Bearded Irises. Trying Once Again. 9.6.18

Night Hawk.  2013.

Mixed Bearded Irises.  5.19.15

Edith Wolford.  5.15.14

I had given up on bearded irises.  They are probabl my favorite perennial flower, at least when in season.  And they are considered very easy to grow.  They survive hot dry summers, buy going dormant, so need little care then.

However, for some reason, they've done so poorly in some years and locations, I gave up.  They develop leaf spot and bacterial rot, die and fall over.  Meanwhile, it's difficult to keep them weeded.  So I gave up.  I didn't throw them away.  Instead, I dug out the clumps and moved them to the sunny side of the edge of the woods, where I cleared out blackberries.  There, I let them be, to die or grow as they see fit.

This year, there wasn't much  bloom.  I didn't expect it.  But the leaves were stronger and thicker than in previous years, and they did not have any bacterial rot or leaf spot, which were scourges for me.  Deer didn't touch them, which is great.  I did not water all summer long, and they continue to survive and grow into healthy-looking clumps.

Unlabeled Bearded Iris Clumps - In Recovery.  9.6.18

Bearded Iris Rhizomes Planted Summer 2018.

 I decided to give them another try.  This time, I'll plant them in unamended soil, unlike the compost-amended soil that I had in raised beds in the past.  This location was a blackberry bramble for many years.  In 2017, it grew sweet corn.  In 2018, it grew garlic.  I have not added compost.

As for which irises, since I was basically discarding them, I didn't label the clumps.  I'm leaving most in place in the border, but re-rescuing any that are in shade or too close to trees.  One is transferred from a front border.   Most but not all, are historic varieties.

In addition, I ordered rhizomes from Schreiners' in Oregon.  This is the best sources, of the healthiest rhizomes, that I know.  I ordered, and planted, Victoria Falls (light blue), Cheetah Cheeze (Variegated Orange flower with white splashes), Zin City (Burgundy), Play to Win (Yellow falls, white standards), Beverly Sills (Pink-ish, an older variety), Edith Wolford (I liked this in garden.  Blue falls, yellow standards), Red Hawk (and old one that I grew and liked, brick red, sort of), Owyhee Desert (an odd combination of white and sandy buff colors, and tiny burgundy splashes), and Padded Shoulders (white standards, falls with splashes of buff).  There was a free bonus of Starting Fresh - white standards, falls with blue and white.

That's probably  more than I should have bought.  I know that if they bloom, I'll  like them a lot.  This location is difficult to reach with the garden hose, so I want it to need minimal or no water next summer, good for irises. 

I also picked up  the package shown, from Costco.  The deep red color is "My Friend Jonathan" and the blue is "His Royal Highness". 

I may move a few other clumps that are in the trees, where they will dwindle away unless moved.

It will be nice if they bloom like they did at their best.  If not, it's not much of a loss.   I'll hope for flowers next may.