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October 24, 2010

Walking Joy

Bailey Roo
I was in the right place at the right time and found the last plants I needed for my new bed. Since March, I have been looking for an iris with strappy foliage. I was inspired by the Siberian Iris, but they don't do well in San Antonio. At the GVST booth at CPS Energy's Live Green Fest a few weeks ago, I bought two Walking Irises for $10.

Walking Iris
I'm not familiar with Walking Irises, but I'm excited to learn. They can grow in part sun, which is good because my climbing rose is creating more shade than I anticipated. In the early spring, Walking Irises produce buds at junctures along the sides of the foliage. The buds swell and then unfold into silky flowers (click the link; you won't regret it) that last only one day. The plant gets its name because, after the flower shrivels, new leaves and roots form at the juncture. The growth forces the mother strap to bend to the ground, allowing the new plant to root in the soil, thus the "Walking" Iris.

Oh No!
You might have wondered from my first photo whether Bailey broke my Autumn Joy Sedum. 'Tis true. The plants were too small and her paws are too big.

Autumn Joy Mini
Luckily, plant addict that I am, I always enter big box stores through the garden center and I found these Autumn Minies (minies, is that the plural?) for $4 each. Whoot!

vertical
So with my new irises and my replacement sedums, my bed is complete. Now I'm waiting for things to fill in. (And holding my breath to see how much shade the rose creates.) Click the photo if you want to see tags identifying each plant.

6 comments:

  1. Ooo - I'll be interested in seeing how that variety of Iris does for you. It has been on my Gotta Get list for a while now. I've read they even do well in the shade (thus my attention!).

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  2. I passed an autumn joy sedum today at the big box but my basket was already filled with grasses! I'll have to give that a try next year. It's really pretty. Bailey is adorable too!

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  3. RB I too read that the irises could take some shade. If mine start walking and I'm in the Austin area, I'll bring you a baby, perhaps in exchange for a water poppy. (Assuming that you don't find them somewhere else before then.)

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  4. Cat, not only is Bailey adorable she's the best companion dog ever. She loves to be in the yard with me and I'm glad to have her there, even if it means I have to buy a replacement plant now an then.

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  5. Very cool tagging capabilities with Flickr. I haven't seen that before.

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  6. Houston GG, I borrowed the Flickr tag idea from a blog I've followed for a few years, Skippy's Vegetable Garden http://carletongarden.blogspot.com
    Here's one of the author's ariel pics.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/skippysbackyard/2672288693/in/set-72157608915816960/

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