Elegant irises can prove difficult
It is one of the toughest yet most elegant perennials in our gardens.
With its fleshy root – known as a rhizome – and strappy leaves, the iris doesn’t particularly stand out early in the growing season. But come June, they easily command the spotlight in any bed they’re growing in.
“Irises are very popular with gardeners because of their wide range of colors and their regal appearance,” says Robert Karr, owner of Newport Naturals Iris Garden.
For those intrigued by the beauty of the iris, the Town and Country Iris Society and Inland Empire Iris Society are offering a perfect opportunity to view hundreds of the flowers at their annual iris show.
Free to the public, the show will be held at the Spokane Valley Mall next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Anyone can enter irises in the show in either the horticultural or artistic divisions. Horticultural entries must be grown by the presenter and be a named variety. Arrangements can be entered into the artistic division, which has 12 classes based on the theme “iris melodies.”
Entries must be submitted Saturday between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. (see accompanying information box for more details).
While there are both bearded and beardless irises, Karr feels bearded irises are easier to take care of.
“They are so forgiving,” he says. “They don’t require a lot of water and are impervious to everything.”
To grow iris, choose a sunny site with well-drained soil. Plant each rhizome with about an inch of soil over the top of it to keep it from getting sunburned.
When you water it in, the soil will settle. But as Karr explains, “The rhizome will find its own level. Some will push themselves up out of the ground or halfway out, which is OK. They are tough, they can handle it.”
The plants need some balanced fertilizer but should not be mulched or the rhizomes will rot.
After three to four years, “iris clumps should be divided when they start getting too crowded, a month or so after they have bloomed,” Karr advises.
“Break off the new growth on rhizomes, discard the old portions, and cut the foliage back to about six inches tall when you replant the new rhizomes.”
In the Inland Northwest, bearded irises usually bloom during the first half of June. To learn when the irises at Karr’s display gardens in Newport, Wash., will be in bloom, visit www.sprucecorner.com or call (509) 671-1540.
In the meantime, visit the iris show to enjoy the incredible beauty and sweet scent of these amazing flowers.