Um, Barbalee, mebbe you might consider trading Iris rhizomes for Daylily fans? Not hinting around or anything like that, but, oh, something like, say, Navajo Narrative might look good in Amarillo and one of those Iris on your list might look good in Garland...just saying...

Come next year, I guarantee I'll be up for some trading, Debra! I have definitely overdone it with over 200 new daylilies and over 200 new iris cultivars! I'll bet Dallas would like some of our weather just as I'd like some of yours, so the same will undoubtedly be true with both irises and daylilies!

I don't know how you do it! Goodness, I wouldn't dare buy an iris. Daylily addiction X 2 would mean the poor house.

The iris virus has gotten ahold of me too this year. I have added over 60.

Me three.

But I have an excuse. We are under water restrictions here, but the irises are unfazed by the cutback in water. On the other hand, the daylilies...

I've added a few iris myself this year. They are great plants for water restrictions, and they are so much easier to divide than daylilies. I love them extra because the deer don't eat them. But, they'll never replace daylilies for me.

My first love is for the daylilies but I agree with both of you. They do have their perks.
I am hoping to get a joint Daylily/Iris club started in Bowling Green, KY. I just sent off an email to a Region 7 person asking for help. It was suggested that many people grow both.

bluegrassmom said:The iris virus has gotten ahold of me too this year. I have added over 60.

Iris virus

I don't want to hear about any more viruses this year, but at least this is of the good variety!

In total agreement with you, Natalie.

I soooooooooooooo need another addiction - you guys are killing me

What?? Wait, there is an Iris virus as well?????
Darn...
I think I may have been bitten.. just received my order from France (Bourdillon Irisses):
BRAISES INCANDESCENTES
BRINDISI
CAJUN RHYTHM
CINQUE TERRE
COPPER CLASSIC
DEVONSHIRE CREAM
EVER AFTER
FLORENTINE SILK
LADY FRIEND
LEST WE FORGET
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION
MANNEKIN PIS
NAVAJO JEWEL
ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
PEEKABOO ZEBU
RASPBERRY SILK
RIP CITY
RISING MOON
SOPRA IL VULCANO
STARSHIP ENTERPRISE
TOTAL RECALL


Mayo

The virus is spreading!

I think that iris and daylilies are great companion plants. As soon as my iris are done, my daylilies are starting, so it's great growing both. I have tried not to go overboard with iris, but they really are stunning! I'm trying to add some reblooming iris because I love seeing them in the fall!

I wanted to have mine in the same beds but I have found out that the iris do not like the same amount of water as daylilies do. I have had a problem with some of mine rotting So the new additions are not going into the dl drifts.

Granted, we have had a record rainfall in July.

I don't exactly mix mine together either, but they are in the same general area. Like you said Teresa, they have very different preferences when it comes to water. You'll either rot one or starve the other if you plant them side by side!

And Natalie and Teresa: I've discovered my mistake in doing just that! As soon as I get a new bed up, I'll be moving one or the other. I've had to deal with rot, and I know it's my fault

I put my iris along the edges of paths where my daylilies are planted, works out well here. I really don't have a lot of iris simply because here the iris bloom season does not last near as long as the daylilies, plus the rain we get in iris bloom season can ruin the blooms. Some of the taller iris need staking to keep the stalks upright so only a few is plenty. Guess you could say that daylilies win hands down here!

I sure thought (and still think) daylilies would win with me, but somehow I've fallen in love with irises, too. Mind you, I haven't yet had a bloom, so my mind could change on that front....

Make no mistake, Iris have gorgeous flowers, but their bloom period is only two weeks at the very most for each of the types. I am guilty of buying more than my share of them! Iris require far
more attention than daylilies, need crucial weeding that can be difficult when the plants go in every direction, and they need to be sprayed for borers unless you have the very old kind. Having a
mature clump of Iris looks amazing, but having an amazing clump of Iris is not as easy as you might think. For those of you with the Iris virus, you might consider going into it slowly until you
see how much work is actually involved... but for those of you with established Iris beds, you already know what I am talking about.

I wish I'd read that before I fell whole hog, Deryll! My future may not be rosy!