Back in the Garden

Days are getting shorter. I am very aware of daytime because it affects me in so many ways. Sun light has set the direction of my day since I was a kid. Bright opened eyes at sunrise. Feeling sleepy even at sunset. I've never been a night owl. So, when I have less and less time for the evening walk with the pooches I know summer is ending, which in itself is not bad.

Fall is the season I really enjoy. Most of all because it's the season I can start seeing irises come back to life, and can also spend more time outdoors. In the middle of summer, about a month a go or so, I started cleaning dry leaves off the tall beardeds, and trimming Spurias one to two inches off the ground.   Only recently I started to gradually give iris some water after not watering all summer. I do this for two reasons: first of all it's Southern California and water is expensive and in short supply with watering restrictions currently in existence; secondly, I have found that irises love their rest off water during the hot summer months. They like to gently bake under the sun, so no need to water tall bearded or Spurias here.

[Looking forward to 'GRAPETIZER' (Thomas Johnson, R. 2009). Will be planted in the next few days]

Change is in the air and irises are saying, "I wonder if I'll be blooming in the Spring." And this, will consist in most cases in food and water availability. Our summer, unlike the rest of the country has been a rather cool one, and even though we are three weeks away from fall, change is already in the air. So, my fall senses are telling me, "its time." It's time to start planning the spring garden.

[Two Spurias, properly shipped in wet material, are also waiting to be planted: 'REMEMBERING VIC,' and 'BLUE BUNTING.']

I start planning my spring garden with a map, a garden map. Do you keep a map of your garden? I started keeping one after I planted the one hundredth rhizome, and believe you me, I have referred to it many times over the years now that I have over three hundred. Garden maps are useful for different reasons. Sometimes, labels get stolen (yes, they do steel plant tags in this city) or get destroyed by people, or simply by dogs when their owners are not paying attention. Sometimes, if you are like me, you may like to refer to a particular iris in the middle of the night, so if you have a garden map, you don't have to run out in your jamas in the middle of the night. Whatever the case, garden maps are a second source of information for my garden, and I normally try to keep the map updated as I plant new rhizomes in the fall. I think I'm up to ten pages detailing my garden.

Garden Map 1

Garden Map 2

Garden Map 3 

Unlike my garden design, which is really abundant but complicated, and more geared towards an iris fanatic or collector, what do you think of the garden design below? It is so different, so uncluttered; pleasant due to its simplicity and because it was designed for our four-legged friends.

I hope you're enjoying your time back in the garden, as I am. W2Z5Q93J97S7

The Iris Center of the Universe, Revisited

Dr. John K. Small of the New York Botanical Garden was a major figure in the recognition of Louisiana irises. In the late 1920s and 1930s, Small studied native irises in Louisiana and Florida, named over forty species (all rescinded but one) and created a horticultural sensation by publishing gorgeous color plates in the Garden’s journal Addisonia.

As the story goes, Small was traveling from Florida by train when he spotted fields of irises in the then-swampy outskirts of New Orleans. He returned over a number of years and was led by local people to interesting sites to collect and study the wide variety of irises growing wild. The number and diversity of forms and colors he encountered led Small to dub the area around New Orleans “The Iris Center of the Universe.”

A big dose of hyperbole, of course. But the truth in Small’s characterization lay in the variation he found among several species and uncounted natural hybrids in those areas in and around New Orleans where the deltas of natural waterways, the habitat of I. fulva, created higher land in the midst of freshwater marsh where the tall blue I. giganticaerulea made its home. I. brevicaulis was found in the area also, but not widespread; it likes wet soil but slightly higher ground and occurred in pockets here and there. The “Iris Center of the Universe” was a niche where the reds and blues and the recessive whites and yellows could blend and excite the interest of gardeners and scientists alike

Decades of development obliterated the stands of Louisiana iris in the City. New Orleans steadily filled the land and paved the spaces between Lake Pontchartrain and the River, probably an ill-advised step as hindsight attests. Once much of the City must have looked as it did in 1867 when Theodore Lilienthal photographed irises. Now, wild irises can be found only on the periphery, although their predecessors’ genes live on in today’s hybrids.

At the turn of the twenty-first century, no one would have designated New Orleans as a hotbed of iris interest. To be sure, as everywhere in the country, there was a steadily growing recognition of modern Louisiana hybrids. Gardeners increasingly grew them, and Louisianas maintained a presence in public gardens over the years, even if they waxed and waned somewhat with changes in the focus of those in charge.

Since Hurricane Katrina, however, there has been a remarkable surge in interest in Louisiana irises in New Orleans. The storm devastated the City’s public gardens and parks. The lingering brackish water left most an ugly brown and facing major restoration efforts. Suddenly, the appeal of native irises exploded. There was, in fact, a perfect storm of demand and supply, as those working to restore gardens were met by growers in Mooringsport, Schriever, Denham Springs, Slidell and New Orleans willing to donate Louisiana irises by the thousands.

