Dutch Iris

I got my first Dutch iris today! They are far later this year than last due to the cold winter.

OooOOOoo so pretty!

Oh, I am jealous, jealous, jealous!!!! That is sooooo beautitful. I just love Dutch Iris. I planted some already this spring, hope I get blooms. Meantime keep posting pictures as they bloom, please .

I can hardly wait for the thaw here. Still under lots of snow.
Will be posting my photos when in bloom.

Keep posting photos everyone...
thanks!
Babette

Steve do you grow any ensata irs? I'm thinking about them....

So gorgeous - so many beautiful and different plants in your yard, and so beautifully grown. I just love your postings.

Thanks so much, all. usually I have tons of them in bloom now but not this year. I think we're getting close, though. Babette, Rita, please post when yours are in bloom! I agree the DI is an underutilized plant. They're cheap, easy to plant and grow, and perennialize well in areas of moderate winters. I think they're only rated to zone 6 however on the cold side.

Nery, never tried Iris ensata (Japanese iris, right? You will have to let me know how yours do....

Aww Donna you are so sweet. Thank you. Nothing beats your peony pics though.

Actually Ensata has both Japanese Iris and Siberian Iris. I bought Siberian Iris from them last year which I now have growing here. Plus I ordered more Siberian Iris from them this spring.

Steve, I hope those Dutch Iris I planted bloom for me. Also, I plan to buy and plant much more for this fall. I did order 20 from Brent and Beckies of one variety they had but intend to get plenty more from Scheepers this fall. They have lots of varieties, I already checked them out. Then I have lots of garden areas I plan to plant.

Hi steve mine put on quite ths show this year. I hope they return next year!!

Another

Looks like California - at least my zone - is bucking the trend. My Dutch iris actually bloomed 2-3 weeks earlier this year than last year. My siberian irises are blooming now.

Nice DI's everyone. Mine may be in more shade so I'll have to be patient - no choice.

Rita: Ensata is the name for Japanese irises. The company "Ensata Gardens" sells both JI's and Siberian irises as well as other plants.

Woops, should have put Ensata Gardens. Was trying to be helpful and probably just got everyone confused.

I was given a clump of Japanese iris about 10 years ago. It did really well for 2-3 years, then I decided to split it into 3 clumps. After that, it was downhill. For the last couple of years, the one surviving clump had a few blooms every year, but it never did thrive. I am not sure if it is still alive.
But, they are beautiful plants and certainly worth the try. I may have just had them in a not-so-good spot.

I did plant some Siberian iris a few years ago and they did not do well - got them from White Flower Farm (usually i had good luck with their products). And, I take it back on the Japanese iris - I did have some at my prior house and they did fantastically well. They were a gift from a Houston friend. I have not planted any up here at the "new" place. Maybe I should give them a try again?

Marie, those are very pretty. I really like the first one and have some like your second photo. Your garden in the first shot looks like mine LOL.

Nery, happy birthday!!!!

These opened up yesterday.

Rita. you will love them - and they are so easy to grow.....

I do always love the pictures of the blooms I see. Yours are lovely. Mine that I planted this spring haven't come up yet. But its been cold lately. I guess it will warm up again soon.

Steve, I placed an order for two jap. iris, both blue. Sep delivery.

Cool, Nery! I am eager to see how yours do and to also see your photos.

Here are some more Dutch irises in my newest bed, planted fall 2009

Stunners. Just so stunning. For some reason I find the form of the Dutch Iris flowers especially pleasing. Combine that with the smashing colors they have and they are truely such a beautiful flower.

Thanks Rita! I just love them. And they're really inexpensive to buy in bulk and should come back faithfully for you as well as for me. I know mine have returned every year since I first planted them. For such small bulbs they do produce huge flowers.

And more in bloom today.....

They have a really nice selection of Dutch Iris at Scheepers/Van Engelen. I intend to order heavily this fall. I am not totally convinced about them coming back well year after year. They do down your way but up here it seems like its hit or miss. Some people have sucess while others don't. I want them so badly that I have to try.

I have spent some time thinking of places were I would like to plant them and am going to need lots and lots of them to fill all those spots. Very few of those spring planted ones from last summer came back but I can't go by that. They weren't planted at the correct time so northing much came of them.

Your pictures are lovely. Keep them coming :-))

Thanks Rita - and I hope your DI from Scheepers/Van Engelen do well for you - I have ordered from them many times and always with high success.

FINALLY a break from the rain - not really 'sun" so to speak but at least no rain! More DI open when I came home from work tonight.

Looks really great. I see them in the backround also.

Steve, your irises are so gorgeous. Where do you place them in relationship to your peonies and lilies? You have that wonderful new space so I'm trying to get a sense of relative placement. I think they are great plants because (amongst other things) they seem to be easy to grow.

Thanks Rita, Donna!

Donna, there is really no rhyme or reason to it. I kind of stick things where they have a hole with some anticipation of height and plant size. i don't put a huge amount of planning into it, really. But somehow, it all seems to come together looking decent. You are a much more "careful" gardener as is Rita!

I am plotting a big gardebed in my backlyard. I have sticks and markers put out were plants will go. I used to just do it the hodgepodge way but never was totally happy with the result.

I think I'm in between the two of you. What's the most fun is when you get something you don't think you have room for - and then you find it, and love the results.

Some others blooming tonight in back

Love that shade of Blue.

Me too!