Iris offers beauty, dependability in area gardens

A couple of years ago, I evaluated my landscape with an eye to some “remedial” planting. It consists for the most part of rocky acidic soil, uneven terrain with pockets of snow- holding “sinkholes” and many trees creating a generally shady situation.

I had come to terms with the shade, creating a lovely little sanctuary of shade lovers, mostly natives, but a few hardy cultivars as well. But the sunny yet inhospitable “potholes” remained unplanted.

At that time, I wrote an article which addressed the problem and its possible solution, which I’ll share with you today, as follows:

This year, I’ve made a plan for the shallow little “sinkhole” in my yard that holds water/ice when everything else has dried up. When spring comes, I’ll address it with the one thing I think will work – an intensive planting of our native Iris – Oregon Iris (Iris tenax).

A beautiful blue-purple, and shorter than the big beauties we’re used to, it grows happily in meadows, along rural roadsides and in bog-like conditions. Hence, my “sinkhole.” I’ll simply rototill the roughly 7x10-foot patch, toss on a couple bags of mixed garden/potting soil and tuck the babies in. Hopefully, they’ll like it just fine and will spread and multiply over the years to come.

Iris are so hardy and come in such infinite variety, that it’s strange more people don’t use them in their gardens. Represented by over 200 species and thousands of varieties, irises come in a wide range of colors, heights and styles. All have flowers composed of three drooping, satiny, petal-like sepals, called “falls” and three upright inner petals, called “standards.” The distinctive sword-like foliage holds its own in the landscape, offering attractive greenery long after bloom is over. While most Iris grow from rhizomes, some, such as the more delicate fleur de lis types, are bulbous. These naturalize easily and can be lifted after bloom and propagated by replanting the tiny bulblets that form alongside the nature bulbs.

Though iris are dependable in our climate, the various varieties have a range of cultural requirements – some preferring more sun, others happy in dappled shade, some needing more moisture, others satisfied in arid conditions. Thus it is important to know the needs of particular varieties before planting them.

Consult with some of the Farmers’ Market sellers, or read iris catalogs carefully. Most irises bloom for a month or less in the spring, but some will offer a second bloom, and a few carry on for much of the season. Many varieties, particularly the “flags,” are fragrant and make beautiful cut flowers. The stalks can be cut after bloom is finished, but leave the foliage until nature herself takes it away. (I pull out the dead leaves in early spring). With good care and periodic dividing, the plants can live on for generations.

Once they’ve bloomed into maturity – at least three years, iris can be divided, but once done, wait another three years to do it again. If yours have formed a “mat” of rhizomes, it’s time. Rule of thumb is to leave the main plant, working around it to find the attached rhizomes. Lift them carefully, using a garden fork, and cut them into pieces, each with a plant or active “eye” attached, and a good root system at the bottom. Cut away any rotted or wormy rhizomes, put into a plastic bag and discard. Replant the new rhizomes, leaving the top mostly exposed, in new, enriched soil, and give them a scoop of bonemeal. That’s all there is to it!

Most irises love sun and a well-drained area, but others – such as our dwarf native and its hardy wild cousins - thrive in poorly drained spots. Many will grow happily with their rhizomes submerged in water such as yellow Iris pseudocoris and the I. louisiana’s glorious blues, purples and near-blacks – all appropriate for landscaping a pond.

End of quote: But here’s the kicker. Summer before last, sweet Bonner County Gardener As’sn pal Jenna Bertus, after reading (or hearing of) my quandary, brought tubs of whole dug-up sections of native iris (I. tenax) from her Sagle property, which took to my shady, alternate boggy/dry spot beautifully, and actually bloomed this spring! It usually takes about three years for any perennial plant to settle in and take hold, so it appears my idea was valid.

If you have no Iris, let this be the year to establish some in your landscape. Autumn is the prime time, and the low-maintenance elegance they provide will thrill you for years to come.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 208-265-4688.