Patrick, I'm sold! I just bought the book on Amazon. I inherited a huge quantity of irises from the property purchased behind our house. I am really interested in the fragrant varieties. I've always loved reading anything I can get my hands on regarding Monet's garden at Giverny. Your pictures are wonderful!

Patrick, What a wonderful description of your garden. I do remember your posts on the Monet garden you were creating and I am happy that it is everyhting you dreamed and more. I love the book you mentioned and have also picked up his book on Van Gogh. I have also found Irises add so much to the garden with their foliage and scent. I was on a quest for an Iris which smelled like grape soda and I found it a couple of years ago with Swiss Majesty.This rebloomer is hard to come by and is from the 1960's. I also have the common Champagne Elegance which is a very reliable rebloomer here and smells of Orange Blossoms.. If you have an Iris Society in your area, you can find some nice varieties through them. Irises can be as addictive as roses and as historic. I have an old timer from around 1909 called Quaker Lady and it was a favorite of Elizabeth Lawrence.I am also a fan of Rozanne! Enjoy your wonderful bounty. Tamara

Patrick -

You do know how to torture us don't you :)
Since you don't have a digital camera I propose that we take up a collection or send you donations via Paypal so that you can purchase one and thus enable you to take pictures of your garden. Your descriptions are so vivid and leave me wishing I could see what you are describing.
Unfortuately (or perhaps fortunately for my pocketbook) one of the local iris farms closed recently so I can't run out to purchase those iris, but I am tempted to find them online.
Looking forward to your future posts.

Janelle

Gorgeous Iris. I am so ignorant to Iris, I never knew they rebloomed! I must have some. Clothilde Soupert has my heart.

Carla

I began adding reblooming Iris to my garden last year. I have them along with delphiniums, columbines and roses. They are lovely. I have some of mine planted along the back of a shade garden. They get partial sun and do great. I can find a few at the local nurseries, but have had great luck ordering from Comanche Arcres. Great iris. Resonable.

Patrick, I found that book by Dereck Fell to be very inspiring. Here in my zone repeating irises just vary with the weather. Often if they do rebloom it's at a funny time like Christmas. I decided that I don't really care. They are so great for tucking in here and there and are VERY tough.

Patrick,

Your description of your gardens sounds delicious.

I live in Northern Virginia and I have a little yellow rebloomer, "baby blessed". The first time I had an Iris bloom in October it seemed very strange and I almost offered the iris up for trade. Now I love it, it is so cheery looking when garden blooms are starting to slow down. I have now added the rebloomers "suky" and "garden grace". It is still too early to tell about reliable rebloom.

Kathy

Patrick,
Great, now I've got to get those iris TOO. Clotilde Soupert was already on my list. I love iris even when they don't rebloom and I didn't realize they could be wonderfully fragrant either until I found one on our property that was --it's heavenly! Now I seek out especially fragrant ones. I hope yours rebloom for you. What a wonderful description of your garden, a Monet garden is a great idea.

Did you think my enabling was limited only to roses?

He-he-he-he-he...

Alicia- can you share your most fragrant iris list with us? I'd like to know which of those rebloom for you too since we're near neighbors. I'm sitting on the fence with these because of the reblooming issues. Had a precious older lady offer me divisions of about 23 different kinds a few weeks ago, but still undecided. I think it's that Fall bloom thing that is throwing me a loop. But then Patrick did say they are fragrant...hmmmm.
-Nan

Ah Patrick I always get so excited when I see one of your garden journal posts. :)

But this time you failed! BUHAHAHA! Ahem, only because I'm already in love with iris. There is a farm near us where they grow a field full and every spring Mom and I troop out there with a basket and a check book and pick out iris. They dig them up right there and send us home. I only have 1 reblooming iris but I love it. Its a huge white one that smells like wine and grapes. I love it! All my iris are fragrant. The folks at the iris farm laugh because I walk down the rows bent over smelling each one and I'll only mark ones that are fragrant. :)

Oh I should say our rebloomer blooms two times a year, sometimes three.

The piece that reblooms best is actually one Mom chopped out and tossed on the compost pile when she was dividing things. Its now growing happily onthe compost pile. ;)

Ours blooms in the spring, maybe at mid summer and hten puts on a full show again in the fall just as everything else is stopping. Well worth it!

