Planting New Irises: random or a grouping of them?

I have over spent on Iris - went to the Argyle Acre Open House this summer and fell in love and spent WAY too much!

Now that they have arrived, I got an assortment of really beautiful ones that are fragrant and don't really have a place for them.

My question is, is it okay to plant them randomly among my perennials, or should they be planted in a group for the best look?

I have an old bed of Home Depot Irises that are nothing special that I could remove & donate if I needed that bed I guess....

Just wondered if any of you have a preferred way to plant them and how they would look scattered in a garden here and there....

It's really just a matter of personal preference on which look you prefer, but if you intermix them with other perennials, I suggest you choose drought hardy companions that don't require much supplemental water so you aren't tempted to overwater your irises. Also, be careful not to crowd your irises. They don't compete well with aggressive neighbors, and they remain healthiest where they get plenty of direct sunshine and lots of air circulation.

One more thing - if you place them in a mulched bed, be careful to push the mulch away from the rhizomes.

Happy planting,

Laurie

Good advice...
I do have mostly xeric plants, however I didn't think about mulch until you mentioned it.
Now I recall Irises don't like mulch :)
Thanks for your input - it goes to show it pays to ask!!

I think if you will do fine if you just use all one variety in each spot you plant. For instance all Syncopation in one area, or all Beverly Sills in another. That way they won't get mixed up when you divide and trade them.

I clump each iris by name seperated from other iris clumps by daylilies & other annuals or perennials. love my iris, but I want blooms in the bed all summer. And it's easier at trade time to know color is which.

I vote for BOTH ways
I have them in my garden and i have 2 IRIS beds-both are beautiful! ;)

notmartha--the iris garden pics you've shown have been wonderful! Any new ones to show me??? My iris are buried under mulch and Spring is a long way away...

I like to plant some in groups and some just one or two among other things - they help anchor the spot between hyacinths and tulips ont eh one hand and lilies on the other. Bearded Iris are pretty prolific so a few can go a long way in this regard - plus they don't all bloom at the same time. This "Victoria Falls" came up the same time as the Dutch Iris in early April.

Steve--great color on the Victoria Falls!

Thanks Wanda....

I love the maroon ones in your picture...what are they?

Sultan's Palace--should be red, but they go a real deep maroon with brown highlights in my dirt. I'll have extra available for trade next spring.

Here is a piece of the same fence row in August. A little easier to see the inter-planting.

Just went out this morning to the side of the house and saw that the same Victoria Falls pictured in my first post (that pic was in early April) is about to rebloom! Took this picture this morning, 11/23 - I usually leave when it is dark and often get home when it is dark, so I didn't notice it until now.

Wow! So late? What a treat for you!

Do you get re-bloomers as a regular occurence in Texas? This year was the first time I've had more than Immortality re-bloom. I had 5 clumps all going crazy and it was wonderful.

I dunno, Wanda...this has been a weird year for us. LOTS of rain....almost 47 inches this year so far. Those Iris are in their second year...got just a few flowers the first spring, LOTS of them this past spring, and this is the first one I've seen rebloom. I'll keep you posted! What's even weirder is that I planted several Doreen peonies in early October of this year..and look where they are today! I already have flowerbuds on some of them, as you can see in the pic taken today when I came home for lunch. I hope they flower, though it may freeze tonight.

WOW! Peonies in November? Peeked at your Doreen. Double lucky you! And Confused plants! I've heard of some lilacs trying to bloom up this way--not in my garden. Well, I'm not complaining.

Thanks Wanda...yeah I am as surprised as you are. Anyway, your irises are beautiful. you did a great job with them :-)

This year should be even better. A late heavy frost wiped the buds in one bed last April 30. And many of my newer iris will be 2nd year & blooming first time.

Another mixed bed on the north west side of house.