OT:Companion plants
From: "Jan Clark" <janclarx@hotmail.com>
Dennis Bishop wrote:
>last winter I built a free form rasied bed, right now this bed, which > is
>at the southside/end of my trailer has a mixture of Iris growing >in amoung
>miragolds, morring glory vines, sun flowers, and whatever >else has come
>up. some of the iris are totaly covered by the other plants.
>and they love it! So what's this about iris being picky?
I have made a similar garden here. Geoff seldom leaves the security of his
computer screen to venture into the unknowns of the garden. First he asked
why the iris were so small, and I gave him a brief lecture on winter
dormancy. I think the last time he visited the garden was in bloom season
last year.
Next he suggested that I weed the above mentioned garden as there were weeds
growing amongst the irises. These weeds are allysum and pansies bordering
the bed, and rampantly growing poppies and Queen Anne's lace, scattered
freely amongst the irises. His definition of weeds is apparently 'plants
other than iris' or POTI.
I am watching this bed closely to determine the effect on the irises. They
are growing well so far, but most likely because of the dry winter we have
had so far. It will be a lovely display in Spring, but I will tear the
poppies out as soon as they are finished.
The new fan growth is truly amazing for this time year. I actually have fans
thickening with bloom stalks on I. schachtii. The Germanicas in the
Castlemaine gardens are all in peak bloom and looking lovely.
I am watching with delight, the rapid growth of my Arilbreds, with the hope
that even one will present me with flowers this Spring.
Cheers, Jan Clark
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