Another Chinese and some Irises

Hmm, sounds like the beginning of a bad and tacky joke...

Anyway, first things first: tea! Tonight is a lovely Green Pekoe (pronounced "peck-o" apparently) from China.

Loose Green Pekoe

This plus the Dragonwell makes me realize that I really like Chinese greens. I wasn't anticipating that because, honestly, anything China can do, Japan can do better, right? But stylistically, the teas are very different. This green pekoe has that same "wilder" sweetness that the Dragonwell does instead of the "lighter" sweetness of the Japanese greens. The green pekoe doesn't really taste like honey or muscat, but there is something in the taste that neither Dan nor I can pin point. (ETA: On the third infusion and that "something" has come out a bit more I think. There is a bit of smoky flavor to it now. Not overwhelming, but enough to go, 'mmm, new taste, yum!')

I like this one a little more than the Dragonwell, I believe. I still have one or two more Chinese greens to try as well, though, but this one will be tough to beat as far as a good, solid Chinese green. Plus, the leaves are absolutely gorgeous.

Look at those colors! So pretty!

And speaking of gorgeous, that brings me to the second part of my post title: irises.

The irises in my side yard are beginning to bloom and boy, are they lovely!

Our 'ittle side yard with lovely irises and stick-like altheas (that are just starting to bed out leaves)

The ones on the other side of the rose bush aren't doing too much, but I think that is because I need to get out there, dig them up and split them. But then I'd have to find more room to plant them and that means I need to make more bed. Or rather Dan needs to make more. Of course, I did plan to have the corner bed stretch along the back side of our fence to sort of mirror (but not) how it now stretches down the side of the fence. But I'm sure Dan was hoping that the expansion would wait a bit. Because the fence is pretty long. Well, we might have to do it in phases. He's got until September, which is when I'll need to split the irises, to convince me to do a partial bed expansion.