Of Iris, Alpacas, Circus Ponies & Ostrich Ferns

It started out as your normal quarantine Sunday morning.
(Which is to say, not going to church.)

Just wandering around the yard.

Not enough important stuff to occupy the gray cells.

This is iris season.  

We have a gazillion irises planted around the birdbath.

Perfect location.

ONE stinking bloom.

A little one at that.

I mention to my husband that NEXT year we should tear out all of these non-blooming, common-looking piddly iris and replace them with iris from our favorite iris growers (pic above from their iris farm.)

Well, that is all it took.  Like lighting a match to tinder.  We are in the van and on the way to Dopey's Hillside Gardens before you can say Corona Virus.

By the way.  That is not their official business name. Yet. I suggested it, and they are considering it.  Another BTW.... Dopey is their rooster's name.

These lovely alpaca that we pass on the way to Dopey's are just a bonus.  And did I mention we also pass circus ponies grazing in a field? I am not making up the circus part -- these are arrogant, gorgeous little creatures that relax at a spacious country home when they aren't working under a big top.

So we buy a boatload of iris.
(Disclaimer: the above pic is from our trip to Dopey's two years ago.)

I leave my husband to the ripping out of the non-productive iris and installing the new iris.  

Both of us were very pleased with the results.

But what to do with the discarded, non-producing iris?
(See the ONE bloom on the right?)

Plant it next to a concrete wall where we need leafage (is that a word?) and blooming is optional.

It has good company next to the ostrich ferns that we bought on Saturday off of 

facebook marketplace.