Elsa here to share some interesting flora and fauna photos this week. It’s been a lovely spring week with mild temps and even one day with a nice rain shower. Everything has turned green, especially the weeds which seemed to pop up overnight. This been a good year for dandelions and the much loathed bindweed, much to Mom’s chagrin. But enough fussing over that, let’s see what the House Pony has curated for us, shall we?
Wilson: Thanks, Ninja and hello mates…have we got some lovelies for you this week. The Peonies have started blooming and boy are they something else. Mum especially likes this red one and I noticed that even you took time to stop and smell them.
Elsa: Well you’re always yammering on about how great it is to sniff flowers and I will concede these peonies are pretty fragrant. Plus they’re just so doggone pretty.
Wilson: You’re right about that. Peonies and irises this week have been quite something to behold. These two I’m happy to report are from our own garden. Mum really is fond of dark irises and said the first image didn’t bloom last year that she could recall so when she saw it, she was more than chuffed.
Elsa: Mom definitely loves her irises. She mentioned that she’s planning on a visit to the Iris Farm this weekend and will likely take at least a thousand photos of them one last time as this is the last year the Iris Farm will be open. After 35 years, owner ‘Iris Bob’ will be retiring. We’ve shared this video before, but are sharing it again for your viewing pleasure. These gorgeous three acres have been such a wonderful place to walk through and the most remarkable aspect of it has been seeing such a large private space near the heart of the city.
Wilson: Mum told me all of her irises came from the Iris Farm except the one she brought from her old house over 22 years ago.
Elsa: Yeah, it’ll probably be somewhat emotional for her since she has visited the farm so many times over the years. But enough of the gooey nostalgia, how’s about you share what else we’ve saw on our separate walks.
Wilson: Right-o. We’ve noted it’s been an exceptional year for allium bulbs. Mum found a gigantic one in bloom and even captured a bee noshing on it. She wouldn’t let me get near it because I tend to try to catch bees. Mark my words, I’m ‘this’ close to catching one.
Elsa: You bonehead…I told you last week you do not want to play Venus Flytrap with these guys. They will mess you up but good and your nose is already big enough. Jeez, what is wrong with you?
Wilson: Oops, I forgot your sage advice you told me last week. I’ll try to do better, but with their buzzing noise, I just can’t help myself.
Elsa: {shaking her head} Well, don’t come yelping to me when you get stung and your face swells up like a balloon. Trust me…you ain’t gonna like it one bit. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.
Wilson: I’ll try to be better. We probably ought to move along on this week’s garden tour. Mum noticed this striking Heuchera plant with its yellow-green leaves and striking dark red veining. Also known as Coral Bells or Alumroot, this beauty looked amazing in a shaded garden we pass on our daily walks. Its many species are all native to North America (except for Heuchera Sichotensis, which is native to the Russian Far East). This low-growing, evergreen comes in multiple colors, and is fairly easy to grow and do well in semi-sunny or shady conditions. Deadheading them promotes subsequent blooming. Another bonus to planting this lovely perennial is it’s deer resistant.
Elsa: That’s so different from the green ones we have in our garden but I’ll give it to you for finding it. Those red veins are really something else. You’re developing into quite the plant discoverer of interesting, if I do say so myself.
Wilson: Why thank you, Ninja. I appreciate that. I’m growing more and more comfortable with the city and can concentrate better on sniffing out things. Speaking of interesting plants, check out this plant called Iris Pseudacorus (sometimes called yellow iris flag, or water flag) when mom wandered over to Sloan’s Lake. It’s often considered an invasive, aquatic plant where it’s not native. Mum had never seen them at the lake before and only saw 3 or 4 plants before she looked them up to see what they were.
Elsa: That pop of yellow must have surprised Mom since the water was kinda murky looking. But the biggest surprise she saw were these American White Pelicans, who apparently are tourists moving through as they make their way from various parts of North America southward to California and Mexico. You think they have valid fishing licenses which are required to fish the lake? Still they were very cool to watch and despite being fairly good-sized birds, they were quite graceful after one of them decided that Mom was getting just a bit too close for comfort and took flight. They rest of them took their cue from the leader and left shortly thereafter. Those black tipped wings must be exceptional on both take-offs and landings. Did you know a group of pelicans is called a pod?
