Need advice on how many Iris to put in a new garden...

Hello All,
Sorry I've been away for so long...just been overwhelmed with gardening and building a new garden...Whew!
I wish I could have dedicated the entire new garden just for Irises, but unfortunately I had to divide the space with other plants. The area that is left is about 7x7'. How may Irises can I reasonably "stuff" in the garden without having to dig and divide until...lets say 2 years from my planting them late this summer when I receive them?
I've ordered 40 and expected to have enough room in the new garden for them all. I know that is not possible and the rest will be in pots and I'll be giving a few to my MIL too.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

There's plenty of time to get rid of some of that grass & make room for your Iris.

This was grass last summer until late August.

Bernie

Schreiner recommends to space Irises 6" to 8" apart pointing the growing tips away from others if a clump effect is desired. Irises spread to the side and behind growing tip.

Over-crowding of the iris bed ocurs every 3 to 5 years depending on the initial spacing of the Irises. You don't have to divide Irises every 2 years. I divide mine every 3, sometimes 4 years. Spacing them further apart allows you some extra time before the need to divide.

You have 49 sq. feet of room. Allowing 12" for each Iris you can fit 49 rhizomes, if you plant them in rows.

You have a 7 x 7 plot. Staying 1 ft away from the borders leaves a 6 x 6 planting area.
I consider the minimum distance apart for a permanent bed to be 18". You would be
surprised how quickly a healthy clump can cover 12". You always want good sunlight
and ventilation to prevent a lot of diseases. At 18" you have ample room for 25 irises.
As the other opinion stated, 12" will give you an almost solid mass of plants but will
be a real mess trying to clean and weed.

My preferred planting. 5 irises in a 4 x 4 square. 4 corners plus 1 in the center. 3rd yr.

General plot planted on 18" centers. 3rd year. Impossible to clean after the plants develope
their mature leaves.

I think the total time is 3 growing years plus the planting year. Should have said 4 years total
in both instances.

Did you get multiples of your plants or 40 plants? the 6 to 8" is a planting of the same plant. Give them at least a foot apart if different plants, 18" is better. Dwarf take less room, but asuming your plants are tall bearded.

I like the new garden layout, very nice and neat.

Oldgardenrose- Love your picture of the iris row, just what I would like my iris to look like.

I know of no references for it but spacing could be according to your area. My area has a lot
of spring rains and early summer is hot and humid. I would expect a cooler and drier area to
have slower growth.

You are near my zone....maybe same zone, I'm too lazy to look up. If you provide reasonable growing conditions, I'd go with 18" minimum. So, to plant all the Iris consider starting another bed at the far left :)

I planted 70 Iris 3 years ago, each 18" apart and now many have sealed the gap.

Enjoy !

Hello All,

I appreciate all your help! I'm going to try and space them between 15-18" apart. I figure I could get about 3 rows of 5 or 6 and I'll have to start considering making another new bed in the front yard for the rest.
Why isn't it the other way around? Having too much garden space and not enough plants...LOL

Country Gardens and Oldgardenrose,

Thanks for posting your wonderful pics :)

newyorkrita,

Thank you :)