Louisianas help

Please tell me how long after your Siberians do Louisianas bloom. And how long before your Japanese? I need to get some sort of timeline.

I saw some Louisianas at Highland Park in Rochester NY, huge masses of them, not in bloom yet. I really want to go back and see them bloom, and then order some I like, but I need to know when to go. I tried contacting the park, and no response.

My Siberians are just about in full bloom now, if anyone can give me any ideas about when the Lousianas should bloom, I would appreciate it.

Thanks! Polly

Hi PollyK,

You have discovered the Iris Friendship Garden. Total awesome bliss. You are lucky to live near enough to visit.

The first LAs for this garden were donated around 1918 by Dorothy K. Williamson, a renowned irisarian. I have an LA with that name and think of the Friendship garden every year when it blooms.

Am sure that Bloomtime will be any day now,
as it is almost mid-June. When I lived in Ontario (Canada) DKW always bloomed around June 17 - 20.

Take some photos of the beds and post them please.

The current beds were planted with donations from round the world, by members of the LA iris society.

Here is Princess Leia, blooming inside in the midst of Winnipeg zone 2 winter, photo taken by Echoes.

inanda

Re ordering. Can't do better than ICG (Iris City Gardens). A wonderful catalogue, well packed and very speedy. Wonderful people.
inanda

Inanda,

Thanks so much, how did you know that? I am so excited you told me that. I would love to read about the Iris Friendship Garden, if you know of the source of info.

We go to the Lilac Festival there each year. I remember the iris being planted a few years ago, or maybe it was just being replanted.

Not knowing about Lousianas being hardy here I assumed they were Sibs. This year I read the tags, and said it must be Louisianas.

I then contacted Greg at Iris City Gardens, and he assured me they were hardy here. So I want to go look at the ones in Rochester and see which I like, and then order them from Greg.

Do you grow them in Winnipeg, bring them in each winter?

Thanks so much for your response, would love to hear where you found the info. And I will take pics.

Polly

Inanda,

Now that you have provided the name, I found info about the garden.

It mentions there will be a tour on 6/20, so I assume next week will be the time to go.

I so appreciate your response. I'm all set now. And now I know more about it, I'm so excited.

Thanks again.

Polly

My Louisiana's bloom just about the same time as my late Tall Beardeds do and are finished before my very late TBI bloom. But I may not have a mix that covers the season. I don't know.

I'm sure enjoying mine.

Thanks Doss! My mid TB's are blooming now, so that should be right. Appreciate the help. Polly

How did I learn about the Iris Friendship Garden. Osmosis I guess. Really can't remember. One day I'll go East during bloomtime to see it. Depends on Homeland Security and the rules rules rules.
Inanda

Pictures of the Iris Friendship Gardens I visited today.

Thanks Inanda for identifying the garden for me!

Almost all were huge clumps already. Some had no flowers at all, and no evidence there had been or will be flowers, but some were just flowering like crazy.

I found some names for some i will order, to give them a try in my garden. Some we just could not find the names as the clumps were just billowing over to the ground.

The leaves alone would make a statement in any garden.

I can't believe I have missed out on Louisianas this long. Time to order.

Do LA irises need to be in standing water?

Greg at Iris City Gardens told me regular garden beds, mulch them well. Actually the ones at Highland Park were in quite dry soil. I took a picture of how they were planted for reference when I plant them.

Thanks, that seems deep for an iris...but I guess LAs are different.

Many thanks for the pix. One day I'll get there.
inanda

NO LA Iris do just fine in regular garden soil MissGarney--for me, here; they are in a wetter part of my garden and I try to really flood them with the water hose 3 or 4 time a winter if they don't get much heavy rain. And I keep them under a deepish (3-4") of oak leaves and hardwood mulch.

As far as blooming time--down here that's late March.
Debbie