Wilson: Wow, that’s a fascinating fact-I did not know that. Golly, I wish I could have seen them. I’m starting to be aware of birds around the neighborhood and keep hoping I can become friends with them.
Elsa: Oh sure, just like you want to be friends with squirrels? Umm, I’m gonna say that’s probably a hard no in the bird world. It’s quite likely squirrels have been besmirching your name to get even with you trying to catch the little hoodlums.
Wilson: Harumph…I’m not a bad sort; I’m actually quite friendly, much like this last plant whose blooms look like loads of smiles.
Elsa: {giggling} Smiles indeed with squinty little eyes. Hahaha. I gotta admit, Pony…you’ve outdone yourself this week.
Wilson: Thanks Ninja. I’m starting to get this nature thing down. Well that’s it from us. We all hope you have a smashing good holiday weekend. Stay safe and don’t forget to stop and smell the peonies.
Elsa: You got it big guy. Have a pawsome weekend.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
So many furabuluss flowerss Elsa an Wilson an Miss Monika!! Mee lovess THE Pee-o-neess! Bellasita iss ga-ga over THE Irisess!! All of them!
THE Pansiess are so purrty two. An THE Pellycanss are cute!
***nose bopss*** BellaDharma an {{{huggiess}}} BellaSita Mum
Thanks, dear kitty and mum. The irises so far have been completely stunning and we plan to share more of them Friday from our visit to the iris farm. We were blown away!
Wilson, you have had a very good teacher since you arrived…and do make sure to give Elsa special thanks for being a paw-fect guide on making Nature Friday’s so special…and maybe give Mum some thanks also. Lots of beautiful colors for all of you to take in and enjoy!
Thanks so much Bruce. His and her sniffing has prompted my looking at nature from various angles.
I started a comment, got distracted and it went poof!! LOL!
Our blooms are in full swing here, too! Loved seeing those beautiful pelicans!
You have some amazing and gorgeous blooms to share with us, too! That album is spectacular!! Mine took miniature in comparison, LOL!!
Many thanks for the kind comment. Yeah, we’ve had that happen to us. I suspect foul play by squirrels. LOL
I meant allium…auto-spell-check is not a gardener, LOL!!
Bwahahaha!
Lulu: “Wow, that’s a lot of irises! We’ve never seen that many irises! Our Dada says usually you would have to go to an optometrists’ convention to see that many irises! And now if you will excuse me, I have to go bite him for that one …”
Bwahahaha…don’t bite him for that. There are a lot of irises there and you don’t need an optometrist to tell you that!
Beautiful blooms! Irises have always been my favorite flower. Thank for featuring the Iris Farm!
Bearded irises are so diverse and beautiful. The fact that they are so easy to grow in Colorado make them a mainstay in our garden. Won’t lie, I’m gonna miss the Denver’s Iris Farm but wish them all the best as they begin a new chapter. Have a great holiday weekend.
Such beautiful blooms. XO
Thanks. This has been such a beautiful spring and we’re grateful to be able to share some of it. Hope you have a lovely weekend.
I have to agree with Elsa on this one Wilson, you really hit it out of the park this week. Or garden. Both. And Elsa, what a job you did as well. As for the bees, yes . . stay away is the best strategy.
Thank you! Hope springs eternal that fool will learn before he gets stung. Here’s to a great weekend.
Hahahaha! Here’s hoping Elsa, MUAH!
Here’s to everyone on the ranch having a great weekend.
WOW! You sure found a lot of pretty out there and I totally love those water views too!
Thanks so much. We’re so blessed to see such beauty around here.
Lovely photos. Our peonies are blooming too. Wish they bloomed more often or longer. So beautiful!
Me too. They are the queen of the garden! Have a great weekend.
