I am finially trying Dutch Iris for real.

I really do love the looks of them and the little bulbs are really quite inexpensive. So I had ordered some and just got them all planted two days ago. I planted 750 Dutch Iris Bulbs. This really is an experiment as who knows if they will keep coming up past next spring. I guess eventually I will find out LOL!

wow it would take me forever to plant that many bulbs !!!!!!!! please post a pic when they are up and blooming would love to see

I hope they do well Rita. I planted them 3 times years ago before they sold them with a zone recommendation and none ever made it. I always thought they were so striking. You are in a warmer zone so I bet they do.

I have tried them several times here in East Texas too. I noticed they do real well the first year and then they steadly decline in numbers until you don't have any left. Out of all the bulbs I have purchased other than tulips, I'd have to say they are the worst investment. Of course if your just wanting to add a little color here and there they are pretty cute and add alot of color when very little is blooming.

I opt for Daffodils, Paperwhites, Amaryallis, sping and fall Crocus, and other bulbs that will multiply like crazy and continue to bloom for years to come. Of course the dafs, paperwhites, spiderlilies, and so forth grow like weeds in this area. Each year I have the opportunity to go and dig thousands of dafs and paperwhites and add more and more to my gardens. I've been digging them for free for over 5 years now. I'm just about worn out and say each year that it's the last time. Then when their blooming all over the place I relapse and ask if I can go dig some more out of my friends hayfields and so forth. I've yet to be told no by anyone other than my husband. LOL

Good Luck with your Dutch Iris and I hope they do grow for you for years to come.
Sweet Dreams of Spring Things Blooming,
Marian

I just love spring bulbs and really went crazy this fall. About 500 Daffodils and 500 tulips. The daffs do well but the tulips do decline with about 3 years of a really nice display and then have to get more. But I really wanted to have them so I did.

As to the dutch iris they seem to be very hit or miss for those in the northern mid atlantic. Some do well with them, some don't. I know it would be too cold for them up by you Stephanie. It's a shame they don't do well in more areas as they really are so pretty. But I just had to try them. I figgure I will get a fantastic display next spring. But whether they will come back after that is the question. But I know exactly were they are and I am not going to plant anything else there and we will wait and see.

It has been my experience, and reading some of the basic info, that certain hybrid tulips do not naturalize well. I try to stay with the cheaper packages at wal-mart and lowe's and replace them each year. I do buy a few of the expensive tulips and daffs from Breck's but not in the amounts as from the big box stores.

Tulips are a replace every few years item for me although some do come up even after many, many years. But thats only afew. But I love tulips so after awhile I go buy them again and then have a good disply for about three years. It does decline each year but its good for about three years. I planted my tulips really deep this year (10 inches) so I am hoping for great success.

I seem to do better the second year with most irises. I picked them because I thought the colors were striking, and they did not let me down.

You might get a better response with tulips if you plant them deeper. About 4 inches is dinner for moles and voles.

I always plant them deep. No voles here.

Dutch Iris do well here. The most perennial of the tulips are the Darwin Hybrids and some of the species tulips. I have clumps of Darwin Tulips that are over 15 years old and are lovely each spring. Don't tulips do best with moderately cold winters and warm dry summers?