Hello! I am perusing sites as I have my morning cuppa. I had some surprises that finally bloomed this year in my garden and not at all what I was expecting. I am hoping to move some of my blooms around to compensate for some of these colors that I'm not a fan of and make use of them and see what I can do and maybe make a more pleasing eyespace for me.

For example: these two bloomed next to one another:




Neither are what I had ordered. And together it was a bit much to my eyes at the same time.

Besides just finding photos here for ideas, do any of you have websites that you can direct me to that offer ideas of how to blend some of these in the garden? Some photos I see are just all sorts of all tones and colors and for me that's also a bit much. I guess I'm looking for a more curated display? When something reads garish or out of place to you, how do you blend them in? Do you choose one of the colors to work with and blend that way?

It's early, I'm still waking, so my mind is foggy, but I want to start making a plan to move these around soon and what better way on a Saturday morn then to look at others garden photos. Or asking for where I can do so.

Thanks in advance! Off for my second cuppa and more perusing! And more learning.

If you had labeled these properly at planting, you would know exactly what vendor sent you these, and when, and what they had been represented as being. You would then be able to contact the vendor for a refund or replacement, which you really are entitled to if a vendor sends you mislabeled stuff. And I will tell you that some vendors are much worse about this than others, making sturdy garden markers with fade-proof tape an absolute necessity in order to get your refund or replacement.

I have simply culled out most of the unordered irises that I've received through the years. And for certain irises that have trouble blending well with others, I have established a separate "hots" garden.

I know who the vendor was, I marked with their names as they were planted and marked at arrival and they DIDN'T/haven't bloomed for three and four seasons respectively (yes they aren't too deep, they are in a space others have bloomed, these were smallish at arrival and we've had craptastic weather the last 5 years either too hot and 100° on May 1 or too cold and heavy wet snow late April, or hail and too much rain even my old standbys say hell no to blooming then) and when some finally did this year, they did not appear as named. That said, I don't think a vendor will take kindly to me saying not as ordered this late in the game. I've read others have had issue w this vendor and lack of response. I get people mess up all the time but I had 4 of my 8 incorrect etc. And yes, I do keep them in separate spaces until I'm sure of what I have. I've learned w dahlias to do the same, so I have no problem vendor complaining, but I generally see the issues in the same growing year or a few months after arrival so I can be proactive about my questions to them.

What I'm looking for is some other places I can look for ideas on distributing color and smoothing out the odd spots. I learn through others especially their photos if I can't stop locally (few and far between in my local area) and how they have managed their colors. I have an art background and I tend to see colors differently than some. So what might appear fine to the general population in a garden does not always appear fine for me - same with everything I see.

Thanks for your time.

When I started getting irises years ago, I'd print out small pictures of each iris and then arrange them so that they would compliment each other. For example, too many pastels together all kind of get lost, too many busy patterns together have the same affect. I learned that I liked breaking them up with a few selfs or whites, etc. But as time passed, and space became an issue, I more or less plunked them wherever there was space. I'm not much of an artist.

there are some companion planting posts in this forum, but cannot remember how to bring those topics up. maybe someone might remember, and help me find those articles?

'scarlet', if you don't mind other species of plants intermingled with your irises, "mixing" might help with odd colors?

i like to mix my borders. there are several other forum members that have fantastic displays of photos (of) their work. off the top of my head three come to mind: henhouse, sue our moderator, and dirtdorphins. you might want to look at their lovely posts for ideas on blending.

there was another member, who doesn't post anymore. but, if you could find some of neal's earlier posts of his garden; he had the perspective of an artist's eye from a florists' point-of-view.

here's one example of dirt's photos, i am assuming it's part of her garden.

here's a few of sue's photos:

https://garden.org/pics/2015-0...

here's one of many photo contributions by henhouse:

Oh good! Just what I was looking for! Thank you all!

I'll spend my county fair wind down looking at images to maybe help my garden along.

I like Tom's idea. I did something similar at first, but I didn't print them out. Instead, I made a board of my irises on Pinterest, where I can shuffle the "pinned" photos around.

Now I pretty much place a new one where I have a bit of space, trying to keep in mind the colors that will be blooming around it.

I like to keep the yellows and oranges pale, so they harmonize better and yet perk up the garden. And I try to keep very multicolored ones to a minimum because though they may be beautiful as individual flowers, to my eye they tend to look mussy on masse. And so I tend toward selfs and bitones, though I may make rare exceptions. Rules are made to be broken.

If I have an iris that doesn't play well with others (but I just had to have it!), I've been known to make a separate garden for it, where I specifically plant others that are more likely to harmonize with it.

My gardens are all a mess right now. We need to replace a porch and I pulled my iris out of that bed but the porch is hugely expensive and the last few summers it's been pretty much annuals only (haven't won the lotto for the porch) and I'm to the point I'd love to move them back in there. Or at least some of them where maybe they wouldn't have to dig the foundation if I by chance can replace it sooner than not.

I'll have to go look at my photos and see what I can do. Appreciate all the help. And will look at others and see what I can find.

There are some photos of our gardens in this thread:
The thread "What type of property do you have to plant Iris?" in Irises forum

Here are a few blogs from many years ago by Suzanne Spicker that should get you started.

https://theamericanirissociety...
https://theamericanirissociety...

http://susannespicker.blogspot...

Here are a couple beds from my garden showing different color themes..

Yay! Thank you! Such lovely garden spaces. Lots of ideas to peruse and get me thinking.

Appreciate the help.

This is how I've arranged beds in the past. I print up pictures and arrange them on the coffee table. I write their height and bloom season, along with the name on each picture, so I have all the information to arrange them. It's easier to find the right color combinations this way for me. After I've got it figured out, I use plastic slide holders to put the arrangement in.. Easy to move/remove, and goes in a binder.




Some examples of "rules" that have worked for me:
-Match color saturation when pairing colors. Deep rich colors, pastels, warm colors, cool colors, all look best and don't get lost when paired.
.


-When you have many patterned Iris, use a self that's the same color as part of the pattern, or pick up a couple of the colors..




-opposites attract... Purple and Orange, Blue and Yellow (bonus points for matching the beard..)


-yellow can lift up other colors.. white too..


- In mixed beds, contrast the sizes of foliage and flowers..


-Choose contrasting patterns and shades in tonal beds..


And remember, rules are meant to be broken

Sherry, what a helpful post! You are a teacher . I am always looking for color ideas in the garden and ways to make a garden scene "work" (contrast of shapes, sizes...balance). You laid out this post in a way that is easy to follow, and your process of photos to binders is a great visual reminder of what is planted where. I was really helped by your suggestions of how to select colors to blend, and your photos enrich your words. Thank you for taking the time to put this together!

Sherry, thank you for sharing your process.

Appreciate it! I'm going out today and see about those that bloomed and gather my photos and start planning the way you have shown. I don't know why I have been stymied by my iris.

Thank you for such nice ideas! And I agree, rules can be broken in the garden

Sherry, I especially love your mixed beds. Such nice contrasts of bloom and foliage textures.

Sherry, someday I would love to go to California and see you're amazing gardens. You are truly a garden artist.

my sentiments, exactly.

Count me in!

Come on over! I'll make cookies...