Shoshana’s Iris

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Tina

I don’t know the true name of this iris. These plants (or more accurately, their ancestors), were in a small garden along the driveway when we moved into our home in 1985. I was 25 years-old. Was I ever that young????

They were nicknamed ‘Shoshana’s iris’ by Pam of Digging. She dubbed these ‘Shoshana’s’ sometime after my 13 year-old daughter, Shoshana Weintraub suddenly died. Shoshana died in April 2006 while on a Kealing Middle School band trip to Chicago.

I don’t specifically remember giving Pam any iris, but over the years, I separated them, moved them around and gave them away to many people. I gave some years ago to my mother in Corpus Christi, but the iris didn’t thrive in her sand and humidity. Several of my neighbors have grown these lovelies in their gardens for years. And Pam, in turn, has shared them with other gardeners outside my immediate circle. Diana, of Sharing Nature’s Garden, recently profiled her ‘Shoshana’s iris’ in bloom, given to her by Pam. So, it’s nice to know they’re out there in the world, blooming. And it’s even sweeter knowing that many gardeners call them ‘Shoshana’s’. Any opportunity for Shoshana’s name to be spoken in the universe, is a good thing–whether in the guise of a beautiful flower or someone remembering what a lovely gift my Shoshana was.

The color of this iris is richer than lavender, but not a true purple. Lilac? Okay, I’ll go with that, although to me, it is a deeper hue than lilac. The fragrance is cloyingly sweet, but then, that’s what iris are supposed to smell like. And it sports the signature ruffles common to iris.

I recall reading in one of Pam’s posts about this iris, and Pam called it “temperamental.” I never thought of it as that, but it’s true that isn’t showy every year. I often have a tinge of jealousy when I see another gardener’s ‘Shoshana’s’ blooming well (like Diana’s, this year), when mine are not. This spring, I had only one stalk, with only four blooms. My other established iris bloomed beautifully, though. I’ve observed over the years that this iris blooms less frequently than it once did. Is it because of our generally warmer and drier climate this past decade or so? Perhaps. I know that it use to bloom, reliably and prolifically, every spring. Like most iris, it blooms best given more sun, but several of mine are in spots of dappled light to part shade–including the one that bloomed this year.

I enjoy the straps though, throughout the year; they add vertical, evergreen punctuation in clusters throughout my gardens.

Bloom time for this iris has passed, so ‘ll have to wait until next spring, once again hoping that ‘Shoshana’s iris’ will grace my gardens with its large, dramatic blooms.

The name Shoshana means lily in Hebrew. My Shoshana loved Purple Coneflowers–she thought they were “happy” flowers. In a little garden atop her grave, surrounded by Texas limestone taken from my garden and accompanying her Texas pink granite headstone, I planted Coneflower and several lilies–some Crinum lilies (unknown name) from my parents’ garden, Oxblood Lily (Rhodophiala bifida) and Red Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata) from my own gardens.

There are no ‘Shoshana’s iris’ on Shoshana’s grave.

Foliage Follow-Up-April 2012-Kitty Hiding Spot

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Tina

What is soft and feathery,

tough and hardy,

and a great place for the cat to hide in?

Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima)!

Today is Foliage Follow-Up, hosted by Pam at Digging and my foliage plant-of-choice for today is an ornamental grass which is a beautiful addition to the perennial garden.

Native only to the mountains of far West Texas, New Mexico and southwards to central Mexico, it also has a native population in Argentina and Chile. Everywhere else, it’s an introduced species and for home gardeners and commercial landscapers, a welcomed one. Graceful and elegant,

and an unusual silvery-green color,

it’s xeric even though it looks delicate and beautiful.

While Mexican Feather Grass is stunning in full sun,

it is a plant that can take some shade. These two new ones receive only dappled light and I expect that they’ll grow well. I’ve seen Mexican Feather Grass in a in a variety of places as an understory ground cover and it works nicely.

