lent A. Williamson’…..but only a speculation)

Uknown and mystic in the evening sun

One of my favourite is Siberian blue iris

 

There is a very pretty  field of them.

Pretty white irises sibirica “White swirl” which are much shorter in statue than their blue cousins.

I assume that  all my inherited plants were planted by the original owner (the previous owners were not gardeners) and being in the garden for 40 years.

I was never a big fan of irises and I have never purchased one but I am starting to appreciate them more and more. I did not care for them because they do not last that long and most of them have to be supported which is a big job with so many around. But….. the flowers themselves are beautiful and most importantly deer and rabbit will leave them alone so maybe next spring I will look for some more interesting modern hybrids.

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Now, peonies are different story. I love them. I did buy several new to add to existing bunches. I find them difficult to start and establish.

There are 3 inherited red peonies named ‘Red charm’ which are gorgeous and bloom very early. For 12 years we live here they have only two or 3 flowers each. 

In contrast with Roselette which have dozens of flowers each year. There are 2 bushes of these.

 

This plant usually does not have to be supported but when the rain comes and they are in full bloom they will fall to the ground and they will end up in the vase:

White Peony “Festiva Maxima” was also inherited and now I have 3 plants. This is very tall peony and has to be supported.

Picture of White Peony “Festiva Maxima”

Delail

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8 clumps of peonies were inherited and I added few in the mixture.

Paeonia (Peony) lactiflora ‘Dr. Alex Fleming’ named after Sir Alexander Fleming Scottish biologist, pharmacologist and botanist. 

This peony has double blossoms which are very fragrant . Flowers are extremely showy.

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Peony” Bowl of Beauty” very popular and interesting

It is single-petal peony but one of the most  dramatic type.  It blooms for almost a month. None of the other ones do.

The peony “Bowl of beauty” has red seedpods and they look almost as nice as some if the other flowering perennials in the flower bed.

Seed pods of Peony “Bowl of Beauty”

Peony Sarah Bernardt is also very popular and easily available in Garden centers. Ruffled flower heads are fragrant. Good cut flower. Won Award of Garden Merit.  Named after the actress Sarah Bernard .

 Coral sunset

This is my favorite peony so far. Starts with dark salmon colour and fades to almost beige. This peony does not last for long time in flower. It is in my garden for 2 years now. Needs more time to get establish.

I also added 3 Japanese tree peonies which bloom ahead of the herbaceous peonies.

Koukamon , also known as ”Floral Gate”
Deep maroon blooms, almost black toward the center

Hoki, little lighter in colour and nicer flower form in my opinion.

and hybrid suffruticosa, Tree Peony ‘Renkaku’ (aka Flight of Cranes)

I wanted to add more tree peonies but they do not bloom for very long. at  least not in our garden.

I am sure that with time I will add more peonies to my collection as they are very showy in the spring and their leaves are fresh looking all summer.

Peonies, Irises and Poppies are blooming at the same time

 

I am watching you. Hope you grow lots of roses this year. (Says deer)

Well, I got a new coat recently, it is  darker and prettier.

 

June at the Island Garden

I love peonies. They are deer resistant, long-lived,  they are not fussy about the soil condition and when their blooming season is over, their ornamental foliage is interesting year round. We inherited several clumps from the previous owners. The picture below shows the single Japanese style peony

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White fragrant peony. This one has  huge flowers with a little red in the middle.

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Columbines (Aquilegia) are popping everywhere and so are the single oriental poppies which came from nowhere and show up every year in good numbers. They are nice and so far I let them grow where ever.

Blue poppy. Flowers of this poppy are not larger than 2.5″  but they are several on the stem blooming at the same time and the color is incredibly vivid. Slugs like the young plant.

These poppies  do not bloom for very long and they are little messy when the blooms are gone.

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Poppy’s bud looks interesting

Yellow Iceland poppies

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Siberian iris ( Iris sibirica) , They look very gracious with their narrow leaves and long stems (They are almost as tall as I am.) I

         Bearded iris   

Pretty white Siberian iris. This one is not as tall as the blue kind and does not bloom so readily.

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Foxglove (digitalis) . They seed themselves so I have to be careful with these. They come in many shades of pink and also few whites. The kind I have is biennial. I see them in garden centers sold as ornamentals. Funny, because I pull and dispose hundreds of them.

all the parts of this plant are toxic . Medically used in heart condition treatment.

They are visually beautiful. They have an old country garden whimsical look.

They last only few days in the vase but because they are plentiful they can be replaced often. I am not very popular for bringing the outside blooms inside as I bring spiders and other insects with them.

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I bought several of the motion activated sprinklers(scarecrows) last year and they seem to work. Not as much deer damage in the Island Garden this spring although, the open field across the road is usually full of them.

Hope deer will stay away all year round but I know it is just a matter of time.

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Late blooming rhododendron. I have no name for it. it is tall (tree  like) and spindly .Full bloom at the end of June.

I like the color of California lilac  “Victoria” (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus ‘Victoria’) so much that I purchased half a dozen bushes 3 years ago. I also like the fact that it is an evergreen.

Not all of them are doing well and some are doing very bad. Maybe they do not have enough sun on our property.I’ve also learned that they are short-lived.

This one is the better one, it has the sunniest and driest spot on this piece of land:

Such is life