Today, over five years after Hurricane Katrina, it would be a challenge to name a place where more Louisiana irises can be seen. There are major new plantings in the largest public gardens, and in the past year the irises have been introduced into local parks. As the following suggests, the iris future is bright.

Longue Vue House and Garden consists of a classical revival mansion surrounded by an eight acre garden created by New Orleans civic activists and philanthropists Edith and Edgar Stern. The garden development dates from 1934 with a design by Ellen Biddle Shipman, the dean of American women landscape architects.

Divided into garden rooms, the Wild Garden is the site of a winding, hundred-yard "Iris Walk" that displays a newly updated collection of named Louisiana irises.

The original iris planting was established by Caroline Dormon, a prolific writer, multimedia artist, botanist, forester and conservationist, but few irises at Longue Vue today can be traced back to that era. The updated collection includes not only newer registered hybrids, but probably the most extensive collection of species forms in one location in the country, donated by Benny Trahan of Slidell.

Louisiana irises are found in various spots in New Orleans’ 1300-acre City Park, but are concentrated in the New Orleans Botanical Garden, the New Orleans Museum of Art’s Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, and the plantings along Big Lake near the Museum.

The irises are scattered among the diverse plantings in the 12-acre Botanical Garden. Many clusters are old and unlabeled but new cultivars have been added. As part of the Garden’s highly varied and beautifully maintained plantings, the irises do not jump out like they do elsewhere. They provide a view that may be more typical of a home landscape and suggestive of how they can be incorporated into the visitor’s garden.

The five acre Sculpture Garden was opened in November 2003 and was designed to display a permanent collection of over 50 sculptures by twentieth- and twenty-first century American, European, Latin American, Israeli and Japanese artists.

The lagoon in the garden, part of an extensive system that meanders throughout City Park, was originally landscaped with I. pseudacorous. Katrina virtually destroyed them, one of its few positive contributions, and paved the way for the irises rightfully entitled to grace a beautiful New Orleans garden.

Big Lake is also a part of the City Park lagoon system. In the last several years, the periphery was developed with paved walking areas and other features. Large swaths of Louisiana irises are now massed near the edges in several spots. In bloom, they cannot be ignored.

The watery edges of the City Park lagoons are visually the perfect spot to display Louisiana irises. Sadly, the lagoons are connected to the brackish Lake Pontchartrain. When a storm surge pushes in from the Lake, the rise in salinity can damage the irises. After Katrina, a freshwater pump was installed to ameliorate the salty water, but time will tell if Louisianas can grow in a spot that looks like home but may not taste the same. Many have survived so far.

Beyond New Orleans’ major public gardens, Louisiana iris plantings have been completed at Heritage Park in Slidell, Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East, and Brechtel Park on the West Bank. The Town of Jean Lafitte about twenty miles South has a number of places to see Louisiana irises, but the main show there is a boardwalk out into the swamp among the native stands of I. giganticaerulea, growing like they used to throughout the area.

New Orleans may not be the Iris Center of the Universe, but with the developments of the last five years, it is in the hunt.

Read the Instructions First

With the help of the other members of the San Fernando Valley Iris Society and my sister-in-law Nora, I had managed to stage my first ever iris arrangements in the Artistic Division in record time. After the rush of the morning, Nora and I went to look at the other entries to catch our collective breath. Fat chance: the other arrangements took our breath away again. There were exquisite oriental arrangements, clever uses of rock and driftwood, unexpected uses of found objects. And of course, beautiful irises. If you have never been, you really must go to the next Iris Show in your area and take a look at the beautiful arrangements.


Before the show, each member of the society is sent a Schedule announcing the theme of the show, the dates, the show committee members, and most importantly, the rules for exhibitors. This Schedule should be read carefully and completely if one wishes to avoid embarrassing gaffes, such as raising your fist and shouting out "Woo Hoo!" when you spy a blue ribbon beside your entry. I learned that this is considered bad form, and may even get you disqualified if heard by the judges. Exhibitors should avoid going near the area while the judges are considering the arrangements. It says so right in the Schedule [ahem].

The judges have extensive experience with irises and undergo training under the auspices of the American Iris Society. They follow the rules as set forth in the Handbook for Judges and Show Officials, 7th Ed. They examine each element of an arrangement and discuss the merits among themselves, then compare the arrangements. There are different levels of awards distributed, so the judging process takes some time. After the judging is completed, the final awards are laid out next to the arrangements. Only then is it permissible to move in for your photo ops.

