Grand Iris Tour 2023

The Grand Iris Tour at the Genuine Faux Farm is coming to a close for 2023, but we certainly had some wonderful surprises this year as we had less wind and little stormy weather.  As a result, the iris held up beautifully and we still have a fresh bouquet in the house as of this writing (mid week).

I managed to get enough energy and motivation together at the same time to get some photos prior to harvesting the flowers for a bouquet.  But, earlier in the bloom season the best we could do was harvest and enjoy.  You'll notice a few pictures are after they were placed in a vase.

Hey, you work with what you have!

At one point in time I told Tammy that every German Bearded Iris we had was beautiful.  And, yes, I still believe that.  But at the time I think I was more enamored with having an example of every variety we could manage to get to bloom.  

Now, my perspective is different.  There are varieties that I really, REALLY love and I celebrate (possibly more than is warranted for a single flowering plant) each and every time they show me their colors.  The iris shown above (Rare Treat) is one such iris.  It has been with us since we started growing specialized iris (1998).

I still take a moment and gently touch the fuzzy, caterpillar-like beards.  I can't always feel their soft tickle this time of year when the calluses are reforming on my fingers.  But I still try.  And, an iris flower's beauty holds up when you view them up close as well as from a distance.

Since I like to play with different perspectives on things with the camera, I tried to take pictures of portions of a few iris flowers.  I feel like the one shown above is a winner.  I'm not sure that I am as pleased with the next one.  But, I will share it anyway.

The bottom iris leaf is from the iris named "Sing Out," which is also a variety we have cultivated since the beginning.  It's been on the edge of not making it several times - including its first three seasons - so I always take some pleasure in seeing it again.

Sometimes I wonder if we could just go back to that initial fifteen (or so) varieties and just grow a bunch of all of them, would we be happy with what we had?  Certainly, if we were able to grow them well, we would enjoy it. And we would definitely appreciate the blooms every season.

But that question, like so many philosophical questions, is a bit unfair.  We have watched and appreciated so many other varieties since that time so it is almost as if we're being asked to reject all of the other, equally wonderful, flowers.

Would you want to reject this one?

Perhaps the best answer is to say that we will appreciate, enjoy and do our best to care for the flowers we've got.  Maybe, if we find our hearts yearning for an old favorite that no longer graces us with their presence, we could search for a replacement plant somewhere out in the wide world.  I know we have been tempted once or twice to do that, but we never quite get motivated enough to follow through.

That's okay.  While we no longer maintain the "show gardens" of iris we had early on at the Genuine Faux Farm, our iris friends still show up each year.  And we make sure to get out there and give them attention and praise for their efforts.  A few iris even thrive despite our relative neglect for their circumstance.

This year's bloom period has hours, not days, left to it.  I always feel a bit sad when we get to this point and I try to console myself by remembering that these flowers wouldn't feel quite so special if they bloomed year around.  But I don't actually believe what I am saying.  

I probably would find these flowers to be special if I could see them blooming all year.  And that's why I take the pictures.  Then I can share them with you each year and we can all enjoy them together.

Grand Iris Tour 2022

Better late than never!  The iris season has actually been completed for a few weeks now, but we did manage to get a few pictures.  Never mind that the pictures we got this time around were of flowers we cut to bring inside so we could enjoy them more.

I actually liked the photo above because it shows off the water droplets on the falls of this particular German bearded iris. 

The Genuine Faux Farm still has a fairly wide range of iris varieties and some of our old friends, like Proud Tradition (at top of this photo) come back to visit us every year.  I know both of us would like to treat our friends a little better, but we just never seem to get that extra care onto the top 100 of our lists, no matter how much we want to.

This year I was reminded why I like the selections we have on our farm so much.  Some of them feature colors that are bold and beautiful.  Others, like this one shown above (I do not recall the name at the moment) have subtle features that show colors blending slowly as you progress from the edges of the petals.  This one has what is known as a "plicata" design, which is where fine lines of color (purplish) bleed into another (white).

Kevin's Theme might be a favorite of ours over the years.  These plants never seem to thrive like other varieties do.  Even so, we have seen a bloom in our gardens every year since we moved to the farm.  It's usually only one or two stalks at most.  But that's nothing to complain about.

