Great pictures William and Debra. Thanks for sharing.

WilliAm: Beautiful picture of Magnetisme.

Debra: I have that Hyacinth and I bought it named 8 or 9 years ago. I should be able to Find that name somewhere for you. I love your Speedwell. Is it controllable or does it grow like a weed?

Debra: That Hyacinth is Deft Blue

Thank you, Elsa.

The Speedwell is assertive in its growth habits. Exceptionally easy to pull up, but I like it so much I leave it alone unless it pops up too close to a new plant or one which requires more water (Daylilies) than some others (Irises). It burns up by end of May--which makes it self-cleaning by my definition.

Thanks for the info Deb. What I have that is blue that I really love is from your parts, well at least from your state. It is Texas Blue.Bonnet. It grows well here but is not wild like a weed

Elizabethan Age from last year:


An hoverfly on an Allium, which as we all know, are good companion plants for Iris.

William, that is an amazing photograph of the hoverfly! It should be in a magazine!

iciris said:William, that is an amazing photograph of the hoverfly! It should be in a magazine!

William ~ too! Wow!

Anyone notice that, as of this afternoon, the top five of the 10 "Recently Popular Photos" are William's images? Well deserved kudos to you, sir.

lovemyhouse said:Anyone notice that, as of this afternoon, the top five of the 10 "Recently Popular Photos" are William's images? Well deserved kudos to you, sir.

Yes, indeed!

Thank you for the kind words.
As always, having friends enjoying your photographs is a reward on its own, and your words provide warmth and happiness to my heart..

I forgot to mention that the hoverfly image was another focus stack, 4 combined images. That always helps with the detail at these higher magnifications.

William said:Elizabethan Age from last year:

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Elizabethan Age')
• Uploaded by William

An hoverfly on an Allium, which as we all know, are good companion plants for Iris.

• Allium
• Uploaded by William

Wow! even three tiny pollen can be seen !!!!! What a sharpness! Nice to look at the picture !!!!!!

lovemyhouse said:Anyone notice that, as of this afternoon, the top five of the 10 "Recently Popular Photos" are William's images? Well deserved kudos to you, sir.

Congrats William!

Amazing hoverfly shot, William!

william amazing photography skills, and presentation.

What they said!

Hook is a very tall iris registered at 48 inches (122 cm). First year bloom for me last year, but it was indeed one of the tallest irises that I grow. Loved the beard!


Last year I surrounded this NOID tree peony with irises, mostly blue, blue-purple, white and yellow ones. Maybe I should have placed Hook there instead.

William: I just can't imagine a 4 ft Iris. I am sure it is regal. I just can't grow them where I live, like that. On the other hand, we have such horrible Spring Winds that it might actually be a blessing. Still, someday, I hope to see some tall ones even if it is in someone else's garden.