These are a little over a year old, and get direct sun only during the summer. This is what they looked like about six weeks ago

and what they look like now.

The Mexican Feather grass normally blooms in late spring/summer, but mine have started a bit early this year (like so many other plants). These plants will seed out, though I’ve never had many seedlings develop–until recently. I was weeding one of my beds and discovered about 20 seedlings!! There are others elsewhere in my gardens, too. Wow! I’ll give them to my friends! I’ll give them to my enemies! I’ll buy a new house with a bigger lot and plant them there!

Well, maybe for now, I’ll just enjoy the ones that I have planted in the gardens.

Many people (myself included…) have made the mistake of pruning these lovely plants like other ornamental grasses are pruned, that is to say, snipped straight across, close to the ground. Don’t do that!! It takes forever for them to grow out and they just look stupid for a long time. The best thing to do when you notice that the Feather Grass seems to have more brown than green, is to gently run your hands through the plant and pull out the “dead” strands. They’ll come loose easily and this combing should leave your plant with green, healthy strands. I’ve done this at various times of the year, as needed.

What I’ve also found over time in my gardens is that sometimes Feather Grass rots out, especially if planted in heavy, clay soil.

The two above have been in the ground for 5-6 years and I believe the one on the left is declining. Is it the soil? Maybe, although the one to the right still looks good and has new, fresh growth. If you want this plant, I wouldn’t hesitate to plant in heavy soil-just be aware that it might not be a long-lived perennial.

Mexican Feather Grass also makes a great container plant, as well. It will need some supplemental water, but doesn’t require constant watering.

It’s a great plant to soften the edges of a garden,

or mix with spiky, more architectural plants.

Mexican Feather Grass is versatile, hardy, easy-to-care-for and beautiful–in short, a great addition to the home landscape. And, while it’s good for Kitty to hide behind,

it’s also great for silly, metal birds, too.

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day-April 2012-Too Many Blooms

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Tina

As if it’s possible to have too many blooms! With our mild, wet winter and spring here in Austin, Texas, it’s been such a treat to have the garden abloom after the hellish 2011 with its heat and drought. Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this April Bloggers’ Bloom Day.

Nice companions are the Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha) and Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata). The Columbine is probably a hybrid cross between the A. chrysantha and A. canadensis. Note the blush of pink–the true Yellow Columbine wouldn’t have any pink.

New to my gardens this year is the Englemann’s Daisy (Engelmannia peristenia). Such a bright, cheery yellow and cool foliage to boot, it’s beloved by butterflies.

Along with the Englemann’s Daisy, the cultivar, Henry Duelberg Sage (Salvia farinacea ‘Henry Duelberg’) is tall and beautiful,

as is the original, more compact sage, the Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea). These Mealy Blue Sage are planted with red Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) and Zexmenia (Wedelia texana).

Another Zexmenia,

is beginning its long bloom cycle.

I need a friend for this one Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)–one is just not enough.

With its scarlet blooms, the Cedar Sage (Salvia roemeriana) brightens shady spots in Central Texas gardens during spring.

Sometime in the last year or so, a nice bird planted this Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides) and these are its first blooms. These have a little pink in them, so I’m guessing they’re actually a hybrid.

My favorite flower, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) signals for me the start of summer: warmth (lots of that, here in Texas) and butterflies.

I love the deep blue of the non-native Majestic Sage (Salvia guaranitica). For me, it blooms best in the spring.

The Gulf Coast Penstemon (Penstemon tenuis), with its dainty, lavender blooms, is lovely planted in groups of three or four. A favorite of the honeybee, it re-seeds with abandon!

Finally, a childhood favorite, the non-native Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). I grew up calling it Confederate Jasmine. My mother had it planted in her gardens, along with several kinds of passion-flower vine. Its beautiful fragrance fills the air–morning, noon and night for a month or so. Like my mother, I have a number of these lovelies throughout my gardens.