Iris Flower Beds in Garden Landscaping    The name Iris comes from the Latin and Greek where it relates to a rainbow, and considering the existing 200 to 300 different species with their variety of colors, it's easy to understand why.   Irises are largely grown as ornamental plants with the bearded German Iris being the most common. A variety of wild forms and naturally occurring hybrids form the basis for most all modern hybrid bearded iris. Many forms of bearded iris and miniature tall bearded have been developed from crossing tall and dwarf varieties   They grow quite well in the North Temperate Zone. (Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in New Jersey is a living iris museum with over 10,000 plants).

   Bearded irises are easy to cultivate and propagate, and very popular in gardens.

  They grow in any good free garden soil, the smaller and more delicate species needing only the aid of turf ingredients, either peat or loam, to keep it light and open in texture. Some wild iris thrive in the rich soil of wooded areas.

  The dwarf forms of Iris pumila are earliest to bloom and blossom during March, April and May.

   The larger 'tall bearded' varieties, such as
 I.germanica, florentina, pallida, variegata, amoena, flavescens, sambucina, and their modern hybrids, bloom profusely from May
                                              into June.




       

  Some of the blossoms in my Iris Garden reached a height of 4 1/2 feet! The bed is about 8 years old, faces South East and is in a corner of the building protected from the bitter cold North winds in the Winter.

  The rhizomes are thinned every year after the blooms are gone and the flower stems have dried. The species shown above with its soft yellow hue was derived from an award winning hybrid (Philadelphia Flower Show)

  True red tall bearded Iris remains an unattained goal of frequent hybrid-izing and selection.

  There are species and selections, most notably Iris fulva, which have a relatively pure red color.

  However, getting this color into a modern Iris breed has proven very difficult, and thus the vast majority are blue iris and in the purple range of the color spectrum. There are also black iris and yellow iris flowers.

   Some species bloom in the Spring and again in the fall and are generally easy to raise.

 Keeping the soil in your Iris beds moist during the hot dry summer is important.

  Iris beds make a great addition around pools, ponds and water gardens, and for mass plantings. They can also be used on difficult banks and for preventing erosion. They make magnificent cut flowers and are resistant to deer.

  What could be more perfect for landscaping?    

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