Studiology

PJ Photography

 A typical morning has me up early, putting on my big boots and shuffling out to feed the chickens in my PJs. Of late the garden is lovely, especially after a night of rain or a morning with heavy dew. So lovely in fact that I have been running back into the house to grab my camera. An hour later I'm still outside, in my PJs, shooting away (usually with muddy knees). The dog that initially joined me has long since given up and gone back in the house. So here are some shots from the last few rainy mornings. Thank goodness I live in such an isolated place, no one sees me but the local flora and fauna. 

Another bearded iris, this is Iris 'Little John', which out performs all others.

I have been collecting oddities at work, this one is a shrub from Mexico called Amicia zygomeris, better known as gotta pea, a truly hilarious common name. 

One of my all time favorites is the spiny plant Solanum pyracanthum or porcupine tomato from Malaysia. Those orange spines are pretty and painful. 

In peonies, I still have P. 'Scarlet O'Hara' blooming, and she's oh so lovely!

The peonies and iris are finishing up, which is part of the reason I don't hesitate to photograph them (no matter what I'm wearing).  Much of my garden is filled with tropicals or tender perennials (as previewed) and my black garden is well on its way. A large part of the Merrifield TV show will highlight black plants and my black garden, which airs  the morning of June 7th. Here is a link to the show I helped with for Mother's Day, and if you aren't able to watch it live next Saturday, check back for the show on black plants with the same link.  For those that are able to watch channel 8 (Fairfax, VA), tune it at 8:00 to see me live, Saturday, June 7th. 

Chicken Goes on a Ride

We have a compost business which is in full swing right now. Days are very, very busy. What you might also know is that we have chickens. They roam free during the day and go in their house at night. A couple of them are extraordinarily curious and end up in odd predicaments from time to time. Head stuck in fence, rolled up in a fence, it usually involves fencing. We have noticed that one of them likes to hop under our dump truck and sit on the gas tank. This has been going on for months and we suspected that she might be thinking of making a nest up there. Well it turns out the dump truck went on a delivery to Ashburn, Virginia and guess who rode all of the way sitting on the gas tank?! Once the truck arrived on-site, she promptly jumped down and started running around the suburban neighborhood, chased by several workmen and my husband (who knew right away what had happened). A very kind gentleman offered to chase her into his garage and then close it so everyone could work in close quarters. Naturally she hid behind his very expensive Harley Davidson motorcycle, which luckily came through without a scratch. 

She rode home in the cab of the truck, glad to be headed home and I can only hope that she stays away from the underside of our truck. The next ride may not end up so well. 

 

The Clean Shaven Look

More like a mustache, the bearded iris have a small tuft of hair on the top of their lower petals, which are also known as falls. I think it's safe to say that this group of iris are the most popular. Flamboyant and available in almost every color imaginable, breeders introduce thousands a year, which surpasses the breeding of any other type of iris.

 

I adore them when they're flowering, but find them aggravating afterwards with mushy foliage, leaf spot and borers. Not that I would live without them, in fact every May I think that I must order more for next year. But it might be time to concentrate on the beardless types or clean shaven iris. There are many to consider, iris for dry sun, dry shade, wet places and late bloom. 

 

Popular varieties among the beardless are Siberian iris, Japanese, Louisiana and Japanese roof iris. Siberian iris like it dry, just look at their narrow foliage to confirm (almost like an ornamental grass). The flowers may be half the size of bearded but they are simple yet elegant and plentiful. Breeders are busy here, even introducing a few that rebloom like the bearded. Both Japanese (Iris ensata) and Louisiana iris like it wet. Large of flower, they are spectacular in every iris sense. If you are lucky enough to have a wet spot in your garden give them a try. I find that the Japanese iris are fine with a little shade and the tallest varieties flower in July. 

