Very pretty Laurel.

Brooke

Laurel, your iris are gorgous! I love iris, but have a difficult time growing them in my Georgia red clay. Apparently I am not amending the soil adequately. I think I need to spend some time on the iris forum, and learn the tricks of the trade. Is 'Indian Chief' one of your historic iris? It reminds me so much of the ones my mother grew when I was a child in the 50's. Susan

Oh me!!!Sure makes me miss my Iris blooms. They are long gone for this year. Thanks so much and they are all beautiful. I really like "Meadow Lark". Blessing to all, Mona

Yes, 'Indian Chief' is a historic. It was introduced in 1929. Check out Argyle Acres for irises - I love getting irises from them, and they have a list of just historics and a Limited List of rarities/things in short supply. Their prices are good, too.

Laurel

Here is a link that might be useful: Argyle Acres

Thanks for the tip about Argyle Acres. My source went out of business, so I'll have to take a look. (Not that I have much more room for irises OR daylilies, but the irises tend to do well in spots where nothing else will grow.)

I just started an album for my irises this year (link below) -- hope you don't mind my piggybacking on your thread! Love the two in the first photo, by the way.

Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: Iris Photos

Chris,

You have lovely irises - I especially like 'Regal Affair' and 'Gnus Flash.' I never get tired of great pictures like yours. Thanks for piggybacking!

Here are a few more:

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'Moonlit Sea'

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'Mme. Louis Areau' (it's more violet than this picture shows)

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'Honorabile'

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'Honey Glazed'

Laurel

Wow! With iris like those, I wouldn't mind not having DL's blooming. I wish I could grow them. Thanks for sharing, Laurel.

Chris, you have an amazing collection! Thanks for the link.
Kathy

Nice iris! I like chasing rainbows! Is that a Josephine clematis I see in the background of one of those pictures Chris? How does she do for you? I just got a blue light clematis, that looks similar, except its light blue. I want to get another clematis and let it grow up the lattice on the side of my deck. All of my iris are done blooming now, but I don't have as many as you guys. (don't have room) those clumps get huge after a couple of years. I was going to get some more to put in between some of my DL's , but I don't think theres going to be any space.

Yes, that's a Josephine (Empress Josephine?) clematis (link below to another pic). I love the blooms when they first open, but they sure fade quickly. I think I like the singles better. My favorite so far is General Sikorski (picture in the same album). I just planted it this year, but a friend has one that is about 12 feet tall and is covered is blooms after only a few years in the garden.

Henryii is another favorite, if you don't have that one. It's a huge white flower and is pretty easy to find.

Here is a link that might be useful: other photos

Hi Chris, I like 'General Sikorski,' too. It's REALLY tall for me. Here's a pic from last year (pre-digital camera, sorry!):

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You can't really tell from that picture, but the clematis is growing up bamboo and string from the top of a chain link fence, 9 feet and more up.

'Henryi' is another favorite of mine:
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Laurel

Laurel, those are beautiful pics of your iris! How do you get so many blooms? I always wonder why I have so few blooms, How deep do you plant them? This year I ordered some minis, they seem to do well here and not get too tall or need staking.
Thanks for sharing!
~~Sharon

Hi Sharon,
I plant them really shallow - the rhizome is just on the surface of the soil, and I bury the roots. I put no mulch over the rhizomes. To keep the new iris steady until they anchor their own roots, I peg the rhizomes down by crossing two pieces of short bamboo staking over them and pushing the bamboo into the soil (essentially an X of bamboo, with the rhizome under the bottom of the X). I leave the bamboo on the rhizome until the following spring (just in case frost heaving is an issue that winter). I don't fertilize them at all; they're just in normal to slightly lean garden soil.

I'm liking the shorter varieties more than the tall ones right now, just for the staking issue. Some tall varieties are sturdier than others, though, and it's impossible to tell if they need staking until I grow them. As for the amount of bloom, I'm still figuring that one out. Last year I had poor bloom from all but a few of mine, even though I'd taken good care of them the year before. (I think the previous year's summer weather has a lot to do with their bloom - they like a HOT summer with a good baking, and we had a cool wet summer that year.) I neglected them terribly last summer (a lot of life got in the way). This year, I had GREAT bloom from many irises. Go figure. I do know they don't like compacted soil or having their rhizomes overcrowded - I have some I have to divide and loosen their soil a bit. They like "sharp" drainage. I hope this helps!

Laurel

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'Owyhee Desert'

Beautiful Laurel...I enjoyed your photos very much. I love iris also, but for some reason, (crazy weather I suspect) mine didn't bloom this season. They were gorgeous last year. Maybe next season....lol
Jan

Laurel, thanks so much for the information, I probably have the rhizomes planted too deep. I may try digging them up later this year and replanting them. Of course, cool and damp weather is the norm for here, so that could be it too. I have some cute minis, and some really tiny and very early minis that do seem to do well. Have you ever seen the iris Denise offers at Snowpeak in Oregon?
She is good to deal with too. I am checking out Argyle Acres, thanks!!
Happy Gardening, I am waiting for my first DL blooms too,
although I have two species yellows that are opening.
~~Sharon

Sharon,

No, I haven't checked out Snowpeak (YET!). I don't think I'll be ordering iris this year - we might be moving next year, and I'll have enough stuff to take with me already. But after we get a new place, look out! The only proper solution to too many irises is - more irises! (Same thing goes for daylilies, peonies, daffodils and lilacs IMHO. If you plant them all in mixed beds, it's hard to tell which you have "too many" of, and you can finagle in more. . . .)

Laurel

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'Solid Mahogany'

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'Golden Russett'

Here is Beverley Sills before she fell over.

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