anticipating bloom

I'm looking forward to the first TB bloom, which should open in the next
few days on MARIPOSA SKIES from Rick Tasco at Superstition.  After John's
glowing description of the garden there, my mouth is watering!  The great
IMMORTALITY should follow shortly.

Also, I have two stalks about to open on Dreaming Yellow X I. typhifolia,
from SIGNA seed.  This appears to be the true item because here it is
blooming just a little after typhifolia should have (but didn't), and the
buds show white.  I've hatched a plan to try and cross this with I.
sanguinea and with other siberians later in the season.

Surprisingly my badly damaged tectorum clumps are showing lots of
buds--though very short at about 8", my selected form with 3 branches is
showing its stuff and developing the usual nice widely branched stalks.  No
bloom on I. milesii this year, though.

Big items for visitors to the garden nowadays are two old tree peonies with
their huge flowers in pink and white, and a well-established yellow/orange
Exbury azalea.  Coming attraction--my collection of about 20 species and
strains of Digitalis.

I'm planning to do more with spurias this year.  I've prepared a new bed
using old rotted stump grindings the college provided me.  This gives a
very heavy soil but high in organic matter, which when formed as raised
beds should be ideal for spurias.  Do any of you from this part of the
country have recommendations on varieties?

Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@hsc.edu>
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