I love the way they rise up above the foliage and look like blooms on sticks. Purple Sensation is hardy here so I'll bet it will be hardy there too. I have tried others and they only come back sporadically for one or two years and then no more. Here is another bulb I grow in the iris bed but it blooms later.



It is called Nectaroscordum and grows five feet tall. It forms a round ball at the top of the bloom stalk that can grow as big as a soft ball with a paper like covering, then it breaks open and the little bell like flowers fall out. The foliage at the bottom of the stalk is not very tall and different from any other bulb I grow.

That is a really interesting plant Bonnie. Love it! I wonder if I could grow it. Hmmm

Never know until you try but I am sure you can. I love bulbs.

I belong to the Monterey Bay Iris Society. Joe is a member and does a *lot* of talking
Our newsletters are up on the website if anyone is curious.. http://www.montereybayiris.org...

Tom, I have NO doubt my dream was a result of all the iris I bought this year. I've got several holes in the garden to plant new ones.. A few I've decided on, don't have enough roots yet.. and then there's those I just can't decide on.

I just ordered a few perennials from Annie's Annuals in the hope that they will bloom at the same time as the Iris. Digitalis ferruginea 'Gigantea' "Rusty Foxglove", Campanula glomerata 'Superba', & Silene asterias.... Not enough to make a big splash, but 3 more things to put in the ground..

I have an order of lilies coming to plant yet, and then I should be finished. I do have a couple daylilies waiting to be planted too. the last irises that I planted are sure taking their time getting established. I will most likely have to put a brick on them to keep them from coming out of the ground, as I don't think they have put out a lot of roots yet. Then, I have to start thinking about getting my iris seeds prepared for planting. I think I'm going to start them earlier then I did last year.

Thanks for the link Sherry!

Bonnie, I had never heard of or seen Nectaroscordum. It's beautiful, and I bet seeing the 'paper covered' ball is interesting too!

It is Marilyn and it is very hard for me to not help it along a bit.

Tom, when will you plant your seeds? Did most of last years germinate?

Tom, I have some seeds from a few crosses I made this spring. This is my first time with this. Can you share your process for treating and planting them? I have heard a number of methods and need to decide how I'm going to do it. Also, I did not know enough to open the seed pods for drying so some of the seeds got moldy. Is there any chance they will germinate or should I just throw them out?

Clean off mold--one the outside of the seeds should not hurt. Our method of planting outside over the winter wouldn't be useful in CA. Remember they will need a cold session to germinate.

Thanks Lucy! I found something tonight that said to clean the mold off by wiping with bleach (I assume a 10:1 solution). I'm glad they are not ruined!

Marilyn, I started a new thread on the topic of starting seeds. Hope we can all learn to get better at that.

Bonnie - where did you order your Nectaroscordum from? Or do you buy it locally? Thanks!

The thread "Starting iris seeds." in Irises forum

Leslie, I would have to check my old records but I bought it from a bulb company. For a quick check go to the bulbs area and ask what company carries the plant. They are really, really good to me over there... and patient. LOL hhhhmmmmmm could have been Holland Bulbs or Brent and Becky's bulbs....

Those photos are beautiful!

My irises are planted in beds all by themselves, but you are encouraging me to mix some in my garden.

I bought some dark purple Nicotiana to blend in with some of the purple-toned Iris today. The lime green version self-sows all over the place, but the purple doesn't seem to for me. The nursery had a couple types of large-flowered Allium, so I got a package of one of them, and (another!) package of dutch Iris. I have no idea where these things will go, but on the plus side..... I got 4 Iris in the ground this morning!

Good job Sherry!

Nectaroscordum

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html...

Also, look under Honeybell. http://www.ebay.com/sch/Yard-G...