Wow, that IS a small bloom. So pretty.

Very pretty Bonnie. Glad it bloomed and didn't freeze!

When I see one this small I wonder if they could get lost in a garden. I would have to have an enclosed space where nothing grew but the really little ones. Pots for these guys works best for me.

Bonnie, Blue Doll is adorable! Container culture would be a must for my garden for tiny cuties like that, otherwise they would be swallowed up by the jungle. I do have some tiny ones I think are ...pumila? They're right next to the side walk where I'm forced to keep the jungle from encroaching, and where I'm sure not to miss the tiny blooms.

I'd love to see a mass planting of tiny ones like that- wouldn't that be stunning!

It would be, Neal. The thing that fascinates me the most about these tiny ones are that they have all the characteristics of the huge ones.... just in miniature.

How precious is she!! I did not know that such small blooms existed. I checked my logs and the only MDB I have seen bloom is Krishaji but it was definitely twice the size of that

Elsa, I grow Krishnaji and I hope it blooms this year. From the photos it looks like it has substance to the blooms.

Moved this one indoors last evening. It is SDB Double Byte that G. Sutton introduced in 1996.




This is a bright little iris with plum colored markings on the falls. It is a reliable spring bloomer also.

We are above freezing now and the coat of ice has melted off the plants. It is cloudy, drippy and cold so I am not going out too much. I do not think my irises will be harmed by being frozen but I do think the blooms on taller stalks will abort. I have had it happen before where a bud will form and the stalk will grow then we get a really good freeze. From that point the bud does not get any bigger or attempt to open. when I feel of the bud it feels hollow and almost empty. The buds on the shorter stalks, the ones where the bloom stalk has not yet emerged from the fan, will have a better chance, although they may suffer some bloom damage. Just have to be patient and hope for the best. We have several more nights of freezing temps before a brief warm up.

I did pull this pot indoors yesterday. It is IB Jangles and has six, some rather tall, bloom stalks in one pot. It is not a favorite but I could not leave it to the weather when it is making such a valiant effort to make a pot-clump.



In the spring, in the south, frogs and small snakes will overwinter in pots so if anyone is bringing pots into an area where it is warm make sure you check to see if there are any unwanted critters in them.

Yes, I think Jangles needed to be brought indoors. He is a little trooper!

I guess us in the south will have many chimera blooms this spring.

Considering I have a creek it is amazing I have never come across frogs.....

Now if I were a bird I would follow me pulling pots to take inside since there are always lots of fat earthworms under the pots!

Explains the very fat robins around here, come to think of it...

Sorry to hear about your cold spell as well Bonnie!

Thank you, Elsa but no worries here. This happens every several years and the iris seem to take it in stride. The only weather that really causes concern is hail and so far, so good.

Well, this little guy had a name but the tag is missing. Since it is in a pot I will have to use the process of elimination. Ticking off all the other pots and what is left...... but not today. It is just above freezing and the wind is brisk. I had to check that I still had both ears when I came back indoors.

This is a little SDB. It has a name but for now it will just be anonymous. .



It is a little more plum in color but I was using my cell phone and it does not capture true colors.

Well hello cute little purple whats-your-name!

hello, cutie

Thanks. It is hard to get any kind of decent photo indoors. Here is another little guy.

MDB Tingle introduced by Paul Black in 2000. Big thanks to a generous iris friend, Leon.

Is that just

???