Bearded Iris

When we moved on November 17th, 2012, we looked out on the hill outside our windows and beheld what we referred to as a "Scottsdale Landscape". In other, words, desert plants with spikes and deciduous plants that looked like dead sticks. But the layout was pleasing, and there were a number of impressive Agaves--spiky but sculptural and rather elegant.

We began our facelift of the garden and soon learned why it contained the plants it did. Planting anything required either a pot or a jackhammer, so we turned our attention to building an arbor, which would eventually provided some shade on the upper terrace, which has a lovely view.

I the course of our excavations, we found some discarded iris bulbs which still had foliage attached. We stuck them in some disintegrating half wine barrels, we found up there, added a little bit of good soil, and awaited developments. The first year there were none, so we moved the barrels into the sun and gave them some water.

This year we were splendidly rewarded for our attentions. First large buds appeared and we thought they might never open, but eventually these unusual and beautiful bearded iris made their grand entrance. There are also some blue ones in the same barrel, which haven't opened yet. The other barrel, which isn't visible from the living room down below, contains an equally interesting yellow bloom with brown touches in the center.

The other evening our South African neighbor, Ann, was here having a glass of wine. She looked up and saw this burgundy colored one an said, "Oh, you have a German Iris. They're quite rare and should bloom again in the fall."

We've planted roses, Cistus, and some other softer, blooming plants, and we enjoy watching the dead sticks produce leaves and flowers, but nothing has been as satisfying as our rescued Irises. which apparently didn't fit in with someone's idea of a "Scottsdale Landscape".