Thank you to Dottie Ladman for another bloom time update.  She’s still waiting on three or four more.

May 18—Accent, Amenti, Chivalry, Melody, Tropical Butterfly, Beverly Ann, Dorothea K. Williamson
May 19—Golden Encore, California Gold,
May 21—Great Lakes, Cayenne Capers, Ramses
May 22—Dominion, Pink Bountiful, Sonja’s Selah, i. pseudacorus (yellow)
May 23—Before the Storm, Ola Kala
May 25—Flora Zenor

Thank you again to Dottie Ladman for continuing observations from Lincoln.

It was a busy week for the iris!  They bloomed despite the rain and hail.  Here’s my list for the week.  I’ll continue to add to the list next weekend.

May 11–Faustine, Pink Opal, Spanish Peaks, Port Wine
May 12–Jungle Shadows
May 13–Batik, Matterhorn, Age of Innocence (Clinefelter), Glow On, Ebony Queen
May 14–Blue Sapphire, Indian Chief
May 15–Broadway Star
May 16–Moonlit Sea, Henna Stitches, Space Lab, Pinnacle, Dotted Swiss, Landscaping Made Easy,
May 17–Beverly Sills,Indian Hills, Techny Chimes, Latigo, Wabash, Licorice Stick, Blue Shimmer

Thank you to Linda Wilkie for an update from her garden in Omaha, Nebraska for the weeks of April 27 – May 6^th  :

SDBs: Artful, Cat’s Eye, Comeback Trail, Gimlet Jewel, Gingerbread Man, Honey Cat, Irish Chant, Little Blackfoot, Orange Tiger, Overcast, Pitter Patter, Ruby Locket, Sapphire Gem, Solar Gleam, Sun Doll, Tantara, Ultimate, What Again, Wow

MDBs: Libation

IBs:  Az Ap, Butter Pecan, Black Magic, Blue Eyed Blond, Constant Companion,  Hula Hands, Lemon Pop, Maui Moonlight, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rare Edition, Raspberry Blush, Sangreal, Voila, Wampum

TBs:  Blue Sapphire, Champagne Elegance, Ebony Queen, Imperial Blush (not confirmed), Rosalie Figge

Constant Companion was in bloom a full 22 days in my garden and it is a re-bloomer to boot, often beginning its next cycle of bloom in late July!  If you don’t grow this particular little iris it is a good reblooming choice for our area, look for it at your local AIS affiliate’s sale this summer.  Tall Bearded iris are throwing up stalks all over the garden so it looks like we will be right on track for peak bloom around the third week of May.

Thank you to Dottie Ladman for more observations from Lincoln, Nebraska.

April 19–Jillaroo, Stitch Witch
April 23–Honey Cat
April 24–Constant Companion
April 25–VaVoom, Cat’s Eye, Comeback Trail
April 26–Baby Blessed
April 30–Doxa
May 1–Apricot Fancy
May 2–Spanish Empire, i. germanica, L. Merton Gage, Golden Bow
May 3–Florentina, Maui Moonlight
May 4–Queen Dorothy, Honey Glazed
May 5–Pink Latte, Blue-Eyed Blonde
May 6–Buto, Coronation
May 8–Gracchus, Ming
May 10–Sable, Dragon’s Tooth, Golden Rial, Abelard

Thank you to Linda Wilkie for this contribution.

Blooming at the Sass Memorial Display Garden for the week of April 27^th: (Located at Mahoney State Park near Ashland, Nebraska)

SDBs:  Forever Blue, Baby Blessed, Comeback Trail, What Again,

IBs:  Rare Edition, Bottled Sunshine, Starwoman, MidSummer Night’s Dream, Constant Companion, Cosette, Southland,

TBs:  Miss Aravilla, Barn Dance

Bloom seems to be pretty much on track for a normal season with peak TB bloom anticipated about the third-fourth week in May.  Bloom has begun in the Reblooming bed and the Median bed should be in full bloom for Mother’s Day weekend.