Mommy loves pansies, but never gets them cause then she would have to plant them every year and she has better things to do (according to her). XOX Xena
Leave the bees alone, Wilson! *wags* Lucy (Your nose is much too pretty to get it stung.)
Whenever they bloom, I disperse the seeds and they always seem to come back the next year. I haven’t planted snapdragons in years for the same reason. Last year I received a nice pansy basket for Mother’s Day and have new plants this year because I dispersed their seeds. 😉
Wilson’s nose is plenty big enough already. We sure as heck don’t need it to get bigger from a bee sting. Have a lovely ‘howliday’ weekend.
I’ve never seen seeds on pansies…I’ll have to google it. I’m so stupid when it comes to plants. That would be great to be able to do, though.
They’re SUPER tiny. After the flower blooms, there’s a tiny little pod like thing-almost like a bud-the seeds are in that that pod. I just crush if between my fingers and spread the inside seeds. 😉
Of course, that would require me buying and planting pansies…maybe next year. In PA, we had pansies all summer, but it’s too hot here for them in the summer.
They are definitely early spring plants here but the ones emerging from seed from last year’s plant will continued to be watered and kept in the shade so as not to perish. The little seedlings are doing decently well. Good luck.
A great tour, Wilson. I loved all the flowers and the white pelicans. I have to say those pansy like flowers look a little grumpy. Fun stuff.
Thanks, John. Grumpy, eh? Maybe it’s from having their face frozen? Have a wonderful ‘howliday’ weekend.
Thank you. Hope all of you have a super holiday.
Loved the peonies (still waiting on mine) and those cute pansy faces. Hope your weekend is a fine one!
There aren’t many of the reds around so Mom always has to take a picture. Even though she took a picture last year and the year before that🙄 Dog moms are so weird.
Your friend,
Elsa 🐾
😁
WOW! So much beautiful color this week!!
Thanks! It has been a good week for flora, that’s for sure. Have a great howliday weekend!
How beautiful and the pansies remind me of my grandmother. She used to love pansies because she said they were little faces smiling at the sun. I have no luck with them but they do tug at my heart. Have a great weekend!
Pansies (and their little cousins, Johnny Jump Ups) are such adorable little self-seeding annuals. They always make me happy. Here’s hoping you and Chester have a wagnificent howliday weekend.
Beautiful pics! I love Heuchera. I have CA native Island Alum Root in a shady area of my side yard.
Thank, Lisa. It’s such a lovely plant with few demands yet delivers a great view, no matter where it resides. Have a terrific weekend.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. And the pics are so beautiful! 🌸
Aww, thanks so much. We’re glad you enjoyed it. Have a swell weekend.
You, too, friend. 🙂
What a fabulous selection this week! And pelicans to boot! Woot!
Thanks, Miss Dale. Mom did a double take when she saw those birds and couldn’t believe they were actually Pelicans! Here’s hoping you have a great weekend.
I bet she did! So would I, that’s for sure!
Well we wanna say right off the bat (whatever that means) that we love all the gorgeous photos of plants you show us – makes Mom wish she had the energy to keep up with more pretty stuff around our yard than we have now. BUT, she loves the photos A LOT. That iris farm is really REALLY something special isn’t it. It gets a “double WOW” from us!
Love, Teddy and Mom too
Thank you. Mom’s really going to miss that beautiful and serene place in a city that’s becoming increasingly noisy and hectic. We’ll plan to especially savor it this last year. Have a ‘furbulous’ weekend!
Thanks Frank. It’s been one of the prettiest springs this year and we’re enjoying seeing it first hand. Have a terrific holiday weekend.
Those peonies! And the pelicans! A shame the iris farm is closing down…you’ll miss it.
Aren’t those red ones something to behold?! Yes, I will miss the iris farm but learned there’s one up in Boulder but I probably won’t go as often. We hope you have a splendid weekend, Helen. Best to Leo and the thugs.
The colors of summer have arrived in the Mile High City. WOW to the peonies in the openers! Thumbs up to the Iris Farm. Beautiful catch of the bee. Enjoy your weekend!