You're absolutely right, and funny, I saw what looked like my leaves in a picture in Gardens West, but mine didn't have flowers yet, nor did the pic in GW. On reading the blog, she calls it "blue-eyed grass", which indeed is what GW called it. (And Google images also calls it "yellow-eyed grass"). So there you are! Now, I definitely wouldn't agree with ear-to-the-ground that it is "stately", but maybe in one or another of its locations in my garden it will take a more "stately" attitude... This is the later-in-the-day pic, where you can see that the flowers are now liked up in a row in each little pocket. clever little thing!

Yes, some of us do. This can be done in those zones where you have a longer growing season. You being in Texas should allow you to do so as well. Just realize that some of the double flowering type IIs need old wood and a winter chill and some just need old wood to have the double blooms so if you treat these type IIs as type IIIs, you might not get any double blooms. I say might because if you saw recently BorS showed pictures of her Piilu that she treats as a type III and she still got both single and double blooms. Sometimes clematis do what they want and not what the literature says they are supposed to do. Another place to look for cheap clematis is Walmart. I would tend to stay away from those clematis in boxes that they sell most places (although some people have gotten them and they did fine with some babying and growing out). Walmart used to sell small clematis in orangey-rust colored square pots that were from Roseville and they only cost about $4.88 plus tax. I have purchased these in the past and potted them out and they have grown up to be fine plants (that is where I got my Piilu and Proteus). Two things to be aware of if you purchase these types of clematis is that first the tags may get switched up on these clematis and you might end up getting something that doesn't match up with the tag in the pot. Secondly, these clematis are often not watered or taken care of in the long term so be on the look out when they first arrive and buy them early.

I just found this exchange page, so sorry for posting so late. I have tons of purple iris, including LOTS of medium purple. These bloom about 2 weeks earlier than regular bearded iris. I am thinning them this summer, so let me know if you want them. Email me with your address. I have some dark purple tall bearded, but probably not "blue" enough for you. (more of a dark royal purple) Here is a link that might be useful: purple iris

I received fabulous irises from Paradise Garden this summer, and they have a great website too. I ordered 13 bulbs and they sent an additional 9 free (of similar color and style). All were huge and are doing very well- better than any of my "nursery" irises, the rebloomers are even starting to come after less than 2 months in my garden and in less than ideal weather. my "main" garden is blue with white plicatas and a few old fashioned purples. I am most looking forward to Autumn Tryst (3 freebies) and Happy New Year(white with violets) and City Lights (also 3 freebies- dark blue with white hi-lite). I try to stick with reblooms cause i like a little bonus :) Autumn Circus (purple with white) has been exceptionally vigorous in my garden.