A Few Flowers for the Birds and Us

We got some of these iris from Doug's sister and some from a friend of mine from work.  We planted them against the fence to choke out the weeds from the farmer's field.  They are really doing well.

I planted the "Red Hot Pokers" for Doug the first year we moved here.  He said that the birds really love them.  They're hardy and hardly any maintenance.  This is one of the varieties that I got.  When I planted them they took forever to break the surface.  Doug, not liking any weeds, sprayed the area until I told him that there were flowers there.  I didn't hurt them too much.  We moved some and now the Orioles, Hummingbirds and  cedar waxwings love the nectar.  The smaller birds like the foliage for cover.  It's a win-win situation.

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Here's the red variety.  When they are mature, the bottom turns yellow and the top stays red.