I LOVE the color of Jennifer Rebecca! It reminds me of a few I have on order. Yep, put in my first iris order over a month ago and I'm soooooo excited. I already have a few in my yard, but I NEED more. I should check and see if any I ordered are fragrant or repeat blooming....

Gorgeous, Patrick. Imagonna hafta get that book.

Nan I don't have many rebloomers yet. I just got Crimson King this spring, but Eleanor Roosevelt and Harvest of Memories bloomed for me last fall after being put in the garden in July. One of my neighbors has Immortality and it reblooms most years.

Fragrant iris:

historic: Iris pallida Dalmatica, Iris pallida Odorissima, Aphrodite, Archeveque, Asia, Bluet, Caprice, Caterina, Celeste, Crimson King, Damozel, Flavescens, Fairy, Freida Mohr, Grapette, Great Lakes, Juniata, Missouri, Polar King, Princess Beatrice, Queen of May, Shining Waters, Souvenir de Mme Gaudichau. I read in The Fragrant Garden by Louise Beebee Wilder that iris descended from I. mesopotamica, cypriana and pallida are often sweetly scented.

modern: (I don't have all of these; these are responses from a thread on the Iris Forum.) Sugar Blues, English Cottage, Superstition, Fall Re-run, Fragrant Lilac, Fingertips, Death by Chocolate, Devil's Lake, Fancy Woman, Creative Stitchery, Picador, Lilac Champagne, Morocco, Root Beer, Siva Siva, Triple Play, Bonus Bucks, Savannah Sunset, Cherry Glen, Dusky Challenger, Swingtown, Dark Passion, Scented Bubbles, Boysenberry Buttercup.

I got an extra with an order from Bluebird Haven last year that I really like: Sunset Sky. It smells like lemon cake.

Two of the iris with the best fragrance in my garden are noids: one a pink/ purple self probably from the '20's and a white one from the 50/60's. I wish I could find out what they were! but that's likely impossible.

Alicia- you're the best! I looked at Immortality last night- looks to have a great rating by home gardeners too. Printing out your list for a cheat sheet. Lemon cake- ohhhhhhh, that must be wonderful. Thanks M'am!
-Nan

Patrick,
I planted the twice blooming irises last year and they have been absolutely beautiful this spring. I can't wait to see what a fall show they produce. I wasn't expecting a mid-summer bloom, but after reading this post, maybe I'll get that also. When I divide, I am putting them all through the rose garden. I like the fact that the foliage doesn't die down like some bulbs, but rather stays nice and green adding a different texture and look to the garden.

What are your sources? I have forgotten where I got mine, but they were hugh this year.

Patrick, thank you so much for this thread. In reading it, you gave me just what I needed to plan for year 3 of our baby gardens here, and it will be very nice. I am going to go and check that thread you posted on repeat bloomers, and find the best time to order/plant here in zone 9. Your comments and recommendations are pure gold.

Jerome

I may regret this, since I haven't placed my iris order for Fall, but here's a well-kept secret:

http://suttoniris.com/html/rebloom.htm

Patrick, thank you for sharing your research and btw, I am still jealous of you growing Delphs. I long for the irridescent bluebell colors.

Carla

Patrick, I really enjoyed reading about your Monet garden. It sounds fantastic. I also love both roses & iris, especially when grown together. My favorites are the intermediate bearded iris, 'Bluebird in Flight' & 'HellCat'. Neither one of those are rebloomers though. I'll be interested in hearing how your rebloom is. I may have to try one.

Randy

'Bluebird in Flight' intermediate bearded iris. I grow this one close to Pink Gruss an Aachen:
{{gwi:270876}}

Patrick, your garden sounds beautiful!

I've been away from the forums for a while, but I almost posted when my garden was blooming a few weeks ago like yours is now. Not planned ala Monet, just semi-random here's and there's, but my 3rd year Molineux was (all too briefly) GORGEOUS, and was framed by a purple no-id iris. Nearby were various yellows and purples and pinks: Graham Stewart beckoning over the white picket fence, New Dawn on the other end of the fence (not as full bloom as other years, but nice anyway), here and there a late daff or tulip, Purple something roses near the Molineux & GS; elsewhere Mrs. B. R. Cant and Cramoisi Superieur and Duchesse de Brabant absolutely STUNNING in all their pale pink, mauve pink, and reddish pink glories; and may named irises blooming w/ abandon, even first year ones in pots waiting anxiously for me to get the house fixed so we can sell it and move.

