How do you arrange your beds?

I'm planting a lot of new singles this year. Probably too many but I divide every other or third year depending on how much each iris has increased.

I know I need to move my Earthborn to a front location as it's a shorter one. Blueberry Bliss was super tall and sturdy so it's going to the back row. I have bought some SDB, BB, MTB and BB this year which I'm new to. Thought about doing some containers for my favorites of those since I have good luck with iris in containers.

Do you sort by color, name, mixed color for a mixed bouquet effect, height, bloom time? I know I have to separate a few that may look too similar as I'm partial to orange and blue.

If I was going to arrange my irises, I would make sure to keep the taller at the back so I could see all of the. Note that I said 'if' as we mainly put them where there is an empty spot. Really the SDBs can be under trees a bit as they may bloom before the trees leaf out. The other medians better be where you will be able to see them, in front of the TBs.

Re color: You could keep your blues separating different oranges (or vice versa). Bloom time sorting would be helpful unless you might want to see a bed of a certain color; for example blue SDB with IBs & MTBs behind , finishing bloom just as your blue TBs come into flower. Then You can say 'not right' & do it differently when you divide them. Hope all this makes sense.

Yup it does:) I hadn't really paid attention to heights before then noticed that a couple were a bit obscured from view behind the taller ones.

I'll have to check out the heights and bloom times now. I appreciate the tips. I really admire so many of the great iris photos here of everyone's flower beds and am hoping to have one that looks half as good as the ones I see here:lol:

Thats good advise.
Good luck dmac085

Thanks:) I'm sorta trying an all iris bed this year so I'm looking forward to it.

dmac... I just got a great deal on Craig's list a few weeks ago, 3-400 tb's . I was told there were 4 diff. iris, 2 purples and 2 plicatas, plus I have received 3 different trades, 2 specifically for iris. I am making a new bed 4' wide X135' long (so far, have to finish bed, another 100 ft. or so.). I am planting in groups of color, ie. 5 of this, 3 of that, 1 odd ball, 2 of this, and repeating over, trying to mix colors a bit. Have even mixed in a few from my established plants, trying to get blocks of color, gosh I hope it looks good, if not I can always edit, (lol). Isn't that what gardening is all about, editing to your own personal view of dislikes and likes, always hoping to get that combo that is just absolutely exquisite. And then you have to wait another whole year to see it again, lol. Don't cha just love gardening,LOL, I do. Next spring I will be adding annual seed of gypsophila elegans ( blooms same time as iris and onward), and annual nicotiana sandersae "Heaven Scent". They both are reseeders and the nicotiana is extremely fragrant in the evening. Just a few ideas for you to consider, hope that helps and good luck........Kathy.

heres a pix of a tb that has no true standards, only falls, enjoy...Kathy.

Do you collect the 'flatties'? Hope your color schemes come out the way that you want them.

You've got some work cut out for you, Kathy.

I like the flatties too, something different.

yeah.... at this time of year, where I'm trying to squeeze a few more new iris, I put them where ever this is room... but for the most part, I try to plant by color... I tried to put contrasting colors together so that each one stands out. I did make one new bed though, that is several black and white iris, some blue tones and some beige and white tones as well.. but mostly it should look like black, white, black, white, etc... almost like a checker board! I've always wanted to plant black and white, black and white along a fence line... like a dotted line! LOL! Some day.... I've also always wanted to make a black and pink bed.... another 'someday'.... &:-)
I made a map with iris photos of my yard that was divided into 7 sections.... and that's when I noticed that I sure have alot of blue and purple iris!!!! I ordered a bunch of orange, red and pinks this year to make up for that! LOL!

Hey, Naomi, I did the black & white thing the first year I started with iris. They all bloomed, but.... Iris have seasons, and you have to make sure they are all the same, or you get what I got -- the blacks were early and bloomed, but the whites were mid and late, and didn't even start blooming until the blacks were all done! So if you want them blooming together, make sure you get varieties that are all the same season!

Sue

Yes that is a flatie, I have one that is all white and another with tan and white (pix above). Gosh, have been digging iris out of the field, 2 days of digging. Wow, I didn't know I had that many,lol. Going to rototil and plant: trees shrubs and flowers this time. Am making new beds for the iris, most will be outside the fenced garden as I have found the deer don't mess with iris. Gosh I hope I can get this done,lol. I thought I had lost most from the hail in July but I was wrong.lol. I would love to get more of the flaties but where I buy (Long's Iris Gardens) only had 2. They said they might try to obtain some other varieties, they white smells like gardenias, love it. The season is winding down, didn't have much blooms this year and most things were so short, (lousy hail),lol. I guess I'm ready for next year. Hope everyone had a good year, am still busy weeding, cutting back, rototilling, planting, potting on, etc,etc, Gosh will I get it all done, fingers crossed,lol. pix is Flopsy, the white flatie, enjoy. Kathy

The deer will sometimes eat iris buds here. They especially don't like the leaves.

Well dmac i just sorta put em all in the ground lol
I'm waiting to see what blooms and when next year. Most are at the outer edge of a round bed that has peonies that need some TLC in the center.
So thanks guys for good ideas since next spring will be my first year of blooming irises. :)
Thanks dmac!!!! :D

here's the only iris that was blooming when it was moved to my yard.

Hi Sue, oh yeah, huh? ha ha!! I didn't think about that.... I just saw the garden in my head.. &:-)
Thanks for the wake-up!

Naomi