Bearded Iris

Iris germanica

The iris is named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris. This seems an apt name because of the vast color spectrum the flowers cover. They bloom in late May to early June here in southeastern Indiana. The fragrant bloosoms begin blooming at the top of the stalk and work their way down.

Iris do best in full sun. The tall ones should be placed at the back of the border, as they will get up to three feet tall. Divide in the fall every three years or so or the flowers will slowly deterioate. The rhizomes grow almost at the surface of the soil, so they are easy to dig. Cut them with a sharp knife or shovel. Replant them horizontally and don't put too much soil on them.

Spring Wildflower - Spiderwort

Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana
Family Commelinaceae - Spiderwort

The spiderwort is a mid spring blooming wildflower here in southeastern Indiana, blooming from early to late May. The blue blossoms appear in woodlands, along roadsides and in fields. In our forest, it seems to prefer the south facing hillsides of young woodland.

Spiderwort grows from ten inches to two feet in height and the bright blue flowers are visible easily through the developing spring vegetation of the forest floor. The flowers have three sepals and three petals. The flowers are about two inches in diameter. There are about 21 species in North America, Tradescantia virginiana being the most common here in Indiana.

Spiderwort can be grown in the perennial flower garden, though I have not tried. There are enough a short hike away in the woods to enjoy that I don’t need to use up valuable flower garden space on it. But if it weren’t for that, I would definitely try growing it, as it is a very pretty, unusual flower.

Cerastium tomentosum

Pink Family - Caryophyllaceae

Snow in Summer blooms with pure white blossoms in mid to late May here in southeastern Indiana. This is a spreading plant which makes a nice ground cover. I haven't been growing it very long, so I cannot comment on it too much. Propagation is by seed, cutting or division. Cuttings taken in late spring during or just after bloom work the best. Divisions should be done either early spring or late fall.

Centaurium montana

Mountain Bluet is a showy member of the Daisy family which is hardy to USDA Zones 3 - 4. The perennial books say that this one is "invasive, a floppy grower and has a weak floral display". In my garden in southeastern Indiana, it seems to have none of those qualities. It will self sow, and will spread. But here, at least, it is not invasive to the point of becoming a pest. It is a very pretty addition to my garden, with a good show of May flowers. Deadheaded, it will rebloom most of the summer. And here, at least, it is upright and not floppy.

It grows to about eighteen inches tall and provides some nice color until the peonies begin in a week or so. I don't bother propagating this one, as it seems to spread by its own volition. You may beware of it, though, because in some areas it may make itself unwelcome.

Perennial Candytuft

Iberis sempervirens
This beautiful member of the Cruciferae (Cabbage) family is an early blooming perennial. It grows about six to eight inches tall and will spread to about twelve inches. In warmer climates it would probably be evergreen, but here in Indiana it will die back by mid winter to a dull green and brown bunch of twigs. But it returns each spring with its pure white blossoms.

Perennial candytuft after bloom will need to be dead headed. The plants will then put forth a fresh flush of green growth which looks nice until around Christmas, when it starts looking kind of ratty.

Iberis can be propagated with seed or softwood cuttings taken in early spring. I just cut a few sprigs off close to the ground, making sure to get the part closest to the ground. I strip off the bottom few leaves, stick them in cell packs filled with moist potting soil. After a few weeks the plants will be rooted in. Then I will move them to three inch pots and plant in the garden in early to mid fall.

Iberis is a great addition to the perennial garden. It looks nice the entire season, even when not in bloom.

Columbine -

The columbines are the next perennial flowers to start blooming in the Beer Garden. I started out with some really nice hybrid varieties. These went to seed and have gradually reverted back to some wild varieties. I usually save some of the seed to sow, sowing it in seed flats when it is ready, usually by mid summer. The seed germinates quickly and produces plants which will bloom the following summer.

Some of the columbine seeds fall off the plants and start to grow right in the garden. These I transplant in the early spring to other places in the garden. These volunteer seedlings will usually bloom the year after I transplant them. It is always kind of interesting not knowing what the flowers are going to look like, since I am dealing with seed under uncontrolled conditions.

Columbines are short lived perennial flowers, lasting only about three years in the garden. But with the seeds they produce, I am never in short supply of the beautiful plants.

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida
The flowering dogwoods are blooming in the woodlands around Abe's Beer Garden. The snowy white blossoms contrast nicely with the redbud trees also in bloom. The tree canopy has not filled in yet, so these beautiful trees are fully visible as they peek out of the forest which they prefer. Both the flowering dogwood and the redbud are small tress which enjoy the marginal areas around the woods where they get sun, but are also party shaded. The flowering dogwood is a small tree which will only get about thirty feet high.