It's Usually Safe to Bloom in May

This is Jane's iris.  Beautiful yesterday it melted in the 90 degree heat and is gone today.

Mom's iris is blooming too.  Funny I don't think I ever noticed the beautiful white edge on the petals before.  Our clump of this iris was sadly overgrown.  Ed separated and moved some prime sections this spring even though the traditional season for dividing iris is after they bloom.  We expected no flowers this year because of the untimely move but here is a perfect blossom.  Clusters of flowers should follow next year.

This iris is new to me this year.  It is a family heirloom of Susan's.  Except for the difference in color it and Mom's iris could be fraternal twins.  Both are old varieties with a clarity of form missing from today's giants.  Is there a society whose goal is the preservation of ancient iris varieties?

Ed's Roaring Jelly Siberian iris is blooming beautifully.  Some time will change the color of these flowers and with the drop in temperature they should look great for days.

Our first flower from Ego is open. The rest are coming on fast.  I hate to see the flowers come and go so quickly.  90 is too hot for me and my beautiful iris blossoms.  I was wishing for a break in the weather.  I got my wish but along with it came thunder storms and a power outage.  Heavy rain and wind are hard on iris too.  Now the weather will  be cooler.  I wonder how low it will go?  So far I've seen a predicted low of 41.  I don't even want to think of the f_ _ _ _  word.

With today's heat I was viewing the garden from the living room window.  Right below me in my bed of alliums just outside of the front door was a full grown woodchuck.  I watched while Ed went out to give chase.  The wood chuck ran onto the patio, through the stone square and over to the shade garden.  An athletic leap placed it up in the shade garden.  Then I learned something I did not know about this garden enemy.  Wood chucks can climb trees.  He went right up the locust tree in the center of the shade garden without missing a beat.  This may have been its first time up a tree as it did not know what to do next.  From there I won't add any details.  Let's just fade to black!