Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Friday, November 11, 2011

Not Ready To Say Goodbye To Autumn

Iridaceae germanica 'Rosalie Figge'

Neither is Rosalie Figge.  She's a remontant and reblooming her pretty deep reddish dark purple nearly black flowering heart off again.  She has a hint of grape fragrance and an intense coloring that looks fantastic backlit by the setting sun.  That's Panicum 'Northwind' in case you were wondering. It looks pretty good backlit, too.

But, I'm not ready to say goodbye, so I've bundled her up in a frost blanket and we'll see if she's still blooming when the sun warms the day.

xxoogail

Autumn Movement
I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts.
The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck of the copper sunburned woman, the mother of the year, the taker of seeds.
The northwest wind comes and the yellow is torn full of holes, new beautiful things come in the first spit of snow on the northwest wind, and the old things go, not one lasts.
–Carl Sandburg
Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone."


26 comments:

  1. REMONTANT. Such an odd word that spell-check underlined it.Then when I Googled it, the first choice was The Dictionary of Difficult Words! Nice post and thanks for the new word:)

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  2. Being a rose addict, I love the French word remontant. So beautiful and well said. I am already missing fall's late pleasures too. Beautiful photo Gail.~~Dee

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  3. I'll just drool quietly, shall I? That colour makes me sigh with pleasure.

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  4. 'Rosalie Figg' is beaut - definitely worth protecting.

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  5. I just now got over saying so long to summer, so I am definately not ready to say goodbye to fall. Our colors are at peak right now, and I think it is nature's way of distracting you from the fact that winter will soon be here.

    I love the dark color of your iris. I have lots of rebloomers, but I think they may be skipping this year.

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  6. I hope she survived ~ she's gorgeous. I don't have any rebloomers. You're making me envious!! SO wasn't ready to say goodbye either. :( It's always hard.

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  7. I adore Miss Rosalie! Hope she's snug as a bug in a rug in her frost blanket this evening. :)

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  8. It is so sad to see them go. It just gives us more to look forward to next year. Beautiful iris.

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  9. I really should invest in the rebloomers. She is so instense in her coloring. Loaded things up in the greenhouse yesterday...the computer is blinking 31, the t.v. says 25 and the kitchen says 32....either way this cant' be good. Only to have it reach almost 80 by Wednesday..sigh

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  10. Beautiful flower. I've never seen one this color. And to have it at this time of year, too! Fantastic!

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  11. Oh my goodness, I'm going to have to look for this iris! She would make a nice companion for my 'Rosalie' tiarella. Now if I can only find the 'Rosalie' tulips I saw in a garden exhibit:)

    I'm not ready to say goodby to autumn either, but the north winds are blowing, and frost covers the ground each morning. I think winter is on its way here.

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  12. I agree, 'Rosalie Figge' does look fantastic backlit by the setting sun! It seems a shame these golden autumn days have to end..

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  13. What a pretty iris and amazing that it has flowered again

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  14. That is one beautiful iris -- a feast for the eyes! -Jean

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  15. Rosalie Figge is gorgeous Gail! Beautiful poem! Have a wonderful Sunday.

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  16. Rosalie Figge is a beautiful flower! where did you get such a plant?

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  17. Oh my Gail, that's a beautiful photo of Miss Rosalie Figge. Wow wow wow - what a gift in deepest November :)

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  18. Lovely poem dear Gail. Your striking photo capturing the ephemeral beauty of Iris and light is the perfect compliment. Dazzling!

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  19. i've always enjoyed carl sandburg's poetry. fall has been beautiful and i've enjoyed it, but i'm usually ready for it to move along about the time of the time change. the purple light coming through your iris is very pretty.

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  20. What a gift, dear Gail! I am never ready to say goodbye to autumn (summer or spring)!

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  21. What a stunning plant, well worth trying to keep going. Love it in combination with the grass behind.

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  22. Dear friends, So glad you all stopped by to say hello to Rosalie Figge. She's truly a beauty. xxoogail

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  23. Stunning!!!! I loved seeing her in all her glory! Thank you for the great Carl Sandburg poem too.

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  24. Perfect poem for the perfect iris. Beautiful are they both.

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  25. Now that is one stunning plant!

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson