iris beds?

This may seem like a silly question, but I would really like all you experts' opinions. I do not have any irises at this time, but absolutely love them and am going to plant some when the snow melts. So, do they do better in a bed that is all irises, or do most of you plant them scattered among your other flowers in other beds? I am in zone 3b, if that helps or makes a difference. Thanks!

I have evergrees, daylilies, I also have hostas (this I control) mums, hens and chicks but about 90% of my gardens are Irises.
:)
A

I dabble a bit in pollinating so i like all my Iris in one location so i dont have to run around this acre to get to them. Lazy ......i know ...lol

Oh my, hyer! Pollinating! I'm lucky if it grows in the first place, and if I can tell what it is when it does grow. I can't imagine! I have never even collected seeds from anything! But, I am going to try that this year. LOL!! You people are so-o-o-o smart and knowledgeable about these things!

I have mine in mixed perennial and shrub/ tree beds. That's the way I like the looks. I know a lot of people have dedicated beds, but I personally don't care for them that way. Just my choice. Obviously if you're hybridizing them you would want a dedicated bed, but I don't.

I match them by color to my other plantings.

The only dedicated beds that I have are my rose beds. Everything else just gets mixed together, but I need some height in some of these, so thought maybe irises would help. I swear, I am the worst at planning! I actually have 2 beds that I have no clue what is in them. Found old (I mean OLD, like 18 year old) seeds and just scattered them on the ground and hoped they grew! Mixed wildflowers, so when they actually bloomed last year I just let them reseed themselves! Maybe I'll stick some irises in those also! Thanks!

I say, plant them anywhere you like, just so they get plenty of sun. But, you don't want to plant them where they get too much water though, as they can experience rot. They may need extra protection from the cold in your zone, but that shouldn't be a problem. I have seen TBI blooming on concrete after they were dug up to repair a drain pipe. They are tough plants and well worth planting for your enjoyment.

Happy JackMom, if that's the way mine will look I will be thrilled! That is beautiful! I am traveling to AZ next week, so you can bet that I will be looking at all the pretty yards all along the way! I try to protect everything from the cold some here. Sis ranches, so always has tons of good clean straw I can use, and pine straw besides grass, leaves, etc. Just don't want to lose anything after all the work getting it to grow in the first place! Thanks for all your opinions and advice! I think they will go everywhere! Can't wait to take pictures!

Well, enjoy your AZ trip. There are a lot of beautiful yards and gardens in AZ, enjoy. It sounds like you have plenty of straw and etc to cover up your plants, so they should do well.

Donna

Adobe Rose and friends