We have had colour combination threads before if anyone is interested:

The thread "Irises in the mixed garden- combos, companion plants, design ideas, culture" in Irises forum
Interesting posts by Neal, Sherry and others.

I remember other threads with the same theme, but haven't found them yet... we're so chatty there are just so many threads to look through!

Thanks Lilli! You're right we do put a lot of threads out there. Sometimes it's easier to make a new one than go back through everything. I need to do a better job of marking useful things, but that seems to be everything hehe.

You and me both!

Doesn't help that I read through a lot of the threads before I made a profile of my own and so most of the old threads I have already read are still marked as 'unread' ... guess I'll just have to start over and hope most of those threads are as informative, crazy pretty and hilarious as I remember them to be!

I guess like most people my 'method' is really a bunch of methods. I have favourite colour combos, areas of colour harmonies, others of colour contrasts... More and more I make copies of small photos of the blooms then move them around until I find smallish groups that please me. It's quite fun, but I often find that the allotted garden space isn't quite big enough for the group I have put together (shrinking lawn syndrome)

Perhaps we can organise a Neal rota?

I label my iris folders in the computer by date of bloom. This should help me design my beds if I utilize that information. New Years resolution (?) no, because then I won't do it.

Oooo, Mika, that is a GREAT idea! And he would love visiting your homes. All our homes, really, but yours especially, I think.

I plant by color combinations that are pleasing to me.. I've got a blue/lavender/white bed, blue and yellow, blue/pink/white, warm colors both in historics and modern varieties.. Etc... etc...seems, even when you plan things out meticulously on paper, in reality, it's a different story.

Some of the Burseen's are changelings, and often the available pictures show them at their most intense coloring.. This is 'Hearts on Fire', Superhero', 'Insaniac', 'Notta Lemon' (I think), and a mislabeled blue reverse amoena that was supposed to be bright yellow.

I was going by the picture in our database, and one in the MBIS newsletter which both showed it much redder:

and how it looked in my garden from newly opened, to faded:


Some older threads on the same/similar subject that are interesting to see again:
The thread "Companions with Iris" in Irises forum
The thread "Irises in the mixed garden- combos, companion plants, design ideas, culture" in Irises forum
The thread "What colors look best together ......" in Irises forum

Oh, sorry... took me so long to write the last post Lilli and I cross-posted the older threads...

Bonnie, I like your blue bed... spectacular!

Nice combinations Lilli... I can't remember now... Is it Leslie that likes all the browns? I find them a little more challenging to place..

Very nice Sherry, and I'm so jealous since I don't see single weed.

Sherry, yes I do like browns. They mix well with whites, yellows, reds, lavenders and blends. Such as Downtown Brown would be wonderful next to Cow Palace.

I am not sure your Itsa Whatever is Itsa. Away from home so can't check. How long have you had it? Also I have never had one fade so much. Interesting to see. Do any other non-Burseens fade so much?

I have no beds that are any specific color theme. I do put iris that compliment each other next to each other, but a large bed will have all colors of the spectrum. Sections may be reds, whites and red and whites, then some blues or purples will be outside that to segue into other color combos like pinks and tans. But there may always be a random color in there. No matter how I plan it, the garden never ends up planted as I first planned.

Sherry, that bed looks great! I love how much room you gave the irises to grow and love your soil too. I need to stuff you into the box with Neal. Then again, you are close enough to kidnap.

I agree with you about gardens changing from the original plan Leslie. We have all expanded plenty. Things change with unknown bonuses and/or additional orders.

...or unplanned for NoIDs bought as something else - the first time I got Air Bubbles for that bed it turned out to be

Fortunately it went sort of OK with everything else and it is a great grower and prolific bloomer - but not exactly the look I was going for!

Sherry, your talent for plant and colour combinations is an inspiration!
And for looking up the other threads!

Irises and companion plants in my red/bordeaux and white bed:

Beautiful combo Lilli!

I think we need to box you up too.

Lestv said:Sherry, yes I do like browns. They mix well with whites, yellows, reds, lavenders and blends. Such as Downtown Brown would be wonderful next to Cow Palace.

I am not sure your Itsa Whatever is Itsa. Away from home so can't check. How long have you had it? Also I have never had one fade so much. Interesting to see. Do any other non-Burseens fade so much?

The Wiki.irises site had pictures similar to mine, and also this picture in our database shows the fade. I think mine was a door prize, so there is a possibility of error..


here's a waterlogged version from my garden:


I'll be interested to watch it this spring to see if the newly opened flowers are as red as our database pictures.

I'd have to look through my pictures, but there were many other varieties that faded for me.
'Bronze Heart' did some.. These were taken at the same time of day..

Back to color mixing...

I've got 'Cherry Blossom Song' with 'Mulled Wine' and 'Beverly Sills' that seem to work nicely together.

UndertheSun said:Beautiful combo Lilli!

I think we need to box you up too.

but true. have to study the combos more closely this winter so when my irises bloom i will be able to have a 'go at winning color combos' as so many of you have.