More Iris reticulata histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’

I do a little heavy lifting and tech support for one of our emeritus professors from time to time. He and his wife are fabulous gardeners. As a thank you, she sends me her ‘weeds’ — little bulbs and tubers that pop up where they’re not supposed to be. Most of my eranthis, corydalis and other spring ephemerals come to me neatly labeled in baggies in my work mailbox on the days when he’s on campus teaching drawing and watercolor to some of our staff.

Yesterday, I found something in a patch of ephemerals from them that I hadn’t remembered from last summer’s baggies. I think it’s another Iris reticulata, but am waiting for a positive ID from her. (She’s much better than I am at labeling and keeping track of her plants.)

Update: Iris yes, reticulata, no. Nina says: “Great picture. A ringer for Iris histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’. The markings are more pronounced than on I. h. ‘Frank Elder” and the over-all coloration is not quite as (what I call) “washy” (tho termed by some sellers as “subtle”) as on ‘Frank Elder” Enjoy! Needs dry in the summer.”

I’ve got so much to learn.

greenish I. reticulata

greenish I. reticulatagreenish I. reticulata

More bees

More bees out yesterday, in Iris reticulata and hellebore (H. foetidus, I think.)

bee in irisbees in hellebore flower

And as a bonus, this is Eranthis ‘Guiness Gold’. Won it as a door prize at one of our Rock Garden Society meeting last year. Love the name. But frankly, I think it doesn’t look much different from the garden variety.

Eranthis 'Guiness Gold'