I was amazed to find that Iris unguicularis Walter Butt had started flowering at the end of October. The first year it was planted here, it flowered in December, last year it flowered in November, but this year it was flowering on the 25th October.
Iris unguicularis Walter Butt.
This photo was taken in October, we were obviously having a shower at the time.
New flower just opening.
By 3rd of November something has been having a nibble!
Yesterday’s flower.
Close up of yesterday’s flower. There will be new flowers opening one or two at a time, for quite some time to come.
At least we have ended with a flower in beautiful condition, no nibbles, no battering by wind and rain, so yes, it is looking good for Friday this week, what it will look like after Storm Abigail has passed through is anyone’s guess!
Many thanks to Gillian at Country Garden who hosts this meme each Friday, do please pay her a visit to see what else is looking good in other gardens.
Hi Pauline. This is a very pretty flower, though it’s been saddled with a rather ugly name. I really like the close up at the end, with the white feathering of the violet petals.
I agree with you about it’s name Jason, such a pity, so glad you like the flower though!
That is absolutely beautiful Pauline 🙂
Thank you Rosemarie, it is always a lovely surprise when I first notice it flowering.
What a perfect bloom for this time of year. I guess it agrees this is a warm autumn!
It really looks as though it should be flowering in spring Frank, but it is so welcome at this time of year, even though it is earlier than usual.
What a lovely iris Pauline and a special treat for this time of year.
I’m so glad you agree Susie that it is lovely, it always brings a smile to my face when it pops up and opens it’s beautiful flowers!
What a beauty! I’m annoyed with myself Pauline as this is one plant that I hoped to have flowering in my garden this autumn but somehow or the other it’s not happened. I wonder who ‘Walter Butt’ was.
As gardeners say Anna, there’s always next year! The Rev. Walter Butt was President three times of the Cotteswold Field Naturalists Club. According to the 1911 census he lived in Chepstow and died there in 1917.
Something special about the last blooms before winter takes over our gardens. The photos you took are really beautiful.
They are very special aren’t they Charlie, we have to make the most of them at this time of year. I’m so glad you like them.
Lovely Pauline, my Iris unguicularis is flowering too, although it wasn’t flowering as early as October it is flowering earlier than usual I think. Does yours flower al winter from now on?
I think it was our unexpected warm autumn that has had my little iris flowering earlier than usual Christina. It won’t flower all winter, probably until the beginning of February, but them I’m focused on the snowdrops and don’t really notice anything else in the garden!
Gosh……it’s gorgeous! I wish it was flowering her! Lovely shade of blue too! What great timingxxx
It looks too delicate to be flowering now Dina, but is so welcome in the garden, when all the other plants in that border have stopped flowering.