If you are getting a lot of foliage and no bloom, I'd say you are using a fertilizer that has too much nitrogen. That would not be good for any flowering plants. I have several mixed beds, and they get one shot of a 10-10-10 fertilizer in the spring, and that's it. I think when you give them too much later in the year it stimulates too much late growth that is not hardened off enough to withstand the winters here. IMHO
I don't find it difficult at all to water everything but the irises. Of course you have to do it by hand though.
