Always a spring standout in my garden, the bearded iris have never disappointed me. Some years, as with this one, they get a later start. Even though I have selections classified in all the expected bloom times–Early, Mid-season and Late, our short, warmer winters and early springs seem to compress all bloom times to March through mid-May. Mine are generally finished before the beardeds even get started in other parts of the country.
Since its addition to the front garden in late 2017 Iris ‘Blueberry Bliss’ has assumed the mantle of very first iris to flower, taking over from my long standing champion ‘Riverboat Blues’.
This little swathe of bluey-purples blooms for just its second season–the original planting replaced a narrow arc of turf and was intended to be 3 rhizomes each of ‘Sweet Geisha’, ‘Blueberry Bliss’ and ‘Blue Hour’ (not yet in bloom). A label snafu resulted in an errant rhizome of ‘Visual Intrigue’ (seen in the foreground right) taking the spot meant for one of the ‘Blue Hour’–undiscovered until the ‘Blue Hour’ flowered in an unexpected place last year.
Below, ‘Absolute Treasure’ also planted for last season is looking great. Photographed from its shady side, the characteristic pale sky blue self and standards are clearly visible. Photographed from the sunny side, it is almost white with only a blue undertone. An unfolding bloom on another stem shows the blue most clearly.
A few more iris on their Easter Parade…
With the front garden now without turf I will be adding more iris this fall to fill in open areas. Their towering and majestic blooms will always be on my favorite flowers list!
Wishing all my gardening friends far and wide a Happy Easter and hooray for Spring’s new and unfolding life.
Queen of the Dirt 
Breathtaking colors!!
Happy Easter
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Happy Easter to you and Steve! K
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Blueberry Bliss sure is . . . . BLUE! I think that is too much blue, if there is such a thing. I grow Blueberry Ice because it was a gift, but I REALLY like the combination of excellent blue and excellent white. (White is my favorite color.)
Those other blues are compelling as well.
I sort of miss the pale blues that looked almost gray. They are less popular than the vivid colors nowadays.
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I love white blooms also! My dream garden would be all foliage and only white flowers. Unfortunately for April/May bloomers, hoplia beetles are endemic to Fresno and simply destroy white and light colored flowers which could provide such a spring show at that time. Many resources tell you the beetle is usually found on roses (think that first fabulous bloom of Sally Holmes or Iceberg) but in my garden they have also decimated the white and steely blue iris blooms for so long that I have simply given over to the darker varieties. My loss for sure. If I had a penny for every hoplia I have handpicked in an attempt to disrupt their breeding cycle I would be set for life!
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Well, at least they have good taste.
Did you ever see my article ‘White Supremacy’? It is not as offensive as it sounds, although I tried. Although white is my favorite, there are several perennials that I have grown since I was a tyke that are not white. I can not give them up just because of their color.
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I will just say, I love Spring!
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