Please don't give up on Irises. They really are usually very carefree and easy to grow, and the display of having several dozen in bloom in different colors in your garden is show-stopping. They are worth trying for. I planted about 40-some varieties of Iris in the fall of 2007. Last year I estimate that about 60% bloomed and this year about 85 or 90%. I think that they often need two springs to really get in the mode to bloom. This year my Irises have been show stoppers, just absolutely gorgeous. Here are the things it seems in my experience that increases your chances of success with Irises: When you plant, barely cover them. Make sure that the tops of the Irises are exposed to the sun. I can actually see where my rhizomes are because they are not covered on the top with soil. This not only helps them bloom better, but it also prevents rot which is a big killer of Iris. It got to under 0 degrees here in January, and yet I don't see any signs of any of my Iris dying despite being exposed, even though I did not mulch. So, unless you live in super cold areas, the freeze won't hurt them even when they are buried shallow. Keep them well-weeded. The rhizomes multiply quickly and don't like competition for sunlight or space from weeds and weed roots. Not too much fertilizer. Last year my irises didn't bloom as much even though I fertilized them. This year I didn't fertilize and they did amazingly. I've read that fertilizer also leads to rot. Also, with a lot of perennials, fertilizer will make more green and less blooms. I suspect there is an element of truth with Irises on this aspect too. Divide every few years. Some varieties are incredibly vigorous multipliers, like War Chief (an awesome ruby red, incredibly prolific bloomer which I highly recommend) and Strange Brew (yellow with lavendar falls). One plant quickly becomes four or five. And when they are crowded, they suffer and don't bloom as well. So in summary, I think the main points are give them their space, give them their light, keep them dry and don't overfeed. Irises really are so carefree (at least in pa, zone 6) that if they aren't doing well, the problem probably falls into one of those categories. BTW: I have Afternoon Delight as well, and it is a pretty vigorous variety. Maybe you should pick Iris with similiar vigor. And plant them the same way you planted AD. I would recommend War Chief, Warrior King, Supreme Sultan, Beverly Sills, Dusky Challenger, Strange Brew, Final Decision. I think these are pretty much fool-proof.

When she bought it the flower was already formed in the rhizome. That was the 1st year bloom. If it is a tall bearded, zone 4 is not as friendly a climate as it is to dwarf beardeds. The growing season is short so good soil, good drainage, & full sun are mandatory. Has she planted it with the top of the rhizome exposed? Have any babies been produced? If so there's a chance another year of healthly growth will produce a flower in the rhizome. Tell her to not trim off green leaves when they begin to flop in summer. The last resort is to find TB's that have proved they can take zone 4 winters. Does she know its name or who hybridized it?

There's a huge difference between old, old iris and newer hybrids. Some of the conflicting advice reflects the differences between them. Old iris, along with vigorous recent intros, can perform in poor soil. If you're having trouble with beardeds performing look for "vigor" used in the description. Here in the land of unrelenting sun our "shade" is even bright. But I have not had TBs bloom in a northern exposure (no sun at all). I have seen them bloom in filtered sun. Feeding - there's a hot topic. The sandier your soil the more likely you will need to feed. The longer an iris clump has been in place, the more the nutrients have been depleted. In a perfect garden we'd all have lovely friable soil. I've got adobe clay and our rain comes all at once --- compacted all over again. Groan. Compacted soil (little oxygen) not good for any plant.

No, Japanese iris flowers are generally held on stalks well above the foliage....or at least even with the top of it. IME, it is the smaller beardless species iris that tend to have lower flowers.....any of the Pacific coast species and hybrids, Iris cristata, etc.