Iris

Iris

germanica 'Immortality'
reticulata
siberica 'Butter & Sugar' and 'Silver Edge'

unnamed gift irises

The bearded irises (germanica) were planted in 2010. 'Immortality' is a crystal white that blooms in spring and again in late summer.

'Immortality' reblooming 10/29/10

The tiny reticulata irises need to be seen close up.  They are very low and they bloom in March and April in the brown mulch, which doesn't provide much of a background for their intense royal blue.  They are in the sunny spot along the front walk, near the Japanese maple.

Soil needs to stay dry in summer for reticulatas to set bulbs for next spring. 

March 18, 2010

Iris reticulata April 1, 2011

Reticulata bulbs separate into bulblets after bloom (if planted shallowly), and can be dug then and divided.  Each new bulblet takes several years to mature, so be patient with separated bulbs.

3/23/13 so sweet

They are supposed to have a sweet fragrance, but I haven't noticed. Foliage disappears as bulbs go dormant in late spring.

The Siberian irises have been a disappointment. I get only a few 'Butter & Sugar' blooms. 'Silver Edge' is supposed to have purple blooms and striped foliage, but I've only seen one plant occasionally appear, not even every year.

'Butter & Sugar' May 30, 2010

They may need a damper spot; they like wet. The 'Butter & Sugar' are in the back garden under the maple -- too dry for them. Here's the one surprise 'Silver Edge' iris that came up in in the middle of the Birch garden in 2013:

5/28/13 'Silver Edge'

In 2011 I added some iris from Cyndy's garden. She dug these for me and brought them over on her visit to my garden.

I have no idea what kind they are, but they are perfect by the bridge. A purple one, very stately and cool colored, blooms in late May and early June, and just as it goes by, a hot colored magenta one on the other side opens up and blooms till July.

6/1/12 Some tall, pretty cool purple ones

6/16/12 A hot magenta one

7/3/13

And look how the autumn light makes the foliage of the irises light up long after their season is past.

10/23/13

Iris reticulata, spreading out a bit each year:

3/29/14 to 4/8/14

Some years 'Immortality' blooms very pretty in spring, but doesn't have much fall rebloom.

5/19/14 to 6/1/14

2015 -- 5/17 to 5/30

Once again, in 2015 the magenta iris by the creekbed was a reliable bloomer and a nice tall element at the corner of the bridge.

2015 -- 6/26 to 7/3

. . . . BUT, by 2017 the stand of purple irises at the bridge was much diminished. The previous summer's drought may have hurt them.