Calhoun County, AL – If you are creating a new landscape zone, you should consider using iris as the evergreen border. Why? Because irises are inexpensive and yield rhizomes, you can divide every few years. In the winter, these evergreen stems grant a nice backdrop to all the brown die back of other plants. Iris can bloom twice yearly, based on the type. And the color choices are amazing. I like the heirloom bearded iris! The bearded iris will always have fuzzy centers, usually in a color opposite to the flower heads. I found a 1965 iris in a wooded area not blooming from the shade and undergrowth. I relocated the 5 giant stalks with massive rhizomes. They bloomed the next Spring with yellow beards and tri-colored flowers that were both lilac and shades of dark lavender and purple. Those 5 have multiplied into 2 dozen giant bearded irises in a few years. Many landscaped country cottage gardens incorporate Iris in their sweeping colors. What I enjoy is the vertical appeal of the stems beyond the gorgeous blooms! If you need low maintenance, the iris is your candidate. Be sure to not plant iris rhizomes deep in the soil. Iris needs some light exposure to their rhizomes to be successful bloomers. I was fortunate to be gifted an heirloom white iris called Resurrections. These giant irises are twice the size of other irises I collect. I included a vase of water in a photo to express their size. Enjoy Iris and be sure to divide them from over crowding or you reduce the success of the blooms.
Betty Clark is a contributing writer. She has been an organic gardener since 1998. The signature flower she grows is Dahlias. She has a straw bale garden, a raised bed garden, and an in-ground garden. Both her surnames are agricultural farming families (8 generations). Her hobbies include ancestry research, antiques, continued education classes, and workshops. She also has a background in marketing & promotions including expos. To contact Betty Clark with gardening questions: [email protected]
