Elegant Japanese Iris

I’m out in California for this month’s Bloom Day celebrating my mother’s birthday but before I left I dashed around the yard to capture a few photos of the current state of the flowers around us on the hill at Ball Rd.  Besides the striking individual Japanese Iris that have been showing up, the daily contributors to our flower vases have been the lilies.  It is sometimes a marvel to me that although the deer are well known to eat lilies as one of their favorite delicacies, ours seem to have been spared with just a couple of early spring exceptions.  In addition we don’t seem to be facing the lily beetles which are a major problem in the northeast.

Several years ago the kids gave Beth a number of Blackout Lilies with their stunning dark red petals.  These have multiplied and they responded to our spring rains by growing over 4 feet tall this year.

Blackout Lilies

And in the rose garden we have a very nice set of white lilies which are very striking in early morning light.

white asiatic lilies

Beside the back deck we have new lily that has a very nice cream and yellow lily that is about 4 feet tall as you climb the steps.

Cream and White Lily

There are many more lilies in bloom right now and more to come, including the ultra fragrant Orientals.

It’s worth pointing out the that the herb garden is currently looking as flush and verdant as at any time I can remember.

Herb Garden

Finally the bank of Crown Vetch and Wild Pea by the driveway is lush with flowers right now.

Crown Vetch and Wild Pea growing freely on the driveway bank

If you want to check out what other flowers gardeners are seeing around the country check out the links at May Dreams Gardens