Then, sometimes we get a surprise.  This flower was HUGE!  I did not succeed in taking a photo that showed a contrast with an average iris bloom.  But, it had to be about 1/3 bigger than the others.  

We know and have had some larger varieties, such as Banana Frappe, bloom for us in prior years.  But, neither of us can recall this one rewarding us with a flower until now.   

Hey!  We'll take it.

If there is one color family iris seem to feature the best, it is the deep blues and purples that draw our attention.  Sometimes the color looks so deep and luxurious that you almost get the feeling that it would be like velvet if you touched it.  

Here's to some beautiful blooms in 2022 - and hopefully an even more successful year for iris in 2023.

Blooms in the Forecast

We had a few fairly nice days - then the roller coaster that has been the weather for the last couple of months in Iowa took us back down into chillier temps.  That was more than enough to trigger my desire to see two of our favorite types of flowers - daylilies and iris.

Our farm is home to several varieties of each, though we have many fewer iris than we used to tout.  Still, every year about this time I start to look at the pictures we have taken of some of our favorite blooms.  Blooms like the Rocket City daylilies shown above.  We've been able to be quite successful with most of the daylilies that come to live at the Genuine Faux Farm and we're looking at splitting many of our well established plants so they can cover more of the landscape around the farm.

Splitting our own plants does a few things.  First, we won't inadvertently bring in a neonicatinoid pesticide that is often applied to nursery plants - though we do ask when we do buy new plants if they have had this treatment.  And, second, of course is the fact that we can use our own resource to meet out goals.

But, some of the clumps have been doing so well and look so good - it's kind of hard to actually WANT to split them up. 

 We are also looking forward to old friends, such as Proud Tradition.  We know this iris should be in two different locations on our farm right now and we hope one, or both, have survived to treat us to these beautiful blooms again in 2022.  

Unlike the daylilies, many of the varieties we have grown (or tried to grow) have not particularly cared for some of the conditions our farm had endured in recent years.  In particular, some of the wetter years seemed to reduce the vigor of many of our plants.

So, this year we're going to treat both of these a bit like we do some of our other crops.  We're going to give them some specific attention to see if we can't perk things up around here - and by extension - perk ourselves up a bit.  We recognize that the benefits will not be visible in 2022.  Instead, we have to do the work this year so we will reap the benefits in 2023 and beyond.  

Who knows what we'll manage - but we can certainly dream about it.  Especially when the days are cold.

Blues

We've said this for a few years now, but the iris flowers on the farm are a shadow of what they once were.  And yet, we still manage to be charmed by many of our old friends each year.  Perhaps this is the year we'll get to giving them the attention they so richly deserve.  But, even if we can't manage it, we know that some of our most dedicated stalwarts will return next year and the one after.  

That's not a bad thing to take comfort in.

One of my all time favorites (Olympiad) made an appearance again this year.  With the frost coming (and then the hot dry winds) we knew the flowers would be short lived at the farm.  So, we picked most of the stalks we could and brought them inside before we could take a good picture of them.  As a result, I am relying on a picture from a year or so ago.

This turned out to be a good move because most of the stalks that remained outdoors had a pretty rough time of it.

The camera seems to make Olympiad appear a little more purple than my eyes see it in natural light.  But, that doesn't really matter.  I appreciate the subtle infusion of purple/blue into the white and take pleasure in seeing the little "caterpiller" (aka the "beard" on "Bearded Iris") with its progression from blue to yellow.

Would you like to learn more about the parts of an iris flower?  One easy to view site that does this is here.

I know some people like a more striking color combination.  And, I appreciate those as well.  But, this is an iris that I like to inspect up close - because there is so many subtle moments of beauty in a single bloom, that it can captivate me for quite a while.

Speaking of captivating.  I watched while Tammy was captivated by and trying to nab a picture of a Red Spotted Purple that had taken a liking to being inside some of our buildings the last couple of days.  It was sitting on a feed sack and she was waiting for it to open its wings and show off the bright blue colors on the top side.

This particular butterfly was camera-shy and didn't open its wings long enough for her to catch it.

But, a year or two ago, I managed to get one to sit on my finger while I took multiple shots of it.  Let's just say that it also did not want to sit still for the camera, opening and closing its wings often.  

There were MANY digital photos in that batch that I deleted, and these were among the best.

I'll take it as a positive that we got a shot of both the underside and the .. um... overside?  of the wings.  It was also a positive when this butterfly took off to investigate the rest of its world after consenting to this photo shoot.

