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| HEIRLOOM FLAVESCENS IRIS ARE TOUGH. Growing without care at an abandoned Kansas Homesite. Debbie Hughes from the Historic Iris Reservation Society picture. |
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| Flavescens |
Do you LOVE Irises?
I have a love affair with Irises and they are in bloom!
This Spring I have been taking mental-notes as to what has been growing and blooming in the area of Kansas I live in. This week our Iris have bloomed forth. Ours seem to take about a week longer to bloom out as to the ones I have seen about town and in other communities.
This Spring I haven't snapped any pictures of ours yet, but I will this afternoon before the thunderstorms arrive.
I have called Bearded Irises FLAGS ever since I can remember, so if I slip this name in you'll know what I mean! Must be a Southwest Kansas SLANG that I was taught.
My childhood home property had purple Flags growing in our backyard. Sweet, sweet childhood memories. I LOVED THEM and still do.
The Heirloom Iris that are growing here on this property smell like CANDY! They have a wonderful fragrance. This is the 4th Spring we have enjoyed our old Home Haven property. For the last 4 years Hubby has transplanted Flags from the backyard to the side yard along a fence. This Spring, the flower bed by the fence is full. We might put a few more in there to fill in some of the bare spots. I'd like to have some copper colored ones.
Part of the fun in gardening is moving the plants and flowers about to suit your taste to enjoy!!! I'm hoping that the Flags will migrate under the fence and start of bed of their own on the other side of the fence into the back yard. I'd love to have them growing along both sides of the fence.
We're thinking about planting some on the corner of our property to fill in a patch of yard that's a pain to mow. Just looked outside and saw purple Flags in bloom!!! There are a few yellow ones. I think these yellow ones are Flavescens. Last night as we were walking into the house, I saw a Iris that was bloomed in the front flower bed that I didn't know was there. NICE SURPRISE!!!
The flower beds have Heavenly surprises every Spring. Surprise!!!
We've been researching some Heirloom flowers from the Victorian era and I don't know if we'll get there, but having a Victorian Garden would be sooooo lovely. Shall see...shall see.
Part of the fun and part of the challenge is researching the Victorian Era. Living at Home Haven has been a growing time for me. If you know me very well...I don't do growing times very well. There's strong resistance on my part. God wants me to learn as I go which means I learn as I grow. When I finally submit...I relax and start thanking Him for teaching me something I didn't know before. Sometimes I'm a tough cookie to crumble. Sigh...wish I was more submitting to the LORD. Perhaps as I MATURE I will be.
For the time being I love HIS Flowers.
God Bless ya,
~Deanna~
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| Madame Chereau 1844 Grows to about 36-38 inches tall. |
IRIS HISTORY
Native from Europe to Nepal, bearded iris are one of the world's oldest cultivated flowers. They were carved in the walls of Egyptian temples, grown by the monk Walafrid Strabo in the 9th Century and included in Gerard's great Herbal 1597.
Colonial Gardeners grew a handful, but the real glory days for bearded iris began in mid-1880's when breeding in French developed scores of exciting new varieties such as "Madame Chereau." British and American enthusiasts soon joined in, and by the 1920's Iris ranked as one of the top 3 perennials in American Gardens!
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| Pallida Dalmatica 1597 Pale lavender with Concord Grape fragrance that grows to about 36 inches tall. |
IRIS CARE
Like full sun and well-drained soil.When planting space 10-18 inches apart.
Don't plant too deep.
Leave top of the rhizome exposed.
Dig hole, mound soil in center, set plants on top, spread roots down the sides of mound. Fill in and firm soil, making sure that the top of the rhizome remains exposed ( or barely covered in extremely hot climates) and water well.
Though Iris are drought tolerant and will not rot in soil that's too wet, they'll need regular moisture the first few months after planting as they reestablish themselves. So water them, but not too much.
After flowering, cut bloom-stalks to the ground. Weed carefull to avoid damamging shallow feeder-roots.
For best bloom and health, trim or remove dead or disfigured leaves, but not healthy green ones! Especially in late Fall, early Spring, so air can circulate freely and sunshine can warm the rhizomes.
After a few years of vigorous growth, Iris may get too crowded that their bloom and health begin to suffer.
To THIN or divide them, wait 2-4 weeks after bloom and then either open up the clump by removing the oldest rhizomes from the center, or dig it all, replant the best newer, and give away or destroy (don't compost) the others.
Iris have few pests or disease that trouble them.
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| Wabash 1936 Grows to about 36 inches. |
WHY GROW HEIRLOOM BULBS
They are
Rich in History with connection to gardeners of the past:
Pioneers
President Thomas Jefferson
Medieval Monks
Chinese Emperors
and probably Grandmas!!!
Gorgeous
Tough/Vigorous survivors.
Unusual offering colors, forms, special qualities that haven't been matched by newer bulbs.
Bred for Gardens
Graceful and wild flowery
Fragrant adding sensual dimensions to Garden.
Regionally adapted that thrive in wide array of difficult climates.
Period appropriate for Colonial, Victorian and Arts-and-Crafts Era houses.
Rare endangered and in need of your help since the only way to preserve these living artifacts and their incredible genetic resources is to grow them.
Here to enjoy flowers!
How about you?
