From irises to roses is traditionally a fine line from late spring into summer, but that line will likely always be rather blurry here. There has already been a good deal of overlap, with the first rosebuds appearing at about the same time as the first iris buds.
Fortunately, rabbits do not care much for irises. Need I say more?
But those days when spring melts into summer are still a very real thing here, and we seem to have nearly reached them. The summer solstice is still two months away, but the Sonoran Desert already has a foot fairly over the line into what can only be called summer.
The plants are changing. The annual spring grasses, whose tiny tufts form a most improbably lush green carpet in a wet spring, are drying up. The wild lupines are gone. The swathes of yellow California poppies are shrinking. Scorpionweed’s pale lavender has partially replaced the lupines, while globemallow still creates vibrant patches of orange along the roadsides. But the big burst of spring wildflowers is slowly giving way to the dry earths of summer. Slowly, because some of our rain came quite late in the season.
But above all, the heat is building. Today’s temperature reached 95 F/35 C in our little paradise northeast of Tucson.
And it is still a paradise… just a rather warm one!
And there were an iris and a rose to be picked for In a Vase on Monday.
To be precise, there was a rose, an iris, and a small clump of Salvia farinacea.
The rose is “Paradise”. The bush has been blooming profusely, but thrips have damaged the blooms, leaving me just this one to add to today’s vase. I wonder whether a bit more water would reduce their impact? Or is this wishful thinking!
The iris is “Deep Velvet”, an historic iris from 1939 with brilliantly purple flowers brightened with a warm-hued heart.
And Salvia farinacea has just begun to flower. It gets cut back by our winter frosts and takes its time returning to full growth.
It isn’t a large bouquet, so it went into my small stoneware bottle.
I’d hoped to strengthen the cool tones with iris “Frances Craig”, which has just begun to flower, but the buds are too close-set for cutting. Isn’t she lovely, though! I caught a few pictures as the sun was going down—must get some more tomorrow.
For most of my fellow IaVoM participants, the warmer weather and sun will mean more flowers, not less, but we are stepping over that line into the beginning of the lean season here. Still, I think the garden is much better positioned for it this year. There are yet more irises to flower, and just this afternoon I spotted the first bright red blooms on my newly planted Baja fairyduster (Calliandra californica).
Do check what other gardeners are putting in their vases at Rambling in the Garden. Cathy, for one, has lovely tulips for today, while I have to keep reminding myself that it is still April, after all.
Happy Monday!
Weather Diary: Clear and sunny, High: 95 F/35 C, Low: 57 F/14 C, Daytime UV: 10
Yes, it's an interesting transition for you, although I suppose each of us have teansitions between the seasons, but in very different ways - I always find it fascinating to read about them. Your vase is so stylish in its simplicity - and I am intrigued by the second iris...will it have no markings at all? It may sound odd, but it would appeal to me far more if that was the case!
Very nice 😍 I am amazed you can grow Iris and Roses there. Is the winter the wet season? It's great to see 90 degrees elsewhere! I love Salvia here, they flower most of the year. We are still in spring but the line is approaching. Amelia