A neighbor saw me loading my potted irises in my car recently to take to the m-i-l's house in the new hometown, and the neighbor said: You're really going to miss your garden, aren't you?

To which I said yes! (Maybe that's one of the reasons I'm being so pokey on the move!)

Irises ARE as addicting as Roses, and where I'm moving to was Japanese Beetle hdqrts last year, so I may end up w/ fewer roses---IF I ever get moved!

As any of you w/ few irises but want more will discover, the iris vendors can be as (tricky and) alluring as rose vendors. And for the most part, Irises are CHEAPER than roses, unless you opt for a current year intro.

Patrick, you may also want to delve into the world(s) of Dutch, Siberian, Louisiana or Spuria Irises, too. Tons more colors /heights/forms from which to choose, some may be fragrant, and, when you have enough abundance of them to not miss a few blooms in the garden, all make Great Cut flowers for inside. Tall Bearded Irises also work for bouquets--just cut the stem like you would a(n) (Asiatc or Oriental) lily, (another addiction to pursue!) when one or two blooms are about to open. Then remove the spent bloom the next day, and you'll still have many more left to open on following days.

Thanks again for telling us about your gardens. Could you at least get a disposable camera and then process it so the pics could go online?

SusiQ in NE TX

For the most part the reblooming bearded irises are finished with their first flush. I got a few irises in the corners of the flower beds that have put out some new stalks and there is this pretty yellow and purple iris that I didn't order. Guess the vendor made a mistake. It is taller than the others though. I will put a marker by it so that if it doesn't rebloom I can yank it out in the autumn.

A few clearifications. JENNIFER REBECCA is a cool pink with raspberry/purple markings. I had one forum member who complained that her color isn't a true pink. Well to each her own - for me JR is definately pink. PINK PERFECTION is also more of a flesh pink (or pale apricotty pink). I have this garden design book that says you should not mix warm and cool pinks. Well it worked well in my garden. Sometimes you have to break the rules to keep the design alive.

Most of the roses are hitting their stride. I couldn't have timed it better. The irises came into bloom first and just as they are finishing the roses flushed.

Of course CLIMBING CLOTILDE SOUPERT had to outdo her sister roses and bloom early. Right now she is in the middle of her spring flush and is a breathtaking sight. Our cool spring resulted in glistening white flowers blushed a strong medium pink in the center. Wonderful fragrance too. I've really fallen in love with this rose. She has so many fine qualities: a solid constitution, superior disease resistance, strongly fragrant flowers, reliable repeat, fully hardy in zone 6b, and nearly thornless canes that are a snap to train. About her only fault is a tendency to ball, which I corrected (spring has been very rainy this year) by blowing hard on the largest buds to partially force them open. Knock on wood - every single bud has completely opened with spectacular results. I really need to thank Jean TN for enabling me with this climber. It will break my heart to see her go but my trellis simply isn't big enough for her and I'm afraid of Rose Rosette Disease (RRD). As soon as she is finished with this flush I will mail her to Zeffy in PA. I don't regret the experience though. I highly recommend this rose for rosarians in zones 6 and warmer who desire a large fragrant climbing rose that repeats.

HERITAGE and THE PILGRIM are fully budded out and have finally starting popping. Absolutely gorgous. Orginally I had only one PILGRIM but found a sucker and tried to root it. For some reason the sucker died so I ordered a second PILGRIM from Chamblees. It arrived last week with three buds ready to bloom. The large size of the Chamblee own root roses is a real treat. They are doing a great job down there in Texas. Not only are their roses big but cheap too. I think they may replace Heirloom as my favorite source for English Roses.

I also have Foxgloves, Hollyhocks, and Delphiniums in the back of the borders up against the trellis affixed to the west side of the house. The deep pink foxgloves have started to bloom. They are such easy plants. I was late getting the hollyhocks and delphiniums planted so they aren't very impressive - yet.

