They're b-a-a-a-c-k!

heritage irises

These irises don't appear every year. They are the most beautiful, subtle color. They smell of licorice or anise. They came to us in a gift sack of narcissus bulbs, but we can't remember whether they came from Bastrop or from next door. White irises are the most common ones to be seen in old yards in Austin or nearby. Either these or yellow ones seem to be second-most common. In the yarden are also to be seen ranunculus flowers of many colors, a few red anemones, the last of the all-white anemones, the last of the Thalias and iphieons, sweet peas from volunteer plants, many kinds of morning glories sprawling in the grass where they sprouted from last year's seeds, chive flowers, yellow milkweed (complete with Monarch larvae feeding on them; there are parsleyworms feeding on the fennel, not yet in bloom), 99-cent clematis, poppies of several kinds, from giant mysteries to returning corn poppies, all either pink or red, bachelor buttons of several colors, blue delphiniums, pink evening primroses, a few flat-top Asian-style irises (all blue), and tomato and chile flowers. Hyacinth beans are germinating everywhere, and so are returning cosmos. We continue to love the color and scent brought by our profusely blooming former mystery rose, now identified as Dr. Huey, so far as we're concerned, thanks to information provided by a kind reader and expert in solving puzzles in the world of roses.