Here's the plan for the New Bearded Iris Bed

I already ordered bearded iris from Zebra Gardens and Schreiners to ship in July. So I have been making my plans for a new bed for them. At first I was going to do a round bed, then I thought square might be better. But neighter looked just right laying it out and trying outlines by clothline. So I moved it over aways about 8 feet down from original spot and I liked that idea.

Going to go with a seven foot square. I am going to do the square with those 4 inch wide rounded edge landscape timbers. Planning to go two high. Then I want to make another 2 timber high square inside the first square so that I will have 2 slightly raised bed sections. This all is being put in a section of lawn between the north side of my house and my driveway. Yes, I know that its difficult to believe I have any lawn left but I seems that I do, or did, depening on how you look at it.

I am thinking put the second level 2 feet in from the outlines of the square. That gives me a 2 foot bed all around and a three foot square bed in the middle.

I am still so busy planting all my spring stuff but since I did order these iris, I am committed to having to have a home for them. I need to think on things and look at things put in place before I actually start to do anything permantent. So I am in my planning stages.

I had thought of plans to maybe put other things with the iris but nixed all them . (I had asked in other threads). I now like the idea of gravel for mulch for my new will be iris bed.

So if I have made any grevious errors in my thinking, feel free to point them out. Better now than after its done :-))

Raised beds are perfect for almost any plant but especially irises. "Irises do not like wet
feet" was a phrase I learned after I wasted a couple of years planting rhizomes 4 inches
deep in yellow clay. I haven't used gravel for mulch but it should look ok--just don't cover
the rz's. Make sure they get at least a half day of direct sunlight. The terrace effect would
be stunning with the proper choice of iris heights.

Post a pic when you are finished.

It is in full sun. How should I do the iris height? I ordered all TB iris.

Actually the raised bed is not because of poor drainage. We have great drainage here. But I just like raised beds. I need a bed that was iris only and I do have some other spots around the garden were I will be putting some but they are really small sections. I know 7 feet might not sound like a big bed but I think it will be a good size for my bearded iris. Just about everwhere else is heavily mulched. This is away from my heavly mulched cottage garden woodsey effect beds with roses, daylilies and now siberian iris as well as many shrubs and other plants. Its going to be in the middle of lawn.

The idea of raised beds also permits you to choose the soil content. Rich humus/gritty sand/
a custom mix etc. You can't really go wrong. The size of the irises should be listed--I know
Schreiner's does in their catalog. Check the size and I would put the shorter ones on the lower
terrace to give the upper layer maximum exposure. It will look great regardless of how you
arrange them.

Just a brief look at their catalog indicates from 31 to 42 inches in height.

Here's my new Iris bed I put in last fall. Nothing fancy, just got out the round up sprayer & 2 weeks later the tiller. Iris wintered real well.
Most of these came from an Iris co-op last summer. Others were trades at Southern MN Round Up at my house in September.
Bernie

Re heights: look at the catalogs--I know that Schreiners gives the height on each plant.

CountryGardens--the bed looks great. The only thing that is hard to determine is how far
apart you planted. I used the close spacing for temp beds to see what I have but the best
permanent spacing is about 2 to 3 feet depending on whether you want to dig and divide
every 3 years or 4 years. Those puppies spread quickly under good growing conditions.
Some people like massed plantings and just let them ride.

Bernie- Looks like you have plenty of area to expand if you want to.

Its been years since I tilled a bed or stripped up the sod. If I want to make a new bed I cut the grass as short as I can then lay newspaper down on top of it at least 8 sheets thick. Then I put bagged fall leaves I have saved from the fall on top and volia, instant new bed. Give it afew weeks and the grass is all gone down there. Works extra good if theres lots of rain after you do this or if you water the newspaper well to get it wet before putting on the layer of leaves. If I don't have any leftover leaves to use grass clippings works fine as long as you do not plant immediately. (too hot). Or one can use straw like you buy in bales.

In fact I just did that today to make a bed section were I plan to plant some zinnias next week.

The ones i bought, I have 2 of each, planted together. I have the clumps about 18" apart.

Sounds like a good way to kill grass.

I have all kinds of grass that could be killed! LOL!

Bernie

OK, here is a picture of where I intend to put the iris bed showing most of the sideyard. I put some sticks and green fence posting in a square around the pots with Rugosa roses. Pay no mind to the pots, they will easily move.

OK, in case your thinking thats an odd angle it was taken from the upstairs part of my yard looking down. Heres another picture were I have moved back some. I hope you can see the laid out square because thats were I want it to be.

closeup of the square area

Looking from more in front to the backyard to show were the planned iris bed goes.

I also intend to put bearded iris in the small narrow skinny section down below the front yard planterbox that I am planting with daylilies this spring.

This is to give you an idea how Cottage Garden it is here and how heavily mulched the woodsey area in the front yards is. This area has roses, daylilies, lily bulbs and now Siberian Iris. There are shrubs off to both sides and my Blackberries are along in back of those roses in the picture.

Another angle. Maybe now you can see why I need a stand alone bed if I want to grow iris. That carpet of leaves is very thick and thats after sitting all winter (put on in the fall). Of course, it needs remulching every year