garden4funTN said:I am always blown away when Romeo (Millet et Fils 1912) blooms --- the color contrasts are just stunning!

I planted 'Romeo' last summer. Unfortunately, the rhizomes I received were not only small but had been cut back almost to the fans. They did not survive. I will put them on my next year's order list.

urania1 said:

I planted 'Romeo' last summer. Unfortunately, the rhizomes I received were not only small but had been cut back almost to the fans. They did not survive. I will put them on my next year's order list.

I lost it a couple of times too before mine became established. Better luck next year!

For whatever reason(s), planting "marginal" rhizomes directly into the garden (or, "late arrivals", for that matter), just doesn't work well for me. I "potted" almost everything, last year (anything that arrived after July 1st, and anything that looked 'iffy") and had much better success. When the season was "shutting down" I sank the pots in the beds....where I wanted the iris to be....and am just now (as bloom is finishing....removing the pots, and dropping them into the holes. Seems to be working well, and my % of those "not making it" is way down

Arlyn ~ Great idea!

crowrita1 said:For whatever reason(s), planting "marginal" rhizomes directly into the garden (or, "late arrivals", for that matter), just doesn't work well for me. I "potted" almost everything, last year (anything that arrived after July 1st, and anything that looked 'iffy") and had much better success. When the season was "shutting down" I sank the pots in the beds....where I wanted the iris to be....and am just now (as bloom is finishing....removing the pots, and dropping them into the holes. Seems to be working well, and my % of those "not making it" is way down

A couple of questions. Why sink the pots into the ground at the end of the season? Why not simply remove at that time and plant directly in the ground? Also what size pots do you use for this sort of thing?

6"-8", or whatever I have handy.......and I didn't 'plant" them, for two reasons..one:..if they were taken from the pots, and "planted....I *think* they would still "heave" from the frost, because the root ball in the pot wouldn't have time to grow into the "surrounding soil", and two:....I had way too much other stuff to do at that time of the year . By "sinking the pots", the surrounding soil insulates the sides of the pots from the cold wind, keeps them from blowing over...or away !...

Arlyn,

Just about to the end of spring bloom season, but here's a few:


CITY OF LINCOLN



SHELFORD GIANT (SPU)



SUNNT DAY (SPU)

Just posted pics a "modern" historic from 1961, Shades of Night by Millice. I got it from the only vendor with it who was dropping it from their garden, so in a sense it was rescued last season. Surprised it blossomed already being so young, and in such lousy soil.

Dave ~ Do you have a picture of your rescue?

Arlyn,

I love spurias. Last year, I planted my first ones. Some of them bloomed this year which I was not expecting. I have ordered more this year from Comanche Acres.

Comanche Acres is a good source ! They have a pretty good selection, too. It takes the spurias at least an extra year, to bloom in my area , but the extra wit is worth it. I have , maybe, 15, about half are "historic types or species ". Except for the errant bloom on Sambucina, all my bearde are done, so the only "iris color", right now, are the spurias…..and they are on the way out. the I. latifolia should open, to end the "spring bloom", in a day, or two.....then the wait for "rebloom season" starts
A few years ago, "spring season" ran right in to "rebloom season"...….and I had at least one iris bloom open, evert day , from mid March, to late October !.....Father Time and Mother Nature were on my side, for once !

Pics of Shades of Night is in the picture database. Don't know how to copy it here.

It looks like a nice one , Dave . Plant that next to "Ola Kala", and the whole neighborhood would stop, and stare !

Here you go, Dave...

@DaveinPA
To post an image from the plant database:

Go to the database page for that plant
Border Bearded Iris (Iris 'Shades of Night')

Left click on the photo you want to post to display the details for that photo
Copy everything from the BB code between and including the square brackets into your message in the forum

Thanks. Doing checking as this may be Shadows of Night instead of what it was sold to me as. And vendor has neither any longer.

Here's "the last" of my , true, "spring bloom", taken today:



NIBELUNGEN (Goos & Koenemann 1910)

and , yesterday....DARK CRYSTAL (sorry, no picture ) opened a flower, for the "first rebloom" of the season...….screwy Illinois weather !

Nice Arlyn! I'm still getting some scattered first blooms.. Screwy California weather!!

Sherry ~ What do you have blooming now?