Something special flowered for the first time on the weekend. It was my Iris nelsonii, also known as Abbeville Red, one of the Louisiana Irises. Outside of bearded irises, red irises aren’t particularly common, especially in New Zealand. I’m not a big fan of bearded irises; I prefer the more slender, elegant, wild-type irises. Iris nelsonii is a native of Louisiana, USA and likes to grow in moist, sunny conditions.
I bought a bare-rooted plant a couple of years ago, then last year I dug it out of the garden, divided it into two plants and potted them up, and they are now sitting on my patio, awaiting a more permanent home. I missed the unfurling of the single flower, but managed to snap a few photos in-between the busyness of my weekend. The flower got a bit whipped around by the strong winds on Friday, but was still gorgeous. It was a burgundy-red, and has become more pale burgundy with age. What a treat.
In NZ, Iris nelsonii is sometimes available on Trade Me or can be purchased online from Rivendell Iris Garden.
Wild Hope Homestead 