Re: CULT: English Iris
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: CULT: English Iris
- From: D* F* <d*@cornell.edu>
- Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 07:14:54 -0600 (MDT)
At 08:38 AM 9/5/97 -0600, Bill wrote:
>They seem to be ideally suited to Britain, particularly in the north, and
>our Pacific Northwest. They are probably hardy enough for southern New
>England and Long Island and should be tried there. Ditto the southern
>Appalachians, particularly North Carolina. Plant in fall in a spot that is
>always moist (but not soggy) and that has a richly organic, even peaty,
>soil. Hot summers are not to their liking. I've tried them here in
>Virginia once (15 years ago) without success. The plants came up but
>withered before blooming. Bloom time seems to be with the Japanese Iris or
>a little earlier, so they could be very useful.
>
>I'm going to try them again this year in what might be a better spot, after
>seeing really spectacular plantings in southern Scotland, in a garden along
>the roadside. There were big clumps that must have been down for years,
>and as the flowers were unstreaked, they were probably seedlings that had
>escaped being virused.
>
Bill and all: I would certainly give them a shot. I had some about 10
yrs. ago (HOW can that be??) and they did quite well here in upstate NY
even though I did not give them very good culture, according to your
suggestions. Mine were in a dry, sandy soil--they were short--about 30",
as I remember--yet they bloomed and came back for several years. I got the
bulbs mail-order. They were supposed to be assorted but were all the same
color of deep blue with purple hues, and they did show the virus streaks.
But they were nice, and if I had really known what to do with them, would
have been even better. They did much better for me than Dutch irises,
which tend to expire the first winter here. FWIW
Dorothy Fingerhood
daf10@cornell.edu
Newfield, NY
