In a Vase, on Monday – Iris and a Peony

The first peony of the year opened in my garden on Saturday. It was growing in an out of the way part of the garden, neglected and overgrown, so instead of feeling guilty snipping it off for today’s vase, I felt like I was doing it a favour. I mean, if I didn’t bring it inside, to sit on the dining room table amongst other late spring blooms, would anyone ever see it, appreciate it, take a whiff of its delectable fragrance? I thought not.

Every Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens. In my garden right now, peonies are taking centre stage, as are tall bearded Iris and lupins (although the lupins are a few days past their prime, and beginning to create those marvelous seed pods). (Yes, that’s an old sheet I’m using as a backdrop.)

Growing in the same area as the pink peony are these incredibly tall and blue Iris. I’ve had them for about thirty years – they traveled to the County with me when we moved here – and I have no idea what their name is.

Also in the vase is another Iris variety, name, again, unknown, plus the peony and a few small, just opening lupins that I had to dig out of the asparagus bed. The thing about tall bearded Iris, aside from the colour, is the actual beard. So fuzzy. So bizarre. So intricate.

This vase will likely last all week inside, all I’ll do is snap off the spent Iris blooms as they start to mush up. Have a great week everyone!