Like Olympiad, who shows up every year with a stalk or two of flowers, we are usually treated to a Red Spotted Purple or two each year at the farm.  Unlike other "admiral" butterflies (such as the Red Admiral), we don't see them in great numbers.  But, when we do, they usually hang around the farm house and the outbuildings.  Almost as if they find us just as interesting as we find them.

I know that it can be hard to take a moment to watch a butterfly or observe a beautiful flower - but I encourage you to give yourself permission to do just that today.  I wish you the best as you try to fulfill this quest!

 Have a good day everyone!

Grand Iris Tour 2020

The German Bearded Iris are a bit later this year than they have been many years.  And, once again, they aren't as strong as they once were.  We are hopeful, as we re-adjust how the farm works, that we can give them attention and revitalize the plants that remain.  But for now, we simply offer some pictures of some of the blooms that help us get through our days at the Genuine Faux Farm.

 

Weather, Wind and Iris

We have had some wind on and off for the past several days to go along with the heat.  On the negative side, the wind means we have to water plants and birds (and ourselves) much more frequently.  But, on the positive, if there is a good stiff breeze, then our annual infestation of Buffalo Gnats don't make our lives quite so miserable when we are outside.

This afternoon, we watched while storms blew up to our south and then to our east.  We are hopeful everyone south of us is fine.  In terms of staying power, this is not at all unlike what happened to us earlier. 

 We had a moment where the sun in the western sky was lighting up our farm nicely, but there was this forbidding sky in the background.  I was not patient enough to try to catch any lightning as we were about our business of getting things closed down due to some wind poofs coming through that were attached to a cell that went just north of us.

We had some interesting cloud and sunray displays as well Thursday evening.  One very positive thing about all of this is that this week was a Wednesday farm credit delivery day in Waverly.  If this were a Cedar Falls Thursday, it would have been pretty uncomfortable.  This does remind us that our new modifications to handle the Covid-19 pandemic are not at all friendly to us if the weather is bad. 

On another note, our iris are beginning to really get into the act of blooming.  Of course, the wind is beating them up pretty good and the heat limits how long each flower is at its peak.  But, at least we have iris. 

Sadly, we have plenty of evidence that the late hard freeze took its toll on many of our iris flower stalks (and plants).  This seems to happen pretty often at the farm, which is sad for us because we do love these flowers.

 

We'll try and get more pictures of them to share assuming the wind calms down tomorrow.  It is pretty difficult to take a photo when the iris is bobbing around in the wind!

My old friend, St Helen's Wake is blooming again this year and we'll try to take a picture that will do it justice.  However, if you want to see a very good one (along with a very good blog post) you can go to this April post from this year.  We were also graced with the presence of Proud Tradition again this season. 

Meanwhile, Back at the Farm...

I am upset and worried.  Maybe more accurately - I am disappointed and grieving.  And I think it would be inappropriate for me not to recognize that fact and say it out loud.  Why?  Because those few who read this blog frequently will likely sense that there is more than pictures of iris floating around in my head.  If I write without acknowledgement of the elephant in the room, then nothing will feel credible.  So, let's get to it, shall we?

Throughout my life I have found that I have little tolerance for those who have power and resources but apparently are unwilling to hold themselves to the highest standards - for they have the raw materials at their disposal to do so.  With privilege and power come responsibility.  Part of that responsibility is to lift up those for whom the playing field is not level.  In fact, it would be great if we could bring in some loads of dirt and level the grounds.  And, instead I am seeing abdication of that charge by many who should know better and should act better.  I have seen more evidence of bullying of all sorts at all levels in the past four years.

So, what can I do about it?
Well, for one, I can do a little writing. 
And for two, I can recognize things to bring balance so that perhaps I can be effective when moments come that I might be able to make even more of a difference.
Which means (number 3) I can do my best to be a good steward of the Genuine Faux Farm, while being alert to opportunities to make more of a difference elsewhere.

So, let me take you back to the farm for a few minutes.  If you are hurting too - maybe this will give you a little solace.  If you are angry, maybe you can balance it with some compassion.

 The iris on the farm just started blooming in the past couple of days.  You know it is iris season when the hot winds blow and knock a bunch of the tall stems down on the farm.  That means we go out and grab them the next day and put them in vases.  They never last long enough, in my opinion.  But, perhaps that is part of the reason why Tammy and I value them so much.

