Iris--TOW
Mary Sue Ittner (Tue, 09 Mar 2004 08:40:39 PST)

Dear All,

I've heard from Bob Pries that he has tried to send him introduction for
the topic of the week. Perhaps ibiblio is having a problem. So this will be
a test to see if this is so. Iris is a very broad topic and I am looking
forward to having the various groups explained to us. In the meantime
(besides whatever else anyone wants to talk about) how about if everyone
tells us which Iris do well in your garden. Be sure and include information
about where you live.

Iris douglasiana is native to where I live and something I look forward to
seeing in the wild in my garden every year. It seeds itself about a bit so
I'll have new clumps appearing and I just let them appear where they like
and I love them even if they are common. Some of the old ones die out. I
have found that it improves in looks if I cut it down to the ground every
year or so late summer or early fall. The new leaves then look much better.
The other Pacific Coast Iris that I'm especially fond of is Iris
innominata. I have other PCIs coming along, but they seem slow to bloom and
the two above do the best for me. I have a few Pacific Coast hybrids too
and some years they are wonderful (but not every year.) The other two Iris
growing in my garden that are reliable and I appreciate are Iris
unguicularis with its gorgeous big flowers in winter and the Iris a friend
gave me that I think is Iris japonica that is blooming right now. I took a
picture of it yesterday that shows the leaves and not just the flowers.

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…

I'll rename the file to give it a proper name if Jim Waddick or someone
will confirm that this looks like Iris japonica not Iris wattii or Iris
confusa.

I look forward to getting a feel for which Iris grows best where around the
world.

Mary Sue
Mary Sue Ittner
California's North Coast
Wet mild winters with occasional frost
Dry mild summers