Ocelot iris Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Ocelot Iris wowing me in the spring garden…

This ocelot iris just opened and it’s living up to it’s advertising. It’s a tall beared iris and I planted it in the front bed in September of ’08. It’s only bloomed twice. Those years, its bloom was a very faded creamy yellow and a dusty mauve — no where near the vibrant colors I fell in love with when I ordered them from Spring Hill. And I even complained about it on my blog here.

But this must have been the year. Maybe it was the drought. Maybe it was the rains. Maybe it was the mild winter.

Whatever it was, I’m happy. She’s a beautiful vision of ruffled loveliness.

Ahhh, spring! Do you have irises blooming in your garden now?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:17-06:00March 22nd, 2012|Blog, bulbs, iris, Ocelot iris, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

And then there were more!

Several more Professor Neil irises opened up for me today, eliciting squeals of delight.

(Good thing no one else was in the garden to hear me!)

I think I got better color on these. They are such a warm, plum-like, burgundy-color that I really can’t describe them.

Suffice it to say that they looks so rich and velvet-y that I can’t get enough of them.

That’s why I am gushing about them and why they are getting two posts in as many days.

Guess it’s no secret who my favorites are in the garden, is it? But then, we all have favorites, don’t we?

And disappointments.

Like this next iris.

This is supposed to be a vibrant tall bearded iris called “Ocelot.” If you look at this link to Dave’s Garden, you will see it has a rich buttery color, combined with a royal purple.

Sadly, that is NOT what bloomed in my garden today. I was so careful to choose the iris colors in this bed, and then I’m foiled again by Mother Nature. Sigh.

It’s pretty and delicate, but it’s just a little too subtle to be anywhere in the neighborhood of the engaging Professor Neil, don’t you think?

Maybe it’s our conditions – heat, drought, never-ending rain and then colder than you can imagine for Central Texas. Hmmm… Mother Nature again.

Maybe it’s my soil. Black clay. Hmmm…Mother Nature.

So, has Mother Nature foiled your garden color schemes, too? Who do we see about this?!

I want to know where to file my complaint!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:28-06:00May 3rd, 2010|Blog, irises, Ocelot iris, Professor Neil iris, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Sweet Garden Surprise

I’ve been wondering if my irises were going to put on a show for me this year.

Last year, none of them bloomed.

At all.

I had planted several different varieties in an effort to create the beginnings of an iris bed.

My first irises were a mystery. It took me lots of searching and some blogging queries to determine that this is a Louisiana iris named Professor Neil.

I’m afraid I didn’t get the full range of color with my camera. It was a little too hot already and when I realized the photo was lacking, I went to shoot another, but today it’s gone already.

I am so excited to see that glorious dusty burgundy color with the wheaty-gold. They are so rich and unusual.

There is another bud in the iris bed. It’s a very different kind — I think it might be either a Lace or Ocelot iris that I ordered and planted in 2008.

It’s like Christmas in May!

A surprise around every corner — after last year’s iris-bloom drought, I’m enjoying every one of them.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:29-06:00May 1st, 2010|Blog, iris, Lace Iris, Ocelot iris, Professor Neil iris, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Ocelot iris

Ocelot Iris wowing me in the spring garden…

And then there were more!

Sweet Garden Surprise

Escape in the garden