It's not just the colors and the shape - it's the fragrance that usually comes along with them.  Certainly the German Bearded Iris is an audacious flower (sorry, I am enjoying playing with my vocabu... vocabu....  my words today).  It's big, bold and probably not all that great for most pollinators on our farm.  The pollinaotrs much prefer the lilacs, silky asters, dandelions and highbush cranberry flowers right now.  But, they make us smile and think kind thoughts.  They remind us to stop and view nature - and recognize what it does for us.

The Supervisory Crew on the farm have liked the fact that we have departed the farm much less this Spring than we normally do.  What they do not appreciate is those odd days when the two of us decide we aren't getting up as quick as we usually do.  On one such day, I opened the door of the house to find the outdoor supervisors (Inspector and Soup) both on the grill.... intently watching the house.

Did I feel at least a little bit guilty?  Um.  Well.  No.  But, I suspect I should have.  Poor starving critters!

Actually, they are both pretty good about it.  The Inspector might be the most good-natured cat we have ever had on the farm.  Concerns kind of roll right off of him and after he gets to know a person he treats them just like anyone else.  As in, if he knows you, then you are someone who should give him a skritch.  We are ALL made for the purpose of giving Inspector a skritch as far as he's concerned.

We accumulated some amaryllis over the years.   Most people might recognize them as a popular bulb to force in the winter months to provide some big, beautiful blooms.  I suspect most people toss the bulbs once they are done.  We don't, and we have let them cycle to a more normal process of growing in the summer.  Sometimes, we're able to both grow them in the summer and then force them during the cold months.

The pollen all over the petals of this one might give you a hint about the wind we've been having out here.

We've been grumpy about excess rain and water on the farm, but the frogs have been pretty happy about it all.  In fact, our frog population has taken a jump in recent seasons.  Oh.. .did I say that?  Dear me, a pun in THIS blog?  Who dares to be surprised by that?

In any event, we wonder if we are seeing more frogs ON our house than prior years because the siding is a light color or if it is because it is siding they can cling to more easily?  I tried to ask this guy, but he didn't want to talk.

Today, we found a Green Tree Frog on the side of Valhalla.  I had to roll down the side and it was not in a good place for that.  So, I had Tammy come over and pick it up before I finished rolling it down.  Tammy passed the frog to me because.  Well.  It's COOL to hold a tree frog for a second or to.  They are neat little creatures.

I tried to put him back in roughly the same location we had removed him now that it was safe and this frog wanted nothing to do with it.  In fact, it settled on my hand - taking the same pose as the frog above.  We had chores to do, so I had to be a bit more insistent after a bit, even if it was still really neat to have a relaxed tree frog in my hand.  After trying one more time to get it to walk off my hand, it decided it had enough and jumped... onto my shoulder.  After that, it jumped into the ditch by the high tunnel.

Oddly enough, I was actually HAPPY after that encounter, and so was Tammy.  Neither of us is certain we should speak for the frog on this matter.

Grand Iris Tour of 2017 - More For Your Money!

Just because we said we took our "Grand Iris Tour" of our farm one evening does NOT mean we ignored the iris on other days.  However, I apparently thought that was the case until I went to download a more recent batch of photos from the camera and found MORE iris pictures.

For the iris shown here, they would be the 'late bloomers' on our farm.  We had already taken our "Grand Iris Tour," then these popped open and said, "Time for another tour!"

Silverado

Silverado is another iris that has been with us since we started growing iris.  It's liked some years and places we've lived better than others, but I'm not sure it's missed an appearance yet.  I was beginning to wonder about it this year.

Triple Whammy

We have a couple of 'space age' iris.  They are so called because the beards stand up on them.  The other we have on our farm is Thornbird, which also bloomed this year and appears in the prior post.

We had a favorite named Liaison that we think went away, but this one is similar.   We think the name is Prince George - or something like that.  Doesn't matter, it bloomed.  And we liked it.  Sometimes an iris will put up a weak attempt at a flower stalk and still manage a flower - which was the case with this one this season.  One thin stalk, two flower buds, and it was done.