So far the German Chamomile has been disappointing. In early spring I planted seeds in the right flower bed. They germinated quickly but have been agonizingly slow to establish themselves. I must confess that I am growing impatient with them. I want this herb to fill out the front of the border. So far the seedlings have remained tiny and that portion of the flower bed looks positively naked.

The Rozanne cranesbills and dwarf shasta daisies are a complete success. I've got them planted in the left flower bed. Unlike the chamomile they have nicely filled out the front of the bed. The cranesbills have already started to bloom. I know from last year's experiments that they will never stop flowering until late October. The five petalled cranesbill flower is simple but elegant and the color is very striking. The base color of petal is electric blue with reddish violet veining creating an overall impression of vivid violet-blue. Flowers are also large in comparison to the low spreading plant. Visually they pack quite a punch. I can see buds forming on the shastas so in a couple of weeks I should have this pink, yellow and violet thing going on in the bed.

Much still remains to be done with the rest of that garden. Folks it isn't completed yet. I've got two big tree stumps that need to be dug out (I hate trees) before the new beds can be dug and the soil replaced. The potting shed hasn't be buildt yet either nor the stone steps that will lead up to it.

When completed The Monet Garden will be stunning. All the flowers used by the Impressionists will be present. A person viewing this long narrow garden from the front yard will see a multi-leveled avenue with daisies-irises-climbing roses on the left, a stone lined pathway in the middle, and a border of alternating lavender and roses to the right. At the steps will be terraced flower beds planted with dwarf sunflowers and delphiniums finished by foxgloves fronting the shed.

When the garden is completed I promise to buy that camera and post pics.

Best wishes,

Patrick

Patrick,
This sounds DELICIOUS! I love those darned Impressionists and everything about them. Have you ever heard the wonderful old stereo album The Impressionists. Bernard Herrmann, London Philharmonic Orchestra: Recorded at Kingsway Hall. It would be something delightful to listen to while you plan your next stages of the garden :-
~ Alexis

Patrick,
This sounds DELICIOUS! I love those darned Impressionists and everything about them. Have you ever heard the wonderful old stereo album The Impressionists. Bernard Herrmann, London Philharmonic Orchestra: Recorded at Kingsway Hall. It would be something delightful to listen to while you plan your next stages of the garden :-) Hurry up with those pics,
~ Alexis

So sorry, everyone. Don't know how that happened!

Today one of the irises rebloomed. Unfortunately it wasn't one of the forementioned irises. Instead the proud winner is IMMORTALITY. I purchased him and Clarence along with the pink irises but had forgetten about them after they were planted in the delphinium bed. Well this morning I was treated to a glistening white flower. Wonderful fragrance too.

I still hope that Jennifer Rebecca and Pink Attraction will rebloom. They haven't yet but autumn is just starting. I'll keep you good folks updated as things progress.

Great news! I don't have many bearded iris, but my client does. One year I visited her in late Oct. (after all gardening work was finished) and lo and behold there was the most beautiful pale yellow b. iris in bloom. It smelled like spring. That was 2 years ago and that iris hasn't rebloomed since, but I did take some divisions for my own garden yesterday. I'm sure it will happen again.

I ordered Immortality for her this fall, have heard it is one of the best rebloomers for our area.

This will be my final report until next spring.

In USDA Zone 6b Maryland:

CLARENCE died of rot. My fault. I planted him too deep in unamended clay soil. How was I supposed to know? I'm a rosarian not an iris expert. Note to newbies. When iris forum folks say to plant these things near the soil surface what they really mean is at the surface with the white part at the bottom of the stems showing. Live and learn.

IMMORTALITY bloomed TWICE in the autumn. Actually he never stopped blooming until the cold temps arrived - just like a repeat blooming rose. Definately a keeper. Pure snowy white color, pretty flower and wonderful sweet fragrance. If you want a white iris then this is the one to get.

Neither JENNIFER REBECCA or PINK ATTRACTION have ever rebloomed. It really doesn't matter with Jennifer Rebecca because I like how the foliage looks with the climbing roses. GORGEOUS flower! I just love the lilac-pink color. POWERFUL fragrance. Large buxom bloom, strong stem/stalk, and pretty foliage. A keeper.

