By Ron Killingsworth
Louisiana Iris ‘Adell Tingle’The real Adell Tingle surrounded by the irises that she loved ‘Adell Tingle’ (Hutchins, B 2006 LA) was the first iris we produced from hybridizing. It was named for my mother’s sister, Aunt Adell. Adell attended many Louisiana iris conventions and was an expert on plants native to Louisiana. Clump of Louisiana Iris ‘Her Highness’This picture shows…
By Ron Killingsworth and Patrick O’ConnorWhere, oh where, did that name originate? Iris names have always intrigued me. Some names are easy to figure out. Others defy reason. Another interesting subject is people’s names. Where in the world did the parents get the name they stuck on that poor child? Have you often wondered that? That subject…
via Louisiana Iris Names – Where did the hybridizer find that name? — World of Irises
Dwarf iris can be seen blooming among the tulips, weather depending.
Easy to plant, easy to care for, easy to enjoy! That is the Iris. And such variety too! Variety of size, variety of bloom season, variety of color, variety of style. Isn’t success in life all about the choices we make? That simple maxim can apply to the realm of the flower garden too. The Iris offer such a host of choices, one is surely to find just the right color, or size, etc. Let’s talk about the breadth of bloom time, for example. The Miniature Dwarf Iris and the Standard Dwarf Iris are among the very first Iris to bloom. Weather depending, of course, they open up their diminutive blossoms (just 5 to 15 inches in height) approximately mid-March to early April (in most temperate zones), heralding the launch of another promising Iris season.
The Dwarf Bearded Iris are no less hardy than their taller, more robust cousins. Dwarf Iris, both Miniature and Standard types, propagate with strength and, once in bloom, stand up to the early spring frosts. There are several wonderful resources available which provide great detail on the origins of these hybrids. The Dwarf Iris Society is a good place to start for further links and leads on exploring the subject. Several Iris breeders today have introduced spectacular Bearded Iris cultivars in miniature.
Intermediate Iris bloom early in the spring, often alongside tulips
As spring widens its embrace upon the land, weep not for the fading Dwarf Iris, for the Intermediate, Median, or Border Iris are opening on the garden scene! A bit taller than the tallest Dwarf, yet shorter than the shortest Tall Bearded Iris, they offer brilliant bloom to span the gap between March and May, a beautiful complement to the Cherry blossoms! The earliest blooming Tall Bearded Iris will overlap with the later-blooming Intermediate Iris, to create a seamless floral transition of color. Sprinkle in several mid-season and late-season Tall Bearded Iris around your garden, and the color show continues well into June.
A few moments spent casually mapping out the succession of Iris blooms in your garden will yield months of rainbow color from your ankles to above your hips! Dwarf, Intermediate, Tall Bearded, as well as Beardless Iris, are all planted in the summer months. Below is a simple chart, indicating approximate bloom times for Iris ranging from the Miniature Dwarf to the Tall Bearded, and including the Beardless Iris such as, Siberian and Louisiana. Bloom time is greatly dependent on weather conditions and gardening practices, however. For example, Reblooming Iris require regular extra fertilization, watering and dividing.
|
March |
April |
May |
June |
July/Aug/Sept/Oct |
|
Min. Dwf. & Std. Dwf. (5″ to 15″; 5cm to 28cm) |
Intermediates & Border (16″ to 27″; 40cm to 68cm) |
Tall Bearded (28″ to 48″;70cm to 122cm) |
Tall Bearded & Beardless (such as, Siberian and Louisiana) |
Reblooming Bearded Iris of all sizes |
Intermediate Iris (IB) “Many Mahalos” (Aitken, 2003) blooms early, among the tulips.
If you are one who can hardly wait for the year’s Iris season to start, you have merely to plant some Dwarf Bearded Iris this summer. You will have Iris blooming with the first inkling of spring warmth. Even if you consider yourself simply a fan, a dabbler, a curious gardening newbie to the world of flowers, give the Dwarf Iris a try!
Do you grow Dwarf Iris? Share your comments below!
What to do in the Iris garden this month…..read more on our site.
By Kevin VaughnI grew up in Massachusetts in the AIS of the 60’s and when we went on tours the iris were not grown like a corn field but rather as a part of a garden picture. ‘Cup Race’ was one of the famous irises to come out of the Stedman Buttrick garden.Image courtesy of…
via Irises as Part of the Perennial Border — World of Irises
By Bryce Williamson
White. A color so important in the garden and so often ignored. I would shock people when giving judges’ training with the idea that the two most important colors in the iris garden were yellow and white. I stick to that position—yellow bring a shaft of sunlight into the garden and whites are…
By Susanne Holland SpickerPlease join with us in congratulating Robert Hollingworth for outstanding Siberian Iris ‘Judy, Judy, Judy,’ the winner of The Morgan-Wood Medal, The American Iris Society 2017 Awards.’JUDY, JUDY, JUDY’ (Robert Hollingworth 2010) Photo by Robert HollingworthThis exceptional Siberian iris is described by the AIS Wiki as follows:’Judy, Judy, Judy’ (Robert Hollingworth 2010)…
via American Iris Society 2017 Awards ‘Judy, Judy, Judy’ The Morgan-Wood Medal — World of Irises
For the Love of Iris 