Re: OT-BIO Dorothy C. Frisbie

In a message dated 97-05-13 17:31:26 EDT, you write:

<< Although my property (a bare lot 12 years ago) is 83' by almost 200', my
 > iris bed is small -- approx. 30' long by 14' at one end and 20' at the
 > other.  It is jammed with iris, and interplanted with daylilies and other
 > flowers to add color during the 'off-season' for iris. 
 
 I am assuming that you are growing TB (tall bearded) iris.  In which
 case I am amazed that you can interplant with daylilies, which I keep
 mulched and watered here, something I don't do with my TB's.  Do you
 mulch and water the entire area, selectively mulch the daylilies, or
 have a mild enough climate to not require summer mulch and water for the
 daylilies? >>

I think daylilies and iris cannot be in the same bed and both have optimum
conditions.  Would you favor the irises, the daylily bloom would be sparse
and the foliage would depart shortly after the irises.  If the species of
hems were used you might have some success or some the varieties close to
species might give summer bloom without water.

Even here, in the wet and cold northeast, daylilies are watered to produce
good bloom and attractive foliage.  We do, however, grow H. multiflora and H.
minor which can survive pretty well on their own.  Other daylily species
bloom with or earlier than the iris.  The large and popular hybrids can be
quite difficult, some needing a lot of fertilization when you would not be
feeding the irises.

The subject of overseeding iris for color later on is a good one and perhaps
more will be volunteered here.  I have seeded nicotiana alata, nigella and
portulaca (annuals) over iris with success.  And, I have planted nepeta
(perennnial) next to clumps with good success. Nepeta can be cut back and
trained around the iris if they become smothering.

Claire Peplowski
ECPep@aol.com
East Nassau, New York - zone 4 - with no irises yet but a bunch of daffodils
and black flies.
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