Japanese irises

[Garden_of_Mu]

Japanese irises aren't my favorite of the various species, but some of them have their charm. Here's a few that I grow. Three are rescues from a fading garden in downtown Olympia, one is from a friend and I ordered the Historic Rose Queen (Lilly 1915) just out of curiosity. There's a big dark purple one opening this afternoon. I'll try and get a pic of it to share as well.

[Garden_of_Mu]

Rose Queen -

[oldcoot]

Those are beauties. Hope to be able to get out and takle pictures of some of mine next year.....Missed them this year OC

[Garden_of_Mu]

Glad you enjoyed them, OC. Here's that big purple one I mentioned.

[tsneal]

Those are so pretty Mike..just gorgeous!

[notmartha]

love em all-want them all

[Garden_of_Mu]

Don't be afraid to try some Japanese varieties if you like them. They do best in wet conditions but adapt to regular garden soils readily. Probably very dry conditions aren't going to get them to thrive, but they are fine for most areas of the country. One caveat tho - in regular garden beds they have to be moved every four or five years or they will die out. Something about their life cycle causes a build up of alcohol in the root zone. Not a problem when seasonal flooding is washing it out in their native habitats, but it can be a problem in a regular garden. Simply removing the irises to a new spot, turning the dirt over and freshening it with some compost and letting it sit for a bit before replanting with something different solves the problem nicely.

Some of them are massive too - five foot stems and blooms the size of dinner plates. I prefer the medium size ones, and like the simple 3 or 6 petal blooms (they also come in 12 petal blooms). Flowers can be plain or highly ruffled and they come in all shades of pink, purple, blue, maroon, and white. Breeders are working on true yellows now that they have been crossed with i. pseudacorus.

[oldcoot]

Oh wow- They are beautiful . OC is so glad you posted .Brings beauty into a cold cloudy rainey Rock Hill, S.C.

[notmartha]

OC glad to see you here!!

mike when you are ready to thin them or sell them-please remember me!!
i have a couple and have fallen in love with them!!!

[oldcoot]

Today has been a really rainey Day in Rock Hill S.C. and startimg tonight the temps are up in the miid thirties.........Certainly a step in the right direction........

Beccause it was such a miserable day, I logged to see again your beatiful Irises.
It did the trick, right now I have a wide smile for your Beauties...............

OC

[Garden_of_Mu]

I'm glad that these digital memories of the flowers can brighten your day. The real things will be up and showing off soon.