Bulbine sp. ...I've put a few Bulbines in; they take cold and drought well and flower a lot

This Bulbine apparently came through the winter unscathed though it could have just grown back quickly. I added a few succulents last summer including three different Bulbines and an Echevereia 'Topsy Turvy'. The Echeveria also came through undamaged and though it hasn't grow appreciably, I can see by many small side shoots that it's going to be a good sized clump by summer's end.

This trip I put a couple of upland columnar Cacti in the open garden. Oreocereus celsiana and Espostoa melanostele. Respectively Old-man-of-the Andes, and Peruvian Old Lady. They will likely be happy until winter and even then temperature won't be the issue with these high elevation cacti. If the soil stays dry, all will be well; otherwise I don't know. They're both small plants so, come December, I may just move them under the overhang of the screen porch to ensure they won't have wet feet. Maybe after a couple of years of growth they would stand a better chance of wintering outside. Since it's only just May I've got 7 month to think about it!

Iris x Abbeyville Red ? isn't visible in this picture, but will look great here next year

Until this week, my experience with Louisiana Iris consisted of a vague theoretical awareness that there was a hybrid complex of southern species Iris that loved/tolerated? moisture and at least superficially resembled Iris ensete cultivars. This past Monday as I wandered through Webster Flea Market, I came upon a vendor I've had a long rerm relationship with and he had twenty pots or so of spectacular Iris. I assumed they were Louisiana cultivars and, while for the most part the Florida garden is dry, there are a couple of dampish areas. One of these spots, on the low  side of the property at the end of a downspout, is populated by a mixed planting of Canna 'Phaison' (Tropicana) and Hedychium coronarium. One of the irises was a spectacular velvety tawny red that belonged next to the Canna so I bought it and planted a piece of it amongst the Cannas. Unfortunately I didn't photograph the flower right away and never got another good opportunity.

A little online research suggested to me that the Iris likely has Iris nelsonii, or Abbeyville Red in its direct line of descent. I'm looking forward to next year where I'll see either flowers on this small piece I pulled off and planted, or on the larger part of the plant that I'm bringing home to Adelphi. Win win.