PINK ATTRACTION gets pulled out. The color is more coral beige than pink and didn't work so well color-wise.

DELPHINIUMS were a bust. They got fried by the western exposure. Word to the wise: unless you live in Northern California or the Pacific Northwest, plant these on the eastern side of the house. Bright western light and scorcing temps do them in every time.

I don't know what I did wrong but the HOLLYHOCKS died on me. Picky things. I won't try them again in that spot.

The FOXGLOVES survived but didn't bloom. Downright disappointing, especially when you consider how much I paid for mature plants so that I could expect flowers.

Next spring I'm going to replace the Germain Chamomile with blue cornflowers, dwarf daisies and dwarf coneflowers. I'll let you know they do.

New repeat blooming bearded irises will be: Clarence, Earl of Essex, Harvest of Memories, Late Lilac, and Sugar Blues. For such brilliant beauty, irises are easy plants. Just make sure to plant them correctly. LOL!

Image of CLARENCE by Cindyhs at Hortiplex

Image of IMMORTALITY by Klavier at Hortiplex

The foxgloves did bloom but the flower stalks were stunted and unattractive. The flower color was also this awful ashy pink that could not stand up to the bright pinks and yellows from the roses and irises.

I decided the nix the cornflowers. Instead I'm trying Provence Lavender, dwarf purple coneflower, and shasta daisies. Another thing I'm trying is sweet peas. To inject some more violet/blue into the predominately pink and yellow color scheme I planted CAPTAIN OF THE BLUES sweet peas at the base of the trellis with the climbing roses. Got them planted early this year and the late cold didn't faze them a bit. COTB is an Antique strain and heat tolerant.

Just think about it: fragrant coneflower, iris, lavender, roses and sweet peas.

It is gonna be a perfume bonanza!

Molineux,
Last year planted some Louisiana Iris in a new bed next to Mrs. B.R. Cant. This picture doesn't do the colors justice, the light wasn't good. The combination was impressive both upclose and from a distance. Would love to try some bearded iris in the future.
Clint

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Molineux, you are an enabler! Just ordered 5 used artists' gardens books off Amazon. Those used books trickle in, so the mail should be bringing surprises for weeks and weeks.

Regarding lavender -- like irises, it thrives with a different planting than roses. Looser soil with fast drainage and the crown at ground level to prevent rot. Think of those mounded rows in Provence. There are marked differences among varietals and some do much better in regular garden conditions, so check those details before you buy. I've got lavenders next to roses, but surround the lavender with DG rather than mulch and water them less.

BTW, your namesake is blooming profusely for me (planted bareroot this year) and I've found it remains beautiful for days in a vase, which makes me love it all the more.

Have fun. And I'll join the chorus ... get that camera!

I LOVE this thread!
Molly

Alert, Comanche Acres Iris Website was hijacked. If you go to their old website address there are not prices and no contact info.
See their new website at http://www.comancheacresiris.com. These poor people are going to go out of business if people can't find them or use old bookmarks like I did. Thank god I called them to get a price list. I am placing an extra big order just to help them out this year! Doesn't hurt that they have great plants!!

Ordering for reblooming bearded iris begins in July so break out the check books and get to it.

Patrick

I'm reviving this thread because I have a few more observations regarding bearded irises as companion plants with roses.

1) Repeat bloom is unreliable. At least as it relates to bearded iris in USDA Zone 6b. When they do rebloom it is almost always in late autumn AFTER the autumn rose flush. A few iris blossoms here and there around Thanksgiving doesn't thrill me like I thought it would. Instead, I'm much happier with an iris that blooms profusely in late spring followed by healthy foliage. Modern roses are much better at reblooming.

2) For maximum color and texture choose late blooming cultivars. Otherwise your irises will bloom before the roses. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some Mid-Atlantic gardeners like to stage their iris show between the spring bulbs and before the rose bonanza in late May. Personally, I like the wow factor of seeing the bearded irises blooming at the same time as the roses.

3) Pink is for roses, not irises. I've been disappointed with pink irises. The color is always "off" either too lilac/lavender to be truly pink or that god awful icky washed out coral "pink" that looks like diseased flesh. Yuck! For brilliant, clear pink get a rose.

