The bulbs you are talking about produce a flush of flowers and leaves in the spring and then become dormant. It is a response to mediterranean climates with winter/spring rains or snow melt and a very dry summer. Some of them bulbs experience very dry dark summers because of deciduous tree cover. Some people just snip the very top of the flower and keep the stalk since it is green. Others remove the whole thing for tidiness. There are other bulb-type plants you can consider to entend your season. Small bulbs like Crocus, Snowdrops, and Sconit flower very early. Bearded Iris can extend your Iris flower seasons. Other bulbs like Fritillaria , some of the Scillas, flower later in spring. Different types of tulips offer flowering over at least three months. Then there are late spring and summer "bulbs" like Lilies, Daylilies, Crocosmia, and Galdioli.

When I bought this house, I had visions of doing my garden like your's. Turns out it faces north and I have too much shade. But I can't have shade loving plants, as the west sun fries everything in the late afternoon in the summer. This year I want to plant things along that side of the yard. I may have the ash juniper tree cut down. One of my neighbor's did that and it looks better. In my opinion they are good only if they are the only tree one has. Also big water "hogs".

No but I am seeding my 2nd crop of beets. I just hope it doesn't hail.

I would NOT suggest trimming any roots this time of year! This time of year in north wet states, the irises are just coming out of dormancy with a little green growth starting. I definitely would not shake off the dirt as it will destroy roots, and they need those roots for their spring growth and establish a viable plant. If youÂre like my daughter in Oregon, she just moved to a new house, and in this winter weather, had to dig her irises. I helped. We just dug big clumps, dirt and all, put in bags, and took to the new house. SheÂs placed them on the ground and built up more soil around the clumps. She says they seem to have taken the transplant well, and are showing some new green growth.