Sadly, ‘Sneezy’ bloomed in my garden only once and then disappeared. Experiences like this persuade me that I’d be better off just forgetting the garden and buying cut flowers instead.
Description from Schreiner’s Iris Lovers Catalog 1999:
“Altruist’s cool azure shading lightens to a luminescent chalk white along the midrib and around the berd. The ruffled and fluted petals emit a soft effervescence, yet the substance is surprisingly heavy. Two branches and a spur with 8-9 buds. Tall bearded. EM Light blue fall. Light blue standard. Beard white. 1987. HM 1989,AM 1991.
April 14th, 2002
Iris ‘Altruist’
Dateline: 2002
The bearded irises have really begun blooming this week, beginning with ‘Altruist’ on April 8th, then ‘Champagne Elegance’ on April 9th, and ‘Incantation’ today.
Whenever an iris opens, I fall in love with it, forsaking all others.
Zanthan Gardens History
Monday March 19, 2000
Among my Schreiner’s order this year, one ‘Altruist’ ($7.50).
2001-04-11. Second to bloom in this row. It is not very blue, but more lavender. It is more flouncy and more open than “Mystic’s Muse’, matching the description from Schreiner’s quoted above. I brought them both to work today and their colors complement.
2002
2002-04-08.
First flower of 2002 on ‘Altruist’ and first flower this year of all the bought irises.
2002-04-22.
Altruist has produced some spectacular stalks, each with many flowers. As for the note above, it only seemed less heavy because it was not fully open.
2002-06-02
One of the Altruist rhizomes had rot. Dug up five rhizomes and soaked them in a mild bleach solution, then replanted them in the front square. The one that had rot was one that already bloomed, so it should probably be thrown out. It was small and didn’t have any babies. One other was very small and three were good sized and will probably bloom next year.
Thursday April 10, 2003
First flower of 2003.
Monday April 5, 2004
First Flower. Iris ‘Atruist’ is also the first flower of all the bought irises.
Tuesday August 28, 2018
Schreiner’s no longer carries this iris.
Rhaphiolepis indica — Indian Hawthorn
April 12th, 2002
Indian Hawthorn
A native of China, Indian hawthorn Rhaphiolepis Indica is ubiquitous in traditional suburban landscapes and commercial landscapes here in Austin. Why? Because it is a tough, evergreen shrub that can be used in a hedge. It doesn’t wilt in the summer; its glossy leaves always seem fresh and cool. In late spring, it is covered with small, pale pink flowers. After a frost, some leaves turn a bright orange or red, but like live oaks, the old leaves remain until the new leaves push them out.
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