Sandi -- I love those iris colors! Since I didn't use seeds for the Electric Blue, I don't know how they'll do from seed. We can always try.

Sandi I do have problems with Japanese beetles, but at least the roses get their first flush done with before the beetles show up. The rugosa alba smells like cloves and not like a rose at all but I like it. The Purple Pavement has a very strong spicy rose scent. Both have very disease resistant foliage, which is good since they can't tolerate spraying and I don't spray anyway.

Tall Cool One is a really beautiful iris. Hmm, that's interesting about Dark Passion. Unfortunately fragrant doesn't always mean that the fragrance is a good one. I have seen American Wisteria touted as fragrant and I don't like the scent at all.

I've finally signed up for a photo hosting site. I've been waiting for DH to show me how to upload onto my page on his site but gave up. Hopefully this will work.
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/ladybugsdb/?action=view&current=DSC_0009.jpg

Phlox pilosa var ozarkana
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/ladybugsdb/?action=view&current=DSC_0013.jpg

Coral honeysuckle
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/ladybugsdb/?action=view&current=DSC_0010.jpg

Iris received in trade from Nancedar
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/ladybugsdb/?action=view&current=DSC_0015.jpg

two more views from my largest bed
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/ladybugsdb/?action=view&current=DSC_0011.jpg

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk157/ladybugsdb/?action=view&current=DSC_0012.jpg

I have no idea why my pics didn't show in the thread but at least copying and pasting the link to the individual pics works,lol.

Shari copying and pasting the links isn't working for me. You just need to copy and paste the photobucket link labelled HTML code to GardenWeb.

I was able to see the photos by going to your album address. I've got Rare Treat too, although none of mine bloomed this year -- it's a wonderful iris. I like the yellow and white iris. It's lovely.

Cameron,How do you use your chive blossoms? I have lots, and want to use them. Do the get tossed into salads? Thanks, and thanks again for the inspiring and beautiful photos.

Let's try again.

Phlox pilosa var ozarkana
{{gwi:571036}}

It isn't spring without baby plants.

{{gwi:571037}}

or Iris virginica{{gwi:570922}}
{{gwi:570923}}
{{gwi:570924}}
{{gwi:570925}}
{{gwi:570926}}

Lots of interesting pictures!

Yesterday would have been a perfect day to get out and take some pictures. Nice, calm, and brightly overcast. After the backbreaking week I had I needed to surf the couch for a while though. I figured I would get out today and snap a few but...way too windy. I lose patience waiting for everything to sit still for a half a second.

This is the iris Alicia is referring to.

{{gwi:571043}}

It was the longest blooming bearded iris for me this year.

Foxglove{{gwi:570930}}

Unknown passalong{{gwi:570932}}

Perennial Sweet Pea{{gwi:570933}}

Mexican Feather Grass{{gwi:570934}}

View of part of big perennial bed toward neighbor's pasture{{gwi:570935}}

{{gwi:570936}}

I love all these photos!

Amy...one of the folks on the Cottage Garden Forum posted a recipe for Chive Blossom Omelets. I immediately went out into my garden to taste the blossom. They have a very sweet, mild onion flavor. I was impressed. I'd always discarded the blossoms or cut the chives before the blossoms.

Since I maintain the Cottage Garden Recipes blog, I'm posting a link for the recipe for the omelets.

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Garden Recipes - chive blossom

Salvia "Christine Yeo"

{{gwi:571050}}

Penstemon & California poppies

{{gwi:571051}}

Larkspur

{{gwi:571052}}

Salvia farinacea

{{gwi:571053}}

{{gwi:571054}}

Sorry for the size. I still need to learn how to resize.

SHARI,I love the Penstemon Poppy combo. Very snazzy!
If you're posting to Photobucket, there's a place under where you click to upload that let's you tell it what size. I usually use the one sized "website", but you have to remember to do it before you click the upload button, otherwise you have to go thru a few more steps to edit it. I actually like your big size and fortunately, my computer doesn't mind, either. Alicia referenced Rare Treat iris. Could you post that? I'd like to see what it looks like.
ALICIA, does your white Rugosa mind our clay soil? In Maine, they grow well in sandy soil but seem to do well in good garden loam, too. Do Rugosas come true from seed? I'll have to research that.

I saw that option for the first pics I uploaded but then I had to install the bulk uploader and everything was different.

Here's Rare Treat

{{gwi:571055}}

I can't really take credit for the penstemon/poppy combo since they reseeded there.

Shari, to resize you just click on the image after it's uploaded. You'll see a large version of the image. At the top there is a tab that says resize. I use the message board size.

I especially like the last picture. There's a great variety of colors and textures there and they go beautifully together.

