Bearded Irises. Progress report.Iris bed #2

Bearded Iris bed #2

Bearded Iris "Alcazar" 1910

 I did some minor puttering in the bearded iris beds.  Bed #1, the first historic iris bed, is too cluttered.  As we move into fall, I want to remove some extras.  Buddleia grew like crazy.  Oregano is too big for the irises.  The iris seedlings need to move too.  Too crowded.  I need a place for them.

Bearded Iris bed #2, also heritage irises, with a couple of exceptions.  Marigolds and sweet alyssum grew larger than I expected, very nice but too much crowding.  Still it will be ok to wait for frost when these annuals die off.

I did add some "step-over" plants.  Hoping they stay small.  A Sempervivum, alpine geranium, and a couple of others. 

Bearded Iris "Owyhee Desert" 1997

Bearded Iris "Romeo" 1912

 The iris starts are sending out new sprouts, and the original leaves are growing larger.  They are settling in.

Alcazar was via Heritage Iris Preservation Society.  From the separate, historic iris blog - "Color effect light hortense violet, velvety pansy-violet bicolor viened on bronze haft; size large; form long; open, oblong ; flowering habit free ; tall bearded class ; height 32 inches ; branching wide at center or above ; A flower of extra substance ; firm texture ; slightly crêped surface ; good fragrance ; An outstanding specimen plant, with very large well balanced flowers and excellent foliage."  I like that description, "hortense violet".

I suspect "Romeo" is mislabeled.  The prior blossom did not look like the web identification for this variety.  It bloomed in the winter.  It is about to bloom again.  Why is this a fall blooming variety?  Strange.


"Los Angeles" is in a shadier spot.  Not good for new iris starts, but it is what is. 

I'm continuing to clean up bearded iris bed #3.  That is mostly new varieties, some were established clumps moved from the Vancouver yard.  Some exceptions.  A few unrelated plants need to be moved from that bed as well.

Bearded Iris :Los Angeles" 1927

Bearded Irises. Historic Iris Preservation Society rhizomes.

Irises from HIstoric Iris Preservation Society

Bearded Iris Bed #3, mostly modern varieties.

 This package, of Historic bearded iris varieties, is from the Historic Iris Preservation Society.  The rhizomes are grown by members, and sold to provide funds for the organization.  A package with several varieties, may be grown by various gardeners.  I requested specific varieties.  There was one substitution, and one bonus variety - Gay Geisha - which looks very nice on the website.

The varieties were:
Los Angeles 1927.
California Blue 1929.  From the HIPS site:  "From The Iris City Gardens catalog for 1940: "...vigorous...long blooming season... well branched and early. Rich bluish violet with a glowing beard. It is the most delightfully fragrant which we know. 4½ feet."
Gay Geisha 1959.
Frost and Flame  1956.
The substitution was Bourree, for Beverly Sills.  Bouree is described at "Nola's Iris Garden" as " 1984... 35½ inches... light lavender and the falls are white ground with ¼" petunia purple plicata band and speckles at hafts; lavender beard tipped bronze; ruffled; sweet fragrance."

Bearded Iris Bed #2, mostly historic varieties.

Irises among the peppers.  Bearded Iris Bed #3.

These came in the mail yesterday.  I planted them today.

I did rearrange one variety.  At the back of Bearded Iris Bed #1, was "Eleanor Roosevelt" - which is a small variety, and has been shaded by a Buddleia plant that grew way out of bounds.  The Buddleia will be moved this fall.  Meanwhile, I pulled the last of the Swiss Chard, and planted "Eleanor Roosevelt" in Bearded Iris Bed #2, at the front.

Meanwhile, the marigolds and sweet alyssum have both been overgrowing their places as narrow edging.  Very nice, but crowding the irises.  So I pruned the plants, and fed to the chickens.  They seem to like sweet alyssum plants, but were wary of the marigolds.  Oh well.  I was hoping the yellow petals would translate to darker yellow yolks.

Bearded Iris bed #3 was meant to be modern varieties.  I did not have room in beds #1 and #2, so a few historic varieties went into Bed #3.  I don't have to be rigid about what goes where.  At some future date, I can trade - remove a couple of modern varieties from #1 and #2, and replace them with the old

There are some chili pepper plants in Bed #3.  They will grow until frost, which is plenty of time for the new rhizomes to establish and start to grow.