Sunday, March 15, 2009

Xin chào Miss Saigon


Miss Saigon


Iris x hollandica 'Miss Saigon' is the first iris to bloom in our garden this year. We planted this last year and didn’t get a single bloom out of all the foliage. Everything I’ve read says that Dutch Irises should bloom later in the spring, but ours is always the first species to bloom in our yard. ‘Miss Saigon’ gets 18 to 24 inches in height and sports a beautiful bloom. Dutch Iris prefers sun to partial shade, but I have had other cultivars do just fine in full shade. The flowers come from corms or bulbs rather than the rhizomes we’ve come to associate with irises. Unlike her sisters, she prefers her feet to planted about 4 inches in the ground.

15 comments:

Phillip Oliver said...

Great photo! I don't have dutch iris anymore, I need to plant some.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This is just beautiful. It looks like someone used their favorite colors to paint it.

Sunita Mohan said...

What a beautiful flower! Iris dont grow for me here in Mumbai but I have plenty of 'walking iris'.

Gail said...

She is a stunner and your photograph is stellar...really lovely. gail

F Cameron said...

Lovely! I like that color!

My Dutch Irises are usually blooming the 2nd week of April.

Cameron

Randy said...

Phillip,
Am I going to have to take away your gardener’s card? You need to get some Dutch Iris!

Lisa,
Aren’t they just the most brilliant colors?

Sunita,
Welcome to Our Eden! We have the yellow and the blue walking iris. Do they come in any other colors that you are aware of?

Oh my gourd-ness! What a witty title for a post! :-)

Gail,
I had actually forgotten she had been planted, so it was a nice surprise.

Cameron,
We have so many different Dutch irises it would be hard for me to choose a favorite, but I have to say by far, Miss Saigon is the most interesting.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Absolutely beautiful! No orchid could compare IMHO.
Marnie

Dirt Princess said...

WOW! What a beauty. I haven't had any of my irises to bloom yet. I can't hardly wait any longer!

Jan said...

She is quite a gorgeous specimen! I like the looks of this one! Maybe she gives you an early show because she is impatient for spring to arrive;-)

Annie in Austin said...

Miss Saigon has a glamour shot!

Don't take away my gardener's card although none are blooming here, Randy & Jamie. I've planted them but the bulbs don't bloom and then just disappear.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Randy said...

Marnie,
I've always thought Iris were just as lovely as Orchids too!

DP,
Just be patient. LOL They will come, you sound like you are about to burst with anticipation!

Jan,
She, Dirt Princess and I all have that in common. :-)

Okay Annie,
You can keep your card. LOL I wonder what happens to them? That's odd...

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Ooh, she's a beauty! I can't wait for all my irises to bloom (Siberian and Dutch/German).

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous photo! I love the coloring of 'Miss Saigon', she's a beauty! My Dutch Irises aren't ready to bloom yet, but they bloom early usually.

Chandramouli S said...

She's so beautiful and her looks are as sophisticated as her name! Awesome shot!

Wayne said...

I grow mostly Siberian Iris. Do you have any?