Planting perennials that keep on giving in more way than one has long been my approach to gardening . With minimal care and investment funds , you reap expectant rewards in terms of beauty and a amplitude of new plants to share every few years .
Among thedaylilies , Funka , Moonbean coreopsis , paeony , rosesand the like reside what I call the Grand Lady of the Garden , the whiskered iris .
My mother , the furthest affair from a gardener herself , had a glob of very bouncy yellow iris grow in front of thebay windowsof our childhood home , and I was always take out to them . So when I start building my own garden , I knew they would be admit .
In this clause
A long way from yellow
When I set out to find those xanthous single my mother grew , I discovered a whole new world I had no idea existed . There wereirisesin pink , majestic , bloodless , red , soft blue , and every color combination of those – with mythic name like Beverly Sills , Pink Cherub , Sweet Musette and Lady Friend – in varying heights with their distinctive stunning lance - like foliage .
The one word I could come up with while centre through the selection was “ elegant . ” The choker of the petals to this day prompt me of a Grand Lady terpsichore in her ball gown — piano , pretty , womanly . To cogitate that such a beautiful flower emerges from a blob of a dark-brown rootstalk is still awing to me , but issue it does with a minimum of care .
It’s quirky, but not complicated
plant these resplendent lulu is pretty straight - forward and should be done in mid- to recent summer to allow stem systems to develop before cold weather bent in . fleur-de-lis like full sun and well - drain , slightly acid soil . The one thing you do have to be careful of is not to plant them too thick . Leave a little mound on the top of the rhizome exposed ; if you do n’t , they may not flower .
They also do n’t like atomic number 7 - full-bodied fertiliser or mulch , both of which can do the rhizome to decompose . apply a lite dusting of pearl repast or superphosphate in other outpouring and then a month or so after the blooming , or use a generic 6 - 10 - 10 plant food mix .
If they do grow hogwash ( recognized by base that have become loose or gentle and are romp lilliputian holes ) the in force intelligence is all you have to do is cut the uncollectible spot away with a sharp knife .
Irises may also stop flower well if they become too congested . The plants should be cut every few years by digging up the clumps , cutting rhizome apart , removing any soft spot or gob , and leave one healthy solidifying of leaves and unwavering , white roots . Replant the novel rootstock and share any extra with gardening ally ..
broadly speaking speaking , iris beds should be keep weed free to keep them see well in their ball gowns , and flush stanch should be shorten back to ground degree after blooming . The leaves should be left alone if they take care green and healthy , but anything that expect pathologic or dark-brown should be removed and destruct . ( Do n’t put them in the compost pile ! ) .
If Mom could do it …
If this sounds restrain to you , commit me when I say that iris are one of the loose care perennials out there . Believe it or not , a then inexperient gardener did all of the above some 35 year ago with those yellow irises in front of the category home . Now , the descendants of that original works still thrive in my garden today .
If my mother could grow them , and I can spring up them , so can you ! Happy gardening !
