Iris planting companions

Hello! This is the time of year when my little mind is redesigning the garden! I have just planted a row of irises at the front of a flower bed. I know that I've read irises don't like root competition, but is there anything that I can plant in between them and in front of them next year? Stick to annuals maybe? Or are there some perennials that I could safely plant with them? I am looking for something mounding or cascading, like petunias or maybe wishbone flowers. Would this stress the irises?
Thanks for your help!
Erica

Erica, I'm not much of a bearded iris grower, but I know Schreiner's has a lot of perennials in with their irises. Lupines, delphs, poppies, etc., so it can be done, you just want to keep the rhizomes of the irises so they get sun, and aren't kept damp by the other plants.

I put the ground cover geraniums around mine, like Biokovo, and just don't allow them to get tight to the rhizomes and they do fine.

Isn't it the time where we all dream of next year? Now until spring.

Thanks for the tip, PollyK - that is great! Before I read about the crowding, I was actually thinking about winter sowing some poppies among the irises, too. The geraniums sound beautiful - I've heard of Biokovo before - it must be on my "Must Have Plants" list. Haha - I actually have one on my computer!
Yes, I can hardly wait for the seed catalogs to come next month! One of my favorite things to do during the winter is to sit on the floor with a notepad and gardening books and magazines spread out on the floor, and make notes for ideas for the next season. My DH must think its nuts, but a little enthusiasm never hurt anyone! =)

Thanks for starting this thread, ericabelle, and thanks for your suggestions, pollyk. I just planted a new bed of TBIs a few weeks ago, and I was wondering what would be good to place betwixt the rhizomes next spring.

it's warm enough here to sow seed for wildflowers in the fal. I just spread seed for poppy, larkspur, evening primrose and winecup in with the new iris in the new bed for bloom next spring.

I also have the short geraniums in front of mine, for a couple years now, and so far all is well.

I plant violets, snapdragons and lobilia. I plant the violets and lobilia around the perimeter and the snapdragons in the back.