When I returned on Sunday evening to collect my cake pan, I was stunned to see that the Industrial Revolution with Lady Friend had won not only a blue ribbon, but a second award for Best in Section! The Dark Ages had won a blue ribbon as well! I stood there in disbelief. But I was jerked out of my stupor when I watched my blue ribbons being swept up by Steve, a show official. What was he doing with my ribbons? As it turns out, the ribbons and trophies are collected at the end of the SFVIS Show to be given out at the annual awards banquet in June. My new friend Steve calmed me down, assuring me I would get them back. Whew.

Thanks to this experience, I have a new art to practice, new friends who are talented people as well as kind and patient mentors, and a new appreciation for the beauty of irises. If you have never entered this competition, I heartily suggest you consider it next year. Take it from a novice: You’ll have a world of fun in the world of irises.

Irises Don't Like Rides In the Car

The knowledge I gained from the AIS Artistic Design Tutorial allowed me to create two respectable arrangements for entry into the San Fernando Valley Iris Society's Spring Show, entitled "Irises Through the Ages." On the morning of the show, I asked my sister-in-law Nora to go with me, as my chosen Second. You know, the person who carries you off after you have been shot in a duel?

It was 11 am. Plenty of time to load up the car and get over to the mall, about 20 minutes away, set up the arrangements by 12:30, take a few photos, and get home for a late lunch at 1:30. I had Nora to hold the arrangement. Oh-oh. Two arrangements. We scavenged around for a box of appropriate size, but could only find one that was unopened. It held a Rival™ Ice Cream Maker purchased as a gift for an upcoming wedding. We opened the newlyweds' present and crammed kitchen towels around The Dark Ages to hold it steady in the box, and managed to secure the whole thing with the rear seat-belt. The Industrial Revolution was a bit more of a challenge. Nora climbed into the passenger seat, and I gingerly handed her the ice-cream bucket (I guess we’ll be shopping for a new wedding present) half-filled with water, teeter tottering Lady Friend stalks, and dead stick with perfect little dead leaves sticking out of the top. While paying too much attention to sloshing water, and not enough to fragile irises, SNAP went the top bud, the bud that would be at the peak of the arrangement, the bud that the tutorial assured me would give the arrangement "balance." The time on the clock? 11:32.

We made it to the Westfield Plaza without further incident, and at last Lady Luck seemed to be on our side. Until we found that the show was held at the Westfield Promenade, two blocks and countless speed bumps to the south. Ignoring the sloshing water and my bouncing Second, I screeched to a halt at the south entrance of the Westfield Promenade. It was 12:05. I grabbed the Rival™ Ice Cream Maker box with The Dark Ages out of the back seat, leaving my trusty Second stuck in the passenger's seat with wet pants and Lady Friend. I ran down the aisle, was directed down the escalator, and I threw the arrangement on the table where a little tag had my name on it. Jan Lauritzen, my arranging mentor and the Artistic Chair, glanced at her watch and said "you have seven minutes."


I sprinted back to liberate my Second, who, along with Lady Friend, had begun to wilt in the 110 degree heat of the dark truck. We made it to the arrangement tables and I threw the Industrial Revolution together sans top bud with three minutes to spare. As I exhaled a sigh of relief and Nora went to stash our supplies, Jan turned around and asked "have you filled out your cards and your paperwork?" It was 12:28.

To the rescue came three members of the Society, Jan, Lois and Debbie, who helped me fill out the cards and forms and get back down to the table, just as the clock hit 12:30. I had entered my first iris show. Piece of cake.

Next: Read the Instructions First

Fun with Irises: A Novice Tries Her Hand at Artistic Design

Most of us love to have flowers in the house. Especially irises, since many have a wonderful scent to accompany their beautiful shape and rainbow of colors. Normally, I cut bouquets, choose a vase that doesn't clash, and that's about it. Then one day last month I saw a lovely iris arrangement on the San Fernando Valley Iris Society Facebook Page, with an entry encouraging members to enter the Artistic Design Division at the Spring Show in April.

Eventually, the desire to learn something about flower arranging overcame my fear of public humiliation, and I decided to enter. The Industrial Revolution class appealed especially, if only because my house and yard are littered with recycled and industrial materials. It seemed a natural fit.

Or, I could even get some new junk. My brother brought me three pieces of steel pipe. My husband warmed to the idea of flower arranging when he saw the pipe, and suggested that I use dry ice (steam! he exclaimed) and an Erector Set motor to spin the irises. Maybe sprinkle a dead iris stalk with coal dust? he asked, helpfully. Do they even still make Erector Sets? And where would I get coal dust? While he sulked, I wondered… China is industrializing…. How about a "Made in China" theme? My friend Walter even pointed out the beauty of this plan: I could go buy everything I needed at Wal-Mart. Hmmm… perhaps too subtle.

