Smokin Heights

17/06/2026

Well the rain forecast for us today seems to be a fizzer. Once again the rain is going in directions all around us!
Tomorrow is looking good to get outside and get some jobs done though.
As our field has been re-planted the workload is not huge, just monitoring the field.
The garden beds have already been weeded. The roses need pruning which will be completed next month. We have only had one frost so far this winter!
The electric fence for the horses needs fixing, so I guess that will be the first job of the day, then we see where we go from there.....in all seriousness there is always jobs to be done. I have had to learn to do many jobs on the farm as help is not always available. Prioritizing is key....💪

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16/06/2026

🌺 Bloom of the Week: Caribbean Queen 🌺

Some varieties come and go, but Caribbean Queen continues to be one of our most popular irises year after year.

Its elegant combination of crisp white and soft sky-blue tones gives Caribbean Queen a refined, timeless beauty that stands out in the garden without being overpowering. Combined with its excellent form and reliable garden performance, it's no surprise that this variety continues to be one of our best sellers year after year.

On a cold winter's day, blooms like Caribbean Queen have us dreaming of spring and the beautiful display still to come.

💬 Do you grow Caribbean Queen? Let us know what you love most about this variety in the comments.

15/06/2026

Here Bailey explains how we at Smokin Heights sow our seeds. 💜😍💜

We trust you will find this video helpful. 🙏

Please follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram and our channel Smokin Heights on YouTube.

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https://youtu.be/nNgxkwvdVfE?si=X4jkMPJXWBjlFWpZ

Join us as we sow the next generation of bearded iris seedlings fro...

14/06/2026

A "true" red pigment does not exist in the genetic makeup of bearded irises.

We are growing many burgundy, crimson and rusty tones of iris that we class under the 'red' umbrella!

How would you incorporate a 'red' iris into your garden layout?

Is it a colour you would grow for visual appeal in Spring?

Would you plant these next to bright whites or soft pastels?

Are you a fan of these deep, moody tones for Spring, or do you prefer traditional pastels?

We would love to know your thoughts. Let us know below!⬇️

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13/06/2026

Edit: this is Puerto Vallarta, well done to those who guessed correctly. We think we’ll up the difficulty on the next one!

Beating the winter gloom with a bit of fun!

🔍 Guess the Variety! 🔍

We've selected several photos of the same iris.

Can you identify this iris from these images alone?

Leave your guess in the comments below and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.

Good luck, and no cheating by checking last season's photos! 😉

💡 Hint: This variety has been featured in our catalogue and some of you may already have it growing in your garden!

12/06/2026

Bailey and myself spent the day in the field spraying glyphosate on the fence line to keep the weeds down for rabbit control. It is important for us to see if any rabbits are working on digging under the fence! We cannot see what is going on if the weeds are hiding the damage.

We have a foot apron of heavy duty chicken wire folded out from the bottom 3rd of the fence to keep the rabbits and hares out of the new field. Lucky for us the wind was blowing the correct direction for no drift on the iris!

Have you had an iris bloom that has shown damage from glyphosate. Maybe you use round up around the yard to help keep weeds down?

Below is a photo of a variety which bloomed and had glyphosate damage. We took this photograph in someone else's garden. All bloom that have been affected with glyphosate show the same sort of deformed bloom. We have also heard of people spraying iris year in year out with round up to have the iris continue to grow, The clumps had been reduced but new growth still emerged.

We are not going to try that! Chemical use is very limited on our property. We do not care for it for our plants or our own health.

Have you had blooms in your garden that have had glyphosate poisoning?
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11/06/2026

Zofonic Dancer is the last variety listed in our Tall Bearded Iris - General Listing for our catalogue!

We look forward to seeing this variety bloom as it is quite unique.
We have used this variety in hybridizing as pod parent and have noticed that the Celestar trait is passed onto seedlings.

The Celestar trait is a sun-sensitive pigment effect where exposure to sunlight activates anthocyanin pigments (which produce blue, purple, and red colours) on the petals, typically the underside of the falls.

This trait adds another dimension of visual pleasure in the garden.

The bud of Hidden Feature is shown as a high contrast example! 💜💜💜

10/06/2026

Bailey has been tilling the walking rows in the field yesterday and today!
Getting the drone into the air today we can see where he has been and where he is yet to do!
We have had some good rains in the past month and taking the drone out into the paddocks we can see each dam has a little bit of water. Pictured is the dam that we irrigate from for the gardens by solar water pump when water is sufficient. We haven't had water in the dams in 3 years. It is a nice sight to see but we need a lot more water in the dams to be beneficial for our watering needs in Summer.💜💜💜

09/06/2026

☀️ Bloom of the Week #2 – Spanish Holiday ☀️

As winter begins and the garden settles into its quieter season, this week's bloom has us dreaming of the warmer days to come.

Spanish Holiday is a cheerful variety that brightens the garden with its warm, vibrant tones. Looking back through photos of blooms like this is a wonderful reminder that spring is never as far away as it seems.

While we wait for the next flowering season, we're enjoying revisiting some of our favourite irises and sharing them with you through our Bloom of the Week series.

What's helping you get through the winter garden lull?

🌿 Stay tuned for next week's Bloom of the Week feature.

09/06/2026

Highlights from our visit to the very beautiful Carrick Hill with the SA Iris Society yesterday! 💜💜💜