The Douglas Iris finally blooms and a mountain meadow planter

The Douglas Iris which I planted more than 3 years ago has finally bloomed. I had all but given up on this one, thinking that maybe it was going to be foliage forever due to its somewhat shaded location under a rather large butterfly bush. The flowers are subtle and unassuming, but still lovely. I tried to grow another native California Iris, commonly known as the Western Blue Flag (Iris missouriensis) a couple years ago, but they never took. They grow in abundance in high elevation montane/alpine meadows, and that's probably why they don't do well here in our drier, warmer chaparral habitat. We've seen these blooming in many parts of the Eastern Sierra, but they are especially abundant around Bridgeport en route to Twin Lakes.

6/2/10 Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana). Common in grassy, coastal areas of California. The herbage is apparently quite bitter, so the bunnies don't like to imbibe. 

7/10/05 Western Blue Flag (Iris missouriensis). Virginia Lakes, Toiyabe National Forest, Eastern Sierras, Mono County, CA.

7/6/05 Cow pastures in Bridgeport Valley in the Eastern Sierra. Western Blue Flag (Iris missouriensis) typically blooms here in great abundance in early summer. 

Speaking of montane meadows, last fall I converted a flower bed full of 'Purple Heart' Tradescantia (Tradescantia pallida purpurea) along the north exposure of the house to a bed of native mountain meadow plantings. We've spent many summer vacations up in the Eastern Sierras, and out of pure nostalgia, I was hoping to be able to grow some of the more memorable natives we've seen on our excursions. As mentioned before, the Western Blue Flag went kaput, as did a couple Western Monkshoods (Aconitum columbianum). But, there are some plants that are thriving, along with a few other varieties that are not montane species per se, but can take the extra water. However, it remains to be seen whether or not they'll survive our summer heat. 

5/27/10 Mountain meadow planter.
Cow Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum), Bigleaf Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus), Parish's Stream Lupine (Lupinus latifolius parishii), Slender Cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), Meadow Penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii), Sierra Penstemon (Penstemon heterodoxus), Yellow-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum), Mountain Pennyroyal (Monardella odoratissima), Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum), Mountain Spirea (Spirea densiflora), Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa), and Hooker's Evening Primrose (Oenothera hookeri).

5/27/10 Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla) and Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii) in mountain meadow planter.

5/17/10 Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla).

5/22/10 Yellow-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum).

5/8/10 Bigleaf Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus).