Oh Where Oh Where

Oh where?  Oh where has my expensive iris gone?  Oh where oh where can they be?

To me, Iris are the Midwest's version of an orchid.  Except larger and not the same family and strictly speaking nothing alike except B E A U T Y in an almost similar form.   But I digress. . .

I was into a hybrid iris buying frenzy back in 2009.  I'd had success with buying locally and with the iris others had given to me.  I knew how and where to plant them.  They were long-lived and hardy.  The world was Irisie good.

And then, little by little they simple didn't come up or a few leaves and then nothing.

Hybrid iris from the famous retailers aren't cheap and as I lost more and more, I swore off ever purchasing another iris.  Apparently, they aren't my thing.  I continue to love the hardy old favorites but gone are the blue, white, multi strange and lovely colors.  Gone are the fragrant and re bloomers.  Gone is the absolutely novel red.  Gone? GONE! G O N E!   I'm taking a little break now to snivel.

Back from sniveling - I'm having the most unusual and lovely spring 2013:

My "lost" and "gone forever" irises are coming up this year and blooming as if nothing had happened.

I've speculated the reasons:  (1)  Last year's drought.  (2)  This year's wet spring.  (3)  I was a good girl.  (4)  Mother Nature took pity upon me.  And the most likely (5) I'll never know.

"Pink Horizon"

"Lacy Snowflake"

I'll post more as they bloom since I have iris coming up in a couple in spots I didn't even have an iris plant documented.  It's like an Agatha Christie mystery and so much fun!  Here are four beauties back for a curtain call.

"Best Bet"

"Chasing Rainbows"