For me, no perennial garden is complete without at least a few Irises, and there are so many species, forms, hybrids, colors, sizes, and bloom times, they can be incorporated into a design to fill many needs. Like many plant species that have garnered widespread popularity, extensive hybridization work has given us literally thousands of varieties to choose from. Some, however, are better suited to the mixed garden than others, so one thing I'd like to hear from others on, is varieties that thrive happily among other plants. Many bearded varieties are iron clad, and can grow among thick grass, but others do not tolerate competition well. I know all too well my penchant to crowd things a bit, so I go for varieties that are known to multiply quickly and grow vigorously.
A design quandary I run into is with muted tones of many bearded Iris varieties. Many gorgeous ones have beige, grayish, brownish, or rusty colors, that look dirty if paired with clear, bright colors. While I have found colorful foliage plants often look great with them (Heucheras work amazingly well with many), I'm curious about other flowers that combine well with them. I've ordered a Rose that I believe will combine well, called 'Caramella'
I generally mulch my gardens, and while most beardless varieties seem to like mulch, most sources advise against mulching bearded Irises. I generally just mulch around the outside of clumps, and don't run into problems, but I am careful with newly planted rhizomes to keep them from getting covered up. Garden pictures I browse typically show use of mulch, and many have beautiful bearded Irises incorporated. Here again, it may be a matter of using varieties that tolerate mulch the best, but I am curious how others deal with this. I have found that as the mulch decomposes, the rhizomes seem to like to grow right on top of it and the clumps spread outward.
I'd like to hear about your favorite combo plants, how you handle cultural issues, and your favorite ways to incorporate Irises into your garden design
