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Iris are perhaps my favorite perennials. A native of the world, it is at home in many different climates and soils. Most important it's gorgeous both in form and color: the name "iris" comes from the Greek word for rainbow. And indeed it does come in a wide range of colors from white to blue to purple to ruby red to yellow. The velvet texture of its petals is incredibly attractive. You want to caress it! One of the first plants to flower in the spring, its culture is very easy.
Perhaps my favorite iris is a native American: the Louisiana iris - a large size bloom of lovely shape and spectacular colors. This plant grows in garden soil, water or on the margins of a pond or lake. Look at it at Wayside Gardens website.
Wayside Gardens: Iris louisiana 'Black Gamecock' - A Louisiana Iris with huge purple-black blooms highlighted in gold; very vigorous in wet, boggy soils. (http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10151& langId=-1&mainPage=LGprodview&ItemId=49797&cid=wpp000089 - broken link)
How about the rest of you? What’s your favorite perennial. Anybody with me about iris? If so, which is your favorite?
The Iris is my favorite too -- but I never thought about planting any in my yard because I thought they were too delicate. Thanks SO much for the link. Omygosh, that Black Gamecock is stunning! I'm going to order some and give it a try!!
Heavens, no. They are not the least bit delicate and some kinds (Japanese Iris e.g.) seed themselves. The one thing you do have to be careful of with the bearded iris is letting the roots rot. You have to have decent drainage - not super drainage - but decent drainage.
At our last home I had the most beautiful irises, several varieties, in different gardens. In this house, after 11 years, I cannot get any irises to bloom! I will occasionally get one to bloom, but rarely. I am at a loss as to what the problem is. They look so healthy, but they just sit there. And they are in several different locations, ranging from part to full sun. Not buried too deeply, or overcrowded. I'm going to divide one clump soon that was given to me about 8 years ago; I think in all those years I've seen one bloom. It's odd, I think this house is cursed since I had the most beautiful irises at our last house.
One of my favorite perrenials is the tiny "corydalis". I started with one, and they are everywhere here now. They start blooming heavily in early spring, and don't stop until the first frost. Ihave the yellow variety, more yellow than in this pic. They grow to about 10" tall and wide, and are in constant bloom:
At our last home I had the most beautiful irises, several varieties, in different gardens. In this house, after 11 years, I cannot get any irises to bloom! I will occasionally get one to bloom, but rarely. I am at a loss as to what the problem is. They look so healthy, but they just sit there. And they are in several different locations, ranging from part to full sun. Not buried too deeply, or overcrowded. I'm going to divide one clump soon that was given to me about 8 years ago; I think in all those years I've seen one bloom. It's odd, I think this house is cursed since I had the most beautiful irises at our last house.
One of my favorite perrenials is the tiny "corydalis". I started with one, and they are everywhere here now. They start blooming heavily in early spring, and don't stop until the first frost. I have the yellow variety, more yellow than in this pic. They grow to about 10" tall and wide, and are in constant bloom:
I assume that you are fertilizing your iris and that they are growing them in the correct planting zone. If so, I can't imagine what might be wrong. Do you belong to Dave's Garden? If you do, why don't you ask the question of some other SW Connecticut folks on their forum? They are usually very knowledgeable.
I've never seen a corydalis before. What a lovely flower. I wonder if they grow here in Charlotte. The yellow evening primrose has long been one of my favorites. I took many from the garden in my Minneapolis birthplace before we sold the house. They grew beautifully here in the SE until the city of Charlotte tore up my garden several years ago for a storm water sewer and I have been able to find them again. I now have the pink variety, but would love to have the yellow again.
Yep, same zone, they should be fine here. Our current house is only a half hour away from the old one. In fact, some of the irises I brought from our last house.
I have never heard of Dave's Garden, but I looked it up. What a great site, thanks!
I too love Iris. I have alot around my patio, and in my pond as well. They do so well on the shelf ledge around the pond.
I do not know if I have a favorite perennial, there are so many. I do love creeping phlox in the spring. Of course, I wish the blooms would last longer. I am a fan of Daylilies as well. To tough to choose!
I've tried raising them from seed this year. I'm having very little luck. I just planted a whole new batch of seeds outside in trays. I hope they make it better than those I started inside in March.
HC, I hope that your seeds do well too. I keep planting seeds year after year and year after year get scrawny little plants in return for my efforts. I'm going to try cosmos and black susans again this year - one last try! The only seed successes I seems to have are with tomatoes and basil.
I too love daylilies. Last year at this time ( fickle?) I may have posted daylilies as my favorites. Perhaps, my current love affair with iris is because mine are so gorgeous right now. They are overwhelming me with their beauty. I'm out there first thing in the morning to admire them.
Hostas, Regal Lilies, Iris. Sorry, can't pick just one...
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