Sandi, my rugosas are either planted in a mound of compost or in sandy loam, so I can't answer your question about clay from personal experience. On my place I've got about a foot to 18" of loam over clay (except for the old house site, where the contractor scraped down to the clay subsoil). However, I think rugosas are fine in clay as long as the crown is raised up a little bit or they are on a slope for good drainage. With the seed you get whatever combination the bees come up with. :) I was surprised when I grew my rugosa albas from seed and got all albas, but when the bees were working they must have just gone from one alba flower to another.

Rosa palustris scandens. from Antique Roses Emporium.
These 2 bushes were planted in 2000.{{gwi:570943}}
{{gwi:570944}}
{{gwi:570945}}
{{gwi:570946}}
{{gwi:570947}}

{{gwi:570948}}

Alicia, those are some big beautiful roses!

I think that landscape shot is the best I've taken so far in my garden. It's the deepest view of that oldest bed but not the perspective that I see the most.

This photo shows a garden grown from seed only. It is a mix of annuals and a few perennials that will hopefully become a riot of color as the season progresses. Right now, there is only one kind of plant blooming. It looks like it may be related to Toadflax. It blooms in white, yellow, pink (varying shades), and any 2 color combination thereof. The leaves are very thin and narrow and the blooms are tiny.
(The flowering pot is just there to hide the stump).
{{gwi:571062}}
{{gwi:571063}}
{{gwi:571064}}
The leaves you see in the close ups are from other plants.

Shari that's one of my favorite rose bushes. It's beautiful, tough, has lovely foliage that holds up well all season, hardly any thorns, and is fragrant. It's a once bloomer but that gives me one less reason to curse the Japanese beetles.

Sandi it looks like you have a really nice lot to work with. I like the pot that you used to disguise the stump.
Did you use a seed mix in the bed you pictured?

Baby mockers. Oogly, aren't they? lol Their open mouths look just like yellow tulips. They were begging for food because any sound or tremor sets them off -- in this case, the clicking of the camera. The parents built a nest atop the arbor with the Climbing Old Blush. The male spends all day screaming at overflying crows.
{{gwi:570952}}
{{gwi:570953}}

Alicia, your 'babies' are too cute. Yes, I used a seed mix, but it was one I created myself from saved seeds, older (non fresh) purchased seeds, and pre-packaged seed mixes.

Here's my latest, and probably last, iris to open this year. It is Iris 'Thriller' and I am "thrilled" with the color! It has a typical iris fragrance.
{{gwi:571067}}
Here is a better pic of Iris 'Dark Passion'.
{{gwi:571068}}
I'm sad to see the tall bearded iris season winding down. They are my absolute favorite bloom.

I'm sitting here looking through all the pics again, especially the iris, and thinking I would probably pass out from an iris-overload-induced coma if I ever went to a place like Cooley's or Schreiner's when their flowers were blooming. I'd risk it if I were close enough!

An iris-induced coma wouldn't be a bad thing... lol

I'm always sad to see the iris season wind down too, but the LA iris season is in full swing, and the Japanese iris haven't started yet. Thriller looks like a good one. I don't have that shade of purple that's a late bloomer... may have to order that one... lol Currently I have a whole notebook page book of iris that I'd like to order.

Cameron, Yum indeed! That omelet looks delish, like for breakfast tomorrow! :) I went ahead and tossed the broken up chive blossoms on a salad last night, and it was great. Spread that nice flavor throughout salad, the color in a salad was unusual and a conversation starter. Thanks for the inspiration! Can't wait to peruse the recipes. And hey, if you are ever at BB on the weekend, I am there most weekends along with Adele. Would love to put a face to the garden and the name!!

Amy, you need to add some pansies to your salads, too. They don't offer much flavor, but they add a great unexpected punch of color. Nasturtiums are very peppery, which can be fun, too.

Transplanted, your annual that looks like toadflax is toadflax. It's linaria, the annual form. They like cool weather and do well in the same conditions & seasons as pansies. I love those buggers. If you like them, let it set seed and you'll have more next year. Well, if you don't mulch too much that is. The seed is fine. You can buy the seed separately, too. 'northern lights' is one named strain. The garden centers 2 winters ago had a wonderful color that was deep magenta with a bright orange lip. Sounds wacky, but they were stunningly pretty. I was very disappointed that i couldn't find them last year.

I'm sad to see the iris go, too. I love that fragrance, and agree that an iris induced coma would be a pleasant way to go! I need to get some of the rebloomers just so i can enjoy the fragrance later in the season.

{{gwi:570956}}
{{gwi:570957}}

{{gwi:570958}}
{{gwi:570959}}

Rosa carolina{{gwi:570960}}
{{gwi:570961}}
{{gwi:570962}}
{{gwi:570963}}

Hymenocallis traubii{{gwi:570964}}
{{gwi:570966}}

What an interesting flower that last one is Alicia. Great shots as well.

{{gwi:571080}}
Old rose with old chicken coop in background. My great-aunt must have planted this one many years ago.

