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See rainbow of irises at this Sacramento show


Bearded irises come in all sorts of colors, even bronze. See hundreds of examples at the Sacramento Iris Show.
(Photo: Debbie Arrington)
These colorful flowers are easy care, drought tolerant and spectacular

Irises may be spring’s most colorful flower. Bearded irises come in virtually every rainbow hue (even blue) and countless combinations.

See for yourself during the 69th annual Sacramento Iris Show this weekend in McKinley Park. This year’s theme -- “Goddess of the Rainbow” – fits the flower’s incredible variety as well as the origin of its name. In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification of a rainbow and a messenger from the gods.

This spring, bearded iris blooms have been plentiful in Sacramento, enjoying the cooler temperatures and abundant rain. This tough and easy-care perennial also can cope with Sacramento’s hot summers and years of drought, making it a versatile choice for local landscapes.

During the show, Shepard Garden and Arts Center will be packed with iris blooms at their best. Longtime growers and members of the Sacramento Iris Society will offer expert advice on how to get irises to rebloom spring after spring; some varieties repeat bloom in fall, too. Dozens of unusual irises will be offered for sale.

Admission and parking are free. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 20, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 21. Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento.

Details:
https://sacramentoirissocietydotcom.wordpress.com/

For folks who can’t get enough irises, the National Iris Convention will be held April 22-28 in San Ramon. Tours during the convention include gardens In Loomis and Elk Grove.

Details and registration: http://www.irises.org

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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3

November still offers good weather for fall planting:

* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.

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