Forest Park Blooms

07/25/2026

Quick shoutout to South Jersey Iris for the amazing bonus iris that was included with my order! 💜

I was delighted to see ‘Don't Doubt Dalton' when I opened the box and somehow it's one I don't already grow!

Now that’s what I call a bonus, bonus! Thank you for your generosity—I can't wait to see this one bloom in my garden!

07/08/2026

🎄 Christmas in July! 🌸

My order from Sutton's Iris Gardens showed up yesterday, and opening the box felt just like Christmas morning.
Not only were the rhizomes absolutely enormous (as I've come to expect from Sutton's!), but I was thrilled to receive FIVE bonus irises! 🎉

The surprise that completely made my day?

💜 'Runner Girl' 💜

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know this is exactly my kind of iris. Those soft lavender-pink tones with deeper purple shoulders... I couldn't have designed a bloom more suited to my garden if I tried.

Another Iris I’m excited about is 'Painted Words.' The creamy butterscotch standards paired with those soft rose-magenta falls are simply stunning. I can't wait to see it blooming in my garden.

Can we also talk about these rhizomes?

They're outstanding—healthy, oversized, and loaded with little "clingers" (baby increases) that promise even more plants down the road. That's one of the reasons I keep coming back to Sutton's Iris Gardens. The quality is consistently exceptional.

Have you ever received an iris that instantly became a favorite before it even bloomed? I'd love to hear which one! 💜🌸

07/07/2026

One of my favorite days of the year is almost here! 💜 The MTIS Iris Sale is a wonderful tradition, and I’m proud to donate iris from my own garden to help support our amazing club. Whether you’re a longtime iris lover or just getting started, come find a new favorite to add to your garden! Get there early, find some beautiful iris and mingle and learn from our wonderful iris community! 🌿✨

The MTIS annual iris sale is ✨THIS SATURDAY,✨ July 11th. Doors open at 8am, come early for the best selection!

💐 The sale will run until 1pm OR until we sell out of rhizomes.
💐 Free parking and a fully accessible building.
💐 We accept cash, check, credit & debit cards, Apple Pay, and Android Pay.
💐 Visit the MTIS Iris Garden in Ellington Agricultural across the street from our sale.

🦋 We'll also have a great selection of potted Louisiana irises generously donated by our friends at Iris City Gardens in Primm Springs, TN! (iriscitygardens.com)

⭐ We'll have bags for you to shop with, educational materials, and iris experts on site to offer advice whether you're a beginner or an expert!

07/05/2026

Happy 4th of July- it was a great day to divide Daughter of Stars.
Here's to strong roots, new beginnings and a little dirt therapy. Happy 250! 🎇 🧨 🎆

06/19/2026

Flashback to a wonderful day in May spent wandering Presby Memorial Iris Garden. If you’ve never been, their collection of historic irises is remarkable.

Scrolling through these photos today gave me an instant mood boost, so I thought I’d share a few favorites with fellow iris lovers. Enjoy a glimpse of some of the historic beauties that captured my attention.

06/08/2026

The daylilies have been putting on a show this year! So happy for this color in my garden after the iris extravaganza wrapped up a few weeks back.

06/04/2026

After two days of work travel in Chicago, I decided to do something for myself this evening and made a quick visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden.

As a pleasant surprise, they still had a handful of irises blooming, including SILKEN TRIM (Schreiner, 2012). As it just so happens, I added this one to my iris orders this year, and after seeing it in person, I'm even more excited that I did.

Glowing in the late evening sun, it was absolutely gorgeous. Sometimes the best garden discoveries happen when you aren't expecting them. And needless to say I'm feeling pretty good about my purchase of this beauty!

05/27/2026

When you attend an American Iris Society Convention, you get to vote for your 15 favorite guest irises.

Here was my list — and wow, narrowing it down was not easy. So many incredible introductions and beautiful blooms to admire.

Now the real challenge begins… figuring out which ones I need to make room for in my garden someday. 🌸✨

1. Rodeo Rebel
2. Iridescent
3. Love You So
4. Wild Streak
5. Caustic Tounge
6. Color Me Fancy
7. Debra’s Melody
8. Moment of Reflecrion
9. I Broke It
10. I Remeber Mama
11. Migration Run
12. Light in the Piazza
13. Lavender Lustre
14. Moonglint
15. Naked Beauty

05/26/2026

HUNG UP ON YOU
Thomas Johnson, 2019

This is one I would love to get my hands on! I even jumped on the Mid America website right away only to find it wasn’t listed. Seen in the Rose Arc at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, it was absolutely glowing in the sunshine.

Whenever I visit a garden there’s always one or two iris that truly stand out to me, and this was definitely the one.

The standards are a warm salmon-orange with beautifully light lacing along the edges. The falls are a soft blush rose, deepening toward the rim and fading to nearly white beneath the beard. Bright orange hafts frame the tangerine beard perfectly.

Such a striking bloom in person.

If you happen to have it, let me know!! I’ve got lots of options I could trade.

05/25/2026

I previously posted about the guest Iris gardens at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Today I’ll highlight the iris that can be found all over the garden grounds. Some of my favorites were located in the Cranford Rose Garden and at the Rose Arc.

What I noticed is the mostly blue and white hues and coloring - great for a post on this Memorial Day! 🇺🇸