{{gwi:571081}}
Iris "Alizes"

{{gwi:571082}}
Blueberry Bliss

Tammy, have you tried begonia blossoms? They have a zing sort of like oxalis, with a crunch. It's funny you mentioned the nasturtiums and violas, because they were hanging out in the salad with the chives!

no, i had no idea that begonias were edible! I'll have to try that, since i really like oxalis and rhubarb and french sorrel- anything w/oxalic acid, really. I'd be so bummed if i ever had kidney problems and couldn't eat any of them. I love using chive flowers as garnish for salsa or guac.

Rosebush, alizes is gorgeous! Love love love that shading on it.

Alicia, the hymencallis looks like a couple tropical flowers (one was Peruvian daffodil) that i never had luck with and reminds me a bit of the bog lily that i have. I don't know what it is anymore- just that the common name is bog lily It's in my pond in a pot and is hardy and has multiplied ok. The blooms are super fragrant but don't last long. It looks like it's an amaryllid, with 3 or 4 flowers in a bunch. Is your hymencallis fragrant and hardy? Where'd you get it?

Thank you aezarian. Rosebush Alizes is a lovely iris isn't it? That one has been on my wanted list for a while, I need to order it this summer or next spring. Tammy there are several species of Hymenocallis. This one is fragrant and hardy. I got it at Plant Delights about 3 years ago.

Tammy & Alicia, I do LOVE Alizes, one of three purchased irises - all the others were trades or gifts.
Sorry for the sideways photos - I edited them in Photobucket, but it didn't come out when pasted. D'oh!
Any ideas on the old rose?

No ideas about the rose off the top of my head. It's definitely not Dorothy Perkins. How long ago did you aunt plant the rosebush? Is it fragrant, a repeat bloomer?

Tammy, if you email me a pic of your bog lily I might be able to ID it.

Amy...I met Adele at BB a few weeks ago. She was very kind...she was expecting someone older! LOL i'll ask for you if I get back by there again this year.

I picked up some new nepeta varieties to try, a yellow saliva (it is blooming in a very pale yellow), yellow agastache, the tithonia (but then I had a flat from my wholesale supplier left over from the greyhound event, so I'm overrun), and some red snaps. I don't think there's a bare spot in my garden right now!

Cameron

You guys should start a thread on plants you eat that are not normally grown for food. I knew about nasturtiums because they are in my herb book but I would have never thought of begonia or pansies. Interesting...

Alicia,
The place is 60 years old, so the rose could have been planted 40 - 50 years ago. There are a couple more nearby, the same kind. It's not as fragrant as my Old Blush, and I'm not sure about repeat blooms. Will have to carefully observe them this year, as my focus has been on other garden areas. I've taken cuttings, trying to root them, and will continue to do so until I achieve success. They are too pretty to be stuck in the shady tangle of brush on the hill. . .

Shirley poppy{{gwi:570970}}
{{gwi:570971}}
{{gwi:570972}}

Encore azalea, azalea bed{{gwi:570973}}

American Smoketree. This tree looks interesting when it's flowering but I actually prefer it when it's done flowering. {{gwi:570974}}
{{gwi:570975}}
{{gwi:570976}}

You could try posting on the Roses forum too -- someone may know what the rose is -- it's a very pretty rose. They'll want to see close-ups of the foliage and size of bloom as well as fragrance and repeat.

{{gwi:571091}}
Love the grays of the santolina, thyme & wormwood with the purple salvia on this path. Not much blooming besides the Shastas. The roses are just starting their bloom.

{{gwi:571092}}
Closeup

{{gwi:571093}}
Old Blush & garlic

I was looking for information on my new purchase "Bloody Dock" and found this website you guys might find interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Edible Plants list

Rosebush I really love the combination of silver and purple too. I even love the combination of silver and red and I normally find red hard to use.

Alicia, I had not thought of silver and red - will have to try that! The only true red I seem to have is the bee balm, and it is offset by a lot of white - shastas, white monarda, as well as the nepeta, various day lilies and salvias. I will be planting a lot of winter-sown seedlings soon, so will get some more color into the mix. :)

Rosa carolina buds{{gwi:570980}}

Grocery store miniature rose{{gwi:570981}}

Duchesse de Brabant -- yes this is really all the same rose {{gwi:570982}}
{{gwi:570983}}
{{gwi:570984}}

Therese Bugnet seedling. A throwback but I like it.{{gwi:570985}}
{{gwi:570986}}

Spiderwort and Hubrect's Amsonia{{gwi:570987}}

Festiva Maxima still in bloom.{{gwi:570988}}

Phlox Minnie Pearl.{{gwi:570989}}
{{gwi:570990}}
{{gwi:570991}}

Shirley poppy{{gwi:570992}}

Rosebush, it looks as though you have a really lovely place to garden. Is it as hilly as it looks in the pictures?

VERY hilly. :) Thanks! I spend a lot of time making terraced beds. . .
Your roses are GORGEOUS!!! And I'm coveting your camera. LOL

Thank you rosebush. :)