Re: CULT: Companion plants

Greetings,

Quite a lot of folks hereabouts combine herbaceous peonies with tall bearded
irises. I have a friend with a notable garden--photographers in and out of
the place continually--who has a very succssful planting of mixed colors and
forms of herbaceous peonies interplanted with the antique two toned purple
ALCAZAR and some modern ruffled white on the order of SKATING PARTY. There is
a  period of overlap of bloom, and the peonies come into full force as the
irises are fading. Nothing is crowded and everything is well tended and
divided. Iris clumps are about the same size as the peony clumps. The forms
of the two irises contrast very nicely and the repetition of their blooms
across the bed is a nice unifying element. Not much problem with anything
being shaded, and not much problem with root competition since one runs deep
and one runs shallow and neither needs mulch. Off course, this does not
extend the season interest much in the bed, but well cared for peony foliage
is really nice and some annuals can be dropped in around the perimeter.

We took a nice ride last night and all over the city peonies--especially
FESTIVA MAXIMA, and MRS. F.D. ROOSEVELT--are being grown with tall irises.
Lots of roses as well, on fences--MLLE. CECILE BRUNNER,  SILVER MOON,
SOMBREUIL---and clematis---especially HENRYII, NELLY MOSER, and RAMONA. We
saw several new clumps of irises--more WABASH, our first sighting of LORELEY,
a nice stand of DOLLY MADISON, a few CHERIE, rather more siberians than I
expected---mostly looking like CAESER"S BROTHER-- and more. Such a pretty
Spring.

Anner Whitehead, Richmond, VA  USDA 7
Henry Hall  henryanner@aol.com
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