i.reticulata ,var. "Bright Eyes"(NOT !! They are really "Eye Catcher"), and Dutch Iris, var. "Apollo".....the Dutch iris aren't "hardy" here, but I'm 'experimenting" by planting right next to the building foundation, (on the south side) and hoping that "heat loss" is enough to keep them alive, through the winter.

I tried some Dutch Iris in my area near the house. They came up and bloomed the next spring, then a couple came up the next year and didn't bloom, then they were gone.

We got I. reticulata 'Eye Catcher'. Did not see Bright Eyes. Harmony & last year Katharine Hodgkin did will for us.

crowrita1 said:i.reticulata ,var. "Bright Eyes"(NOT !! They are really "Eye Catcher"), and Dutch Iris, var. "Apollo".....the Dutch iris aren't "hardy" here, but I'm 'experimenting" by planting right next to the building foundation, (on the south side) and hoping that "heat loss" is enough to keep them alive, through the winter.

I did that last year and nothing came up. Maybe they are still down there? We had full snow cover most of the winter. One would think the bulbs would have had enough geo-thermal heat.

My experience with Dutch iris has been the same as some of you mentioned, first year blooms- one or two the next year and nothing after that. Why would they be hardy one year and not the next?

I have had the same experience with them. They are just lovely tho. It is worth a tryI

Perhaps they are better off potted and wintered in the cellar.

In the case of them "dwindling away", perhaps it's NOT a hardiness issue, but one of "non-propagation"....if "new , young bulbs", aren't being produced.... .

Arlyn, I think you may be on to something there. Seems I read at some point that the bulbs split into smaller bulbs after blooming like tulips do, perhaps too small to bloom. For tulips, deep planting in rocky or gravelly soil helps. Maybe something similar would benefit DIs.

I have Dutch iris that are deep planted, and under grass, but come up every year. They usually send up foliage in the fall that gets killed off, then they send more up in the spring, and usually flower. They aren't great increasers, but it is nigh impossible to dig up and move the bulbs as they are under so much root matter.

It's much cooler here now and I'm hopeful for some rain later in the week.
I'll be planting my last three rhizomes today - 2 Friendly Advice and a Carnival Capers.

I received a box of irises yesterday! Siberians from Ensata Gardens- yes, I broke down and ordered, just couldn't stop thinking about them. They're soaking now and will have to wait till tomorrow (weather permitting) to be nestled into their new homes.
I've been wanting blues, pinks, and doubles for a long time- finally they're gonna live here!
Blueberry Torte
China Spring

Frosted Cranberry
Having Fun

Hooked Again

Imperial Opal

Jiggles

Just Cruising

Rambunctious
Rosy Bows

Smiley Face
Tornado Rose


A few don't have photos in the data base. Hope these bloom in spring so I can fix that

Also received another box Wednesday, not irises, but classic companions for irises- Peonies!
Etched Salmon

Rosedale

The Fawn


And a couple of white varieties that don't have photos in the data base,
Leto and Toro-No-Maki

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Nice!

Oh my gosh -- it's gonna be beautiful at your house next spring Neal!!! I can't wait for your pictures!

Neal,

How fun. I love Siberians too and intend to grow them again in the future as I reclaim my flower areas. Ones I have wanted are:

Blueberry Fair


Dirigo Black Velvet


Judy, Judy, Judy


Kilauea


Magnum Bordeaux


Ruffles and Flourishes


Swans in Flight


Ships Are Sailing


Somebody Loves Me
http://www.ensata.com/Siberian...

Strawberry Fair


Very Victorian


I also want several of the doubles and as many of the yellows as I can afford.

Charlotte, those are gorgeous- I'm in love with Judy Judy Judy! I even love the foliage of Sibs- such nice, neat grassy clumps through the rest of the season. I leave the stalks on the old ones because I think the seed pods are attractive in fall and winter too.

I'm very pleased with the divisions from Ensata Gardens, nice plants for reasonable prices.

Beautiful choices Neal. You are going to have quite a Sibs bed going!

I am going away from beauty (stalks) & away to problems (bugs). Siberians can be plagued with the orthacheeta fly & one way to guard against them is to cut & dispose of stalks after bloom. Siberian stalks are hollow & the fly likes to lay its eggs in them. They like to lays eggs in the flower too, of course.

A question about sibs and LA irises....Is it OK to cut back the foliage on them in the fall? I always cut and dispose of the stalks but would like to tidy up the look of things where the sibs are and they often get out of control in areas. What say you?