The iris that live in my garden will likely always live in my garden. Each one has history. I got my first Iris pallida from my great grandmother’s garden at about the time I was in kindergarten. Less than twenty others have been added since then, because I am so very selective. I must be. Otherwise, my garden would fill with iris which I would be obligated to perpetuate. These four iris pictured here are at work, although #4 originated from my garden, where the two other white iris that are not pictured here live. All finished bloom a while ago, so these are old pictures.
1. Dicentra formosa, which I believe is Pacific bleeding heart, blooms at about the same time as the bearded iris. Some of the colonies are quite broad under the redwood forests.
2. Cestrum fasciculatum Newellii ‘Ruby Clusters’ could do without either its first variety name or its subsequent cultivar name. I did not select it, but am getting to appreciate it.
3. Yellow iris appeared next to a debris dump many years ago. It could have grown from a scrap, or could be feral. It seems wimpy. It got canned, but should have been relocated.
4. White iris seems prettier at night. During the day, it seems to be slightly grayish, with oddly pale yellow beards. I believe that it is feral. Two other cultivars are perfectly white.
5. Blue iris, with both dark and light blue, could actually be a cultivar. It is impossible to be certain. The flowers are simple and not ruffled. The stems are tall, but a bit too lanky.
6. White and blue iris, of these four, is the most likely to be a cultivar. Lanky stems could be a result of neglect. I hastily interred the rhizomes last autumn just to keep them alive.
This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/
Tony Tomeo 
Lovely Iris, I think the white one is my favourite.
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It looks better illuminated in the dark like that. Two others are whiter. One is simple, and the other is frilly.
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I do like iris, but my favourite is the cestrum. I might have to get one. I need to get one!
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?! You NEED it? Gee! Is it ‘that’ important? The color is great, but it is not fragrant like the night blooming jasmine is.
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Lovely irises, I really should add more to the garden here. I also love that bleeding heart – I’ve not seen that colour before.
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The bleeding heart grows wild here, but is not an improved garden cultivar. The more ornamental garden cultivars actually do not perform well here. They might be cultivars of species that are endemic to the East.
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Yes, that Dicentra is gorgeous, as is the last Iris.
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The Dicentra is native, and is common within the redwood forests. I sort of ignore it, but the uniformity of bloom got my attention in this particular situation.
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Beautiful! Your 5th item, the blue iris is lovely. I have come to appreciate irises in this simple form.
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That iris was taken from the garden of an abandoned cabin. I know nothing about it. I also prefer the simpler floral form, although the yellow iris seems to be a bit ‘too’ simple. Iris pallida is simple, but is also my favorite.
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I am not familiar with your first two, but the bleeding heart is such a pretty color. I would love to come across them in the woods.
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You know, as simple as it is, I sort of prefer the simplicity of this native species to the brighter pink or red of garden cultivars of bleeding heart.
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Feral Irises and colonies of Bleeding Hearts in a Redwood forest? California sounds like paradise.
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Well, it is; but so is anyplace else. Some people believe that Hawaii is. I think that Oklahoma is, but I also enjoy Oregon and Washington. Many would consider Florida to be Paradise.
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Oklahoma? I have never been there..isn’t it relatively treeless?
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Oh, no! Of course, there is nothing there like the redwoods here. Heck, these are the tallest trees in the World! However, blackjack oak, American elm, American sycamore, honeylocust and Eastern red cedar grow wild, and get taller in the low spots. Although there are no high elevations, there are low elevations. What I mean is that there is sort of a ceiling on the elevation, but that the creeks and rivers cut low valleys. Just above the ground, there is sort of a ceiling on the tree canopy. Trees in the high spots are either absent, or very low. Trees in the low spots are much higher, so that their canopies seem to be at the same height as those in the higher spots. Although the ground is not completely flat, the ceiling of the tree canopy seems to be flat when viewed from the high spots.
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I did a project there once – they said it was beyond the tree line. Uphill?
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Treeline? I was not aware that Oklahoma had a treeline. The highest elevation within Oklahoma is below 5,000 feet.
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I love irises, some of my favourite plants., such a variety of colours and types.
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Yes, it is not easy to limit what gets added to the gardens.
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Sounds like those irises bring you joy, Tony. The dicentra is all over on our land and is beautiful right now, so I appreciate you including it.
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Oh yes! Three of these four iris are relatively new to me, but the iris in my garden have been with me for many years, and came from many important situations.
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