It may seem like we grow our iris in isolation based on some of the pictures, but you can't really control iris that way.  They tend to move as the rhizome's grow.  The old portions die off and the new portions send up shoots the following year.  The net result, you can't expect iris to stay in the exact location from year to year, but they won't move too far in one season.  However, if it has been five (or ten) growing seasons, you could be surprised where they turn up!

We hope you enjoyed the addition to our Grand Iris Tour.

Grand Iris Tour of 2017

Tammy and I have always loved our flowers.  In particular, Tammy likes her daylilies and Rob is particularly fond of bearded iris.  Actually, Tammy very much likes the iris and Rob very much likes the daylilies as well.  So, really it's not a problem.

A few people might remember our farm when we first moved there.  We brought a significant number of perennials (including iris and daylilies) from our previous location(s) and we had one fantastic garden area in the southwest portion of the farm. 

A picture from 2005 or 2006 of our iris in the southwest garden area.

It's pretty amazing the number of different iris in that picture and the sheer number of blooms going on there is almost ridiculous.  We would take 'grand tours' every morning and evening to enjoy them.  But, as we increased our vegetable and poultry farming operations, the time we could spend on our flowers declined. 

The same area in 2017 (facing the opposite direction)

We've allowed the old perennial garden to go more 'natural' over the years - mostly in response to our inability to keep it cleaned up.  We moved as many of the iris and daylilies out and put them in other locations, but as you can see, some iris still persist.  And, if anything, these appear to be getting a bit stronger.  And, we really do not mind.

Very few of our iris seem to bloom every year, with many showing up every other year and some others gracing us only every so often.  Some beds do better in one year and poorer the next.  I'm sure it has something to do with different weather conditions and the micro climate we can attribute to each bed.  Ok, that and... how much time we've had to do a little weeding and flower bed work.

The upshot of this is that we haven't quite had the same "Grand Iris Tours" we used to have.  Part of it is the reduced number of blooms, of course.  Another factor is the vague sense of disappointment that we haven't been able to maintain the flower gardens.  And, perhaps it's just because we get so caught up in farm work that we don't always take the time we should to go out and view the iris (our special take on "smelling the roses" - we "view the iris").

Finally, Tammy and I purposely went out (towards the end of the bloom season) and took some pictures and enjoyed some flowers.  We have shared them before.  Like these pictures in 2014.

Thornbird

I'm not always sure if I remember the names correctly.  At one point in time, I knew all of their names and all of their locations.  But, now, I just greet them all when I see them and ask their forgiveness if I've forgotten what I should call them. 

For the most part, the iris don't really seem to mind if I don't know their names.  They seem secure in their own identities. 

Red at Night

I suppose you could look at this a couple of ways.  These big, beautiful blooms either indicate supreme confidence and self-awareness OR you could wonder if they are trying to make up for something by being so bold and showy.

Olympiad

I prefer to think that they just like sharing a little beauty with us for the short period of time that is iris bloom season. 

I also suspect they take great pleasure in getting the farmers to do a double take as they zip around trying to get their work done.  Maybe they are a little bit vain, laughing quietly to themselves as they notice us nearly trip as we try to get from here to there quickly while still wanting to get a second glance at what they are doing now.

St Helen's Wake

And, every once in a while, an old friend reappears after all hope of seeing them again is lost.  St Helen's Wake is one of our 'oldest' friends.  She was in our first batch of iris we ordered many years ago when we lived elsewhere.  I was just lamenting her absence this Spring.  A few days later, there she was - looking fabulous.

Other iris are reliable every season and we are no less glad to see them as we are those prodigals who return after a year (or years) of absence.  Perhaps they are more sensitive to our remembering their names and they are aware that we tend to forget unless they make their yearly appearance?

Taco Supreme

And, every year we see them, we promise them that we will 'do better' for them.  They know us.  They are pretty certain we mean it.  They also know we are unlikely to be able to do it.  So, they just go about their business. 

Rare Treat

Sometimes, an iris even seems to pose for us.  "Go get your camera," they say.  I've put on my best clothes for you and the light is just perfect for me. 

And sometimes, we still take a picture, even if the light isn't right and the clothing is a little tattered after a strong wind and hot days.  Some of them seem a bit embarrassed by this.  Others, just appreciated that we still enjoy seeing them.

We hope you enjoyed our 2017 Grand Iris Tour.  Here's to another year of flowers sharing with the farmers (and hence... with you).