Re: CULT: How do you feel about interspersing other plants in your iris beds?

I'm a hobby gardener who loves iris. I grow them in my sun and part-shade gardens, in clumps among lupine, delphinium, hardy mums, various perennial geraniums, scabiosa, sedums, an odd shrub rose or two, creeping phlox, lamb's ear, Russian sage, crimson pygmy barberry, and asorted spring bulbs. Rudbeckia, purple coneflower, daisy, and other late-season invasives are near but separated from the beds containing iris. I grow columbine in the shade gardens, and may try moving some to the mixed iris beds just to see how they do there.
kris
Wauwatosa, WI - zone 4b (though I stretch it to 5)

Debby wrote:

I agree. Iris breeders and collectors find it more convenient to plant in
rows and keep Iris separate - and that's fine and totally logical for their
purposes. But for those of us who just love them and want to have them in
our gardens, "IN" is the operative word.

Mine are planted (in various areas) in amongst or next to Scabiosia, Lupine,
Daylilies, Shasta Daisys, Dianthus, Violas, Roses, Oriental Poppies,
Siberian Iris, Periwinkle, Asiatic Lilies, Columbine etc.

I adore Iris, they are definitely my favourite plant, but if they had to be
babied to the extent that I had to keep them apart from other plants or they
wouldn't survive - then where's the pleasure in having them? The joy would
be gone. And they are truly a joy.

Debby

http://idrigillskyes.tripod.com
http://hopeparksilkyterrier.tripod.com


I am always amused by the idea that Irises are supposed to be garden

plants. It seems most people grow them in collections ( corn rows) which is
fine. I am a collector myself and this is the easiest way to maintain a
large collection. But that is not what I call a garden. If we never grow any
other plants with Irises how can we call them garden plants and how can they
be judged as such?

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