Before the rain

April 23, 2010

Before the rain

We have rain and thunderstorms on the way so I took some photos this evening in case the blooms are ruined. We desperately need the rain and I could gripe about it coming on the weekend but I'm not going to.

First, the iris have started to bloom. This is my favorite, a variety that I've lost the name of - that is the rose "Carefree Wonder" in the background.

Another unknown iris

An old-fashioned blue iris

Siberian Iris

Beauty Bush ((Kolkwitzia amabilis)

Azalea "Gibraltar"

Clematis "Josephine"

The early roses have already started. This is "Fortune's Double Yellow". Notice how it is growing up into the Rose of Sharon.

The David Austin rose "Tradescant"

"Lady Banks" is still going strong

"Mutabalis" is an interesting and beautiful China rose (and one of my favorites)

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

How It Grows said…

Looking good! We could use some rain here too. Even if it does rain you can get some nice shots of water droplets on the flowers.

April 23, 2010 at 9:14 PM

Bo said…

Great photos!

April 23, 2010 at 10:10 PM

Carol said…

Gorgeous! I hope the rain is deep but not destructive Phillip.

April 24, 2010 at 1:58 AM

Unknown said…

Just beautiful! It's amazing to me that your garden is at least a week ahead of Atlanta!

April 24, 2010 at 2:42 AM

Les said…

Your roses are very nice and I see we have the same culitvar of iris, 'Unknown'. Some rain here will be welcome, strong storms will not be.

April 24, 2010 at 3:26 AM

Randy Emmitt said…

Philip,
Wow on the clematis and the Lady Banks roses! Things are really looking great there! We are expecting peonies blooms today!

April 24, 2010 at 4:05 AM

Lisa at Greenbow said…

Gibralter is a doozey, love the orange color. Lady Banks is a stunner. She looks so elegant spread out there. I hope youget some much needed rain. We need rain too.

April 24, 2010 at 4:30 AM

Kyna said…

I've been hemming and hawing about what new variety of clematis I'd like to get. Now I don't have to hem or haw anymore. I want 'Josephine'. I saw it on one website, but I was leery about how the blooms would compare in real life to a catalogue picture. Now I see they're just as awesome :D Thanks!

April 24, 2010 at 5:02 AM

Jean Campbell said…

Beautiful blooms, all. I hope you are getting rain. It moved in here during the night, much appreciated.

April 24, 2010 at 6:37 AM

Ben said…

You have so much going on in your garden this time of the year. I'm jealous :). All your Iris are great I really like the first one with the two shades of purple. I bet the rose that is creeping into the rose of Sharon looks great when they are both blooming ? If they bloom at the same time that is... You have a great collection of roses. I have none in my garden yet but have been intimidated as to where to start... and which ones looks like what etc when full grown.

April 24, 2010 at 7:10 AM

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said…

Phillip, your garden is stunning! Lush, bright, bursting with gorgeous blooms....fantastic! You should be very proud of it! And you are a great photographer!

April 24, 2010 at 7:21 AM

Granna said…

Raining here in Tupelo which is much needed! Your garden is beautiful. Are you having a garden tour this summer as you have had before? I would love to see be there.

April 24, 2010 at 7:31 AM

Aaerelon said…

I can't believe how many gorgeous flowers you have! I love pretty much everything. At least you didn't get a late frost. We had one yesterday morning and 50% of all Magnolia flowers are now brown mush.

Love the beauty bushes but they really look awful after they've finished blooming. Those clematis are really nice. I've never seen one like that before.

PS. Done university... YEAH!

April 24, 2010 at 7:31 AM

Gail said…

So very glad you captured these beautiful views before the rains arrived! I felt the same way Phillip, eager for rain to wash the pollen away and nourish the plants, but sorry to see the blooms disappear...We don't have gentle rains in the south! It's pouring now!
gail

April 24, 2010 at 1:04 PM

David - Pinewood Cottage said…

your garden looks great! i hope the weather was kind to you today.

April 24, 2010 at 3:31 PM

Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings said…

A sigh of contentment. My Cl. Old Blush has started blooming, but no other roses yet. They have buds. My iris are starting too. I don't have any as beautiful as yours though. That first one takes my breath away.~~Dee

April 24, 2010 at 4:07 PM

Ginger said…

Absolutely stunning! Love that orangey azalea - how unusual!

April 24, 2010 at 6:09 PM

Dirt Princess said…

The irises are gorgeous!!!! The clematis is definitely doing its job, and doing it well! It rained here all day today! Severe thunderstorms and wind! Hope it didn't get to rough up your way

April 24, 2010 at 6:44 PM

Annie in Austin said…

Good luck with getting some rain, Phillip - nothing like scattered showers to drive one nuts! Some parts of Austin racked up a couple of inches recently but my corner has had 3/10 in two weeks - hope you do better!
Everything is still beautiful in your garden - heard 'Fortune's Double Yellow' is super thorny, but what a cool, buffy-peach color!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

April 24, 2010 at 6:53 PM

frazzledsugarplummum said…

You have the loveliest garden. Always a delight.

April 24, 2010 at 6:57 PM

F Cameron said…

I want to tour your garden! Amazing place you have there.

The rain is starting here and we really need it, too. The ground was so dry. I mulched the garden with compost and sowed zinnias and cosmos seeds to take advantage of the rain.

April 24, 2010 at 7:30 PM

sweetbay said…

Beautiful, beautiful pictures. The iris, the Beautybush, Clematis and the roses are all gorgeous.

April 24, 2010 at 8:49 PM

Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog said…

I found myself looking at each photo thinking "wow, I should comment on that one". Then another great one would come along! Those irises, and everything else, are so pretty. I do hope the horrid rain and wind didn't cause any damage. For us it was a very strong storm yet mercifully brief. The only plants affected here were the irises which were laying down after the storm. I've now propped them up with stakes but I don't have as many as you do.

April 25, 2010 at 6:35 AM

Chandramouli S said…

Lovely Irises and roses! Of course, I should be partial towards the Clematis - she's extra lovely.

April 25, 2010 at 10:02 AM

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said…

Your pictures are always so clear and bright. I can't believe how far ahead your garden is. It'll be June before many of the same flowers are blooming here.
'Josephine' has buds on it, but the vine is not looking so great. I hope it eventually looks as good as yours.
I love all your varieties of iris.

April 25, 2010 at 6:51 PM

Rob (ourfrenchgarden) said…

As ever, perfect photos.

I've thought about buying rosa mutablis. I think 'mutablis' is given as a name to flowers that go through a number of changes in colour. I'm growing nicotiana mutablis which opens white, fades through to dark pink.

The beauty bush is exactly that; a beauty.

If I get over to the states, I'm knocking your door for a garden tour.

April 26, 2010 at 2:11 AM

Wayne said…

I love looking at your pics! They remind me of what I'll see here in a few weeks.

April 26, 2010 at 4:30 AM

Monica the Garden Faerie said…

Mutabilis is indeed stunning. As a lover of orange, I find joy in Azalea "Gibraltar" -- we're pushing the zone for azaleas here and don't get as many cool colors as you do!

April 26, 2010 at 7:57 AM

Roses and Lilacs said…

Hi Phillip, we got a little rain too but not nearly enough.

Love your clematis. My motto is "no such thing as too may petals and ruffles, more is better." Doesn't it interfere with the dish's reception? It must not our you wouldn't be growing it there:)
Marnie

April 26, 2010 at 10:57 AM