4) Keep your flower bed clean of debris and weeds. Because the tubers are planted so close to the surface they are prone to rotting when smothered by persistently moist fallen leaves, or choking weeds.

Happy gardening,

Patrick

Hi Patric amused to read your later comments. I have removed a huge swathe of bearded iris last year as they are, frankly, a dissapointment. The blooms are so fleeting, they repeat so late, if at all and, to my mind the worst thing is that the rhizomes need complete exposure and baking, meaning many plants can not be grown around them. The besy ways of growing them, I think, is in a dedicated border. BUT - Siberian Iris is another proposition. Although supposedly for damp places, they will also do well in dry soil and the leaves stay looking good ALL summer, especially the variagated ones. You might take a look at Dieramas - I have been faintly obseesed by these fabulous plants (Angels fishing rods) for some years - in fact, the ones I grew from seed have just started to flower after sowing in 2006! Pinks, peach, white and deep purples - what is not to like?
Also, an easy annual which has a long season (and will also rebloom if cut back by half) is flax - linum perenne or L.narbonense - a most ethereal blue which floats above the border. Finally, to do a spot more recommending, have a look at some of the many umbellifers such as pimpinella, chaerophylum, selinum, ammi and orlaya - again a lovely, misty foil to the solidity of roses.
Yeah, I don't have a camera either and wouldn'y know what to do if I did - but I do have some good plants.
You sound like you are having a good time though.

Good to hear from you Patrick. How is that camera working?

Have you tried Siberian Iris? They are much easier to grow in the east and the colors and bloom period(s) are extending with the newer hybrids. The upside is that the foliage stays green and healthy until frost. Looks like a decorative grass.

Harry

About your hollyhocks that died: The advice I got and follow is to never cut them down until the following spring. The roots need the stick to protect them. I have no idea if that's true, but I do it. Seems to work.
My other theory is a holly lives a few years and dies, so the seed falls to the ground during the winter and makes babies, which replenishes the hollys.

Great Show Patrick!

Wow. This thread is really old. How did you managed to find old threads dated 2006? Anyway, glad you did because I don't remember reading this. Thanks.

I did a Google search for Irises & Roses and Gardenweb. Found it on the first hit.

As for the camera. Okay let me just say that I'm terrible with technology. I can use my computer at work because I've got the best tech support in the world, but I'm intimidated by the fancier cell phones, blackberries, etc. I didn't open my digital camera until a full year after it was given to me for Christmas. I used it while on vacation two weeks ago but haven't tried to download the images to my computer. The instruction manual alone is as thick as my thumb. Why is it necessary to have to take a class in order to use a fricken camera?

Of course my partner says I'm terrible with anything outside of my normal routine. I've got an Irish Lap Harp (another X-Mas gift) that has been sitting in its case along with the instruction book and cd for three years. I even bought an electronic tuner - not that I know how to use it.

The reason I like gardening is because the technology doesn't keep changing every time I blink. Okay, you have to stay on top of the latest chemicals and creative watering techniques, but the rest is a pretty static skill. And I don't follow landscape fads.

Just my two cents worth,

Patrick

Good to hear from you, Patrick. I bought some varigated Siberian Iris this year that blew me away. The foliage is unique and the blooms look like they are almost floating. Lately I am looking at perenials for their foliage. I especially like heucheras(sp?) for the variety of foliage colors and how easy they are to grow.

it took me years to finally realise that, since flowers are so fleeting, I had better start to pay some attention to the much longer lasting foliage. I guess we also forget that green is an essential garden colour too but I now find that I rarely, if ever, try a new plant just for the blooms, even roses - if the foliage is not beautiful in its own right, then too bad, it's not for me.

Patrick,

Here is my first Siberian Iris in year 2. Its the most basic available. This winter I bought 7 more exotic varieties from a mail order supplier. More interesting colors and repeat bloom. SI are great additions to the mixed bed. Pretty much no care in the east.

{{gwi:240738}}

{{gwi:220377}}

They are the plant the keeps on giving. They are real easy to divide and share the wealth! Great pictures Harry!

I REALLY like the idea of using the plans in the books as a guide for where to plant. Makes me want to dig everything up and start over - yikes!!