So it was with a bit of trepidation that I called to reserve a space for the Show, hoping an idea would materialize. Jan Lauritzen, the organizer, generously spent a half-hour on the phone with me, revealing her arranging secrets, giving me a list of materials to buy, and telling me about pitfalls to avoid. Especially the pitfall of “too many props,” which mollified my husband a bit. But by the end of the conversation, I had a new problem: Jan had cleverly maneuvered me into entering a second category, the Dark Ages. (Another glorious time for humanity. Another theme to consider.)

Thank goodness, the American Iris Society website has an invaluable resource: an iris arranging Design Tutorial by Jean E. Morris. The tutorial explains the process, the principles of design, and the elements the judges look for. These include balance, proportion, scale, rhythm, dominance, contrast, and unity. So “theme” wasn’t going to be my only problem. But at least I had enough background knowledge to begin designing.

I had an old rusted metal gear and a spool of greasy wire. My new cake pan was just the right size for a container, so I sprayed it with rusting chemicals. Scrambling through my sword ferns, I recovered three moth-eaten walnut leaves still attached to stems, and a stick with some dead pepper tree leaves still on it. I had the foliage and container for my first arrangement. Now I needed a suitable iris.


The only irises in bloom in the whole yard? A lacy orchid-pink Persian Berry and a dusky rose Lady Friend. Neither seemed suitable, name-wise, for the Industrial Revolution, but one would have to do. Orchid pink lace and rusty gears certainly do provide contrast, but the AIS design tutorial said not to overdo this element, so Lady Friend it was.

I was in a bit of a spot for the Dark Ages Class. I had purged all purples and blues from my garden six years ago in a vain attempt to achieve some sort of color coordination. Fortunately, I had planted these irises in my neighbor's yard. I liberated one large, modern black iris and two Lent A. Williamson look-alikes. Thank goodness the rules in the Artistic Division allow unnamed cultivars and flowers that were not grown by the exhibitor. I was ready for the show.

Next: Irises Don't Like Rides In the Car

Irises you don't suppose to grow

I don’t know about you, but ever since I started growing irises it’s been my dream to grow as many types of irises as I could. I specially like MTBs (Miniature Tall Bearded), Species, Louisiana and Siberian irises. I have tried to grow these over the years, but with a lot of difficulty in my Southern California garden. I wish I could grow more.

I was in a daze when I saw Miniature Tall Bearded iris ‘Sailor’s Dream’ (Kenneth Fisher, R. 2004) at the Portland’s 2006 National Convention of the American Iris Society. It was blooming profusely at every site I visited, it had healthy leaves, and the color was extremely nice – a deep wisteria blue that really caught my eye.

Below, MTB 'Monty Duane.'

As Portland was my first National Convention, I was making excuses to the other closing-program dinner guests on why I voted for ‘Sailor’s Dream’ to win the Franklin Cook Medal Cup. “Very rarely,” they said, “would a MTB win.” Anyway, we all laughed about it, but to my surprise and that of the other dinner guests ‘Sailor’s Dream’ won The Franklin Cook Memorial Cup for 2006. That the iris I voted for won this award was an unbelievable feeling. Upon returning home I ordered it immediately, but to this day it has never bloomed. Still, this story is not really about ‘Sailor’s Dream,’ (I like to believe that some day it will bloom so I still grow it) it is about the other MTBs I grow and which bloom every year.

Is there a scientific reason why they bloom in my area? If there’s one, I don’t really know. I only know that everyone else tells me they don’t suppose to. So, here are the MTBs that do well: ‘Monty Duane’ (Wyss 2000); ‘Missus Bee’ (Bunnell 2003); ‘Bangles’ (Lynda Miller 1995); ‘Ozark Dream’ (Fisher 1992) and ‘Little Bay Denoc’ (Fred Williams 1978). Proud to grow them in Los Angeles, where they don’t suppose to grow.

Next time, I will tell you about the Siberian irises that don’t suppose to grow in my area either.

Below MTB 'Little Bay Denoc.'

Note 1: From The American Iris Society: The Franklin Cook Memorial Cup is awarded annually during The American Iris Society’s national meeting. All introduced irises seen growing and in bloom in the official tour gardens of the meeting are eligible for the Cook Memorial Cup, except irises originated within the host region for that year’s national meeting or originated by a hybridizer whose garden is included on the official garden tour, regardless of its location. Irises considered need not be an official "Guest" iris. Each registrant may vote for only one variety and the Franklin Cook Memorial Cup is awarded to the iris receiving the greatest number of votes.

Note 2: Sailor’s Dream has earned the following American Iris Society Awards: Honorable Mention 2006; Award of Merit 2008, Williamson-White Medal, 2010.