The hammered horse pasture and its jewels

Iris barbulata (or dolichosiphon?)

 I visited this same spot a year and a week earlier last year: it was strangely different! There were lots of irises then, but this year there seemed to be twice or three times as many, and they were clumped up with more stems and flowers. Few things on earth for me are more enchanting than to wander through a meadow filled with wild iris, admiring and comparing one clump next to the other...

Iris barbulata (or dolichosiphon?)

The variation seemed even greater than I remembered. This iris is apparently in firm cultivation in New Zealand (and probably Europe). I would dearly love to grow it. I'd like to grow LOTS of these--and hope one day to have a chance!

Iris barbulata (or dolichosiphon?)

Another delicatrely striped specimen,,,

Iris barbulata (or dolichosiphon?)

Or perhaps this solid colored one's my favorite? YOU choose!

Iris barbulata (or dolichosiphon?) Albino

I'm kicking myself that 1) I didn't spend more time and make sure I got more pictures of this to be sure and get one in focus 2) that I didn't scamper after Harry Jans, who found a second albino that might have been less moth-eaten.  My Scottish roommate Norman got a stunning picture of this, but we haven't figured out yet how to transfer images!

I shall wander through this meadow time again in my dreams...

Little blue dots forever and a day--acres and acres. Would I could have lingered and photographed each one!
 

Stellera chamaejasme v. chrysantha

This stunning cousin to Daphne is found over a vast swath of Central Asia and the Himalayas--but only in Yunnan does it come in yellow. We saw this again and again, but not the Iris (on this trip).

Thermopsis barbata

The primary reason we stopped at this meadow is that it's one of the best locations to see this wonderful pea. It has thus far eluded cultivation. I'd like to try again--we have abused horse pastures in Colorado!