 

The Japanese Roof iris is actually from China but grows wild in both Japan and China. It's said that the roots were thrown onto thatched roofs where it took hold and grew. I was also told that the fields are reserved for rice growing but this lovely iris was too nice to plow under, so it ended up on the roof. This clean-shaven iris grows in a light shade, is semi-evergreen and has lovely arching foliage. Breeders are at work and apparently struggling to come up with anything new. Still only available in blue or white, either one is worth having, although the white is such a superior plant for the shade gardener. The flowers are held just over the arching leaves which are persistent and problem free, green into December, sometimes longer. Dry shade is fine, even wet shade will do.

 

Some of the largest flowering iris seem to bloom for a shorter time, which makes me wonder if larger petals collapse earlier? Like for every millimeter/centimeter of petal surface you loose hour or hours (or days) of bloom? Compare a magnolia tree in flower to a cherry tree. In perennials an iris to a salvia. Get my drift? I'm sure there's some research done on this concept, although the science of it is probably over my head. My point in all of this is try some smaller flowering, beardless iris, I think you'll like them. 

It's All Good

Things are going swimmingly, positive things are happening all around me, life is good. Some of these things are small but immensely wonderful. At my house we keep a horse trough outside the kitchen for the chickens and guineas and we recently added another on the other side of the house. We don't have gutters, so when it rains they are full. For the past few years, frogs have moved in, I'm sure because of the constant supply of water. At night they chirp to each other, sometimes so loud it's hard to talk on the phone in the kitchen. Most nights I fall asleep to their chirps, which is really special.

It's also high garden time and mornings in the garden are heaven. I have only just started on my raised beds but my shade garden is a bustin. Two of my favorite perennials have just started. Iris tectorum 'Album' is commonly known as the Japanese Roof Iris and as the story goes, it's tossed onto thatched roofs in Japan where it roots and grows. The white flowering form is the best in my humble opinion (it also comes in blue).

I grow it in my shade garden but it does fine in sunny locations. The flowers last longer with a little shade. Another perennial that's looking fabulous in my shade garden is Peony obovata, a peony that produces crazy looking seed pods in fall and you MUST not deadhead it. Not the only peony to grow in shade, Peony japonica will do the same and looks very much like P. obovata. 

And then onto art, my move to the new gallery Art A La Carte has been very good. I've only been there a week and sold a sketch book cover and an altered Pez dispenser. This says two things, there are crazy people out there like me, and my assemblage art has a future. 

So this morning I was thinking about an internet post on "The 30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself". This in number 6:

#6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.

So here's a couple things to appreciate, one of the altered Pez dispensers and the "Year of the Goat" sketch book cover. 

It's all good!

 

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes

Life has been hectic and so it goes in May. I have a couple of announcements, some very fun things are happening, not just in the garden! First off I will be on the Merrifield TV show this Saturday, the 10th of May. There is a regular group of outstanding Merrifield TV show participants, I will be a little player, a one time host of sorts with David Yost. We will talk about Mother's Day flowers - naturally. The time is 8:00 AM on the Fairfax Station, channel 8. And if you miss it, it will be available online in the near future, just follow the link.

The next announcement is my placement in an art gallery in Occoquan called Art A La Carte. This is very new, no official bio. on their website yet, but it's coming. I do have a display there and it's only a start.

I'm excited because I can put any type of artwork in my space, 2D, 3D, and all of my mixed media stuff. The shop is on the main drag in Occoquan, which is chock full of art galleries. The official address is 310 Mill Street and I am only 1 of many great artists. Below are just 2 examples of some of the other work.

glasswork by Linda Condray

painting by Chrissy GordonMy garden is coming alive, so lastly I wanted to share two photographs. For the first time, my variegated lily of the valley is really flowering. It's always been a bit shy, as many variegated plants can be. Maybe it's grown into a more mature clump, or maybe it really liked that cold winter, but it's a treat to see it flower so well.

My Japanese Jack-in-the-pulpit is backkkk. One of my favorite plants, better known as Arisaema thunbergii ssp. urashima, the flowers are so unusual, so very cool. Tony Avent calls it the Dominatrix Jack-in-the-Pulpit with its little whips. Clever.

Happy May!