I don't think the Dutch Irises will be too keen on being waterlogged all winter. Maybe try some of the other Irises that like being in a pond? Freesias I don't know, but I'd guess the same.

Plant the Dutch Iris just like any other bulb, with soil twice the height of the bulb on top of the bulb. The non-bulbous Irises should be planted close to the surface.

Unless you have a very sunny spot, I would keep your freesias indoors, or you are in for disapointment. I live in California, and only in the southern areas can we grow them outside. Freesias will definitely not do well in clay soil. They need fast draining and sandy soil. They are usually planted about 2 inches deep. You can get about nine of them in an 8" pot.

If you would like more information on them; let me know. I planted some this winter and they did wonderfully; I just got the wrong colour; as I think they got mixed up in the bin!

I do keep my freesias indoors and am still disappointed. They're one of those things like acidanthera and tuberoses that don't seem to quite fit the timescale of the UK growing season but for some reason they still sell them anyway.

Like Weatherlawyer, if anyone knows different I'd like to hear about how it's done!

Okay. Here goes:

In a lot of cooler weather areas [some where average minimum temperatures range from 0 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit in winter], raising pots of freesias is a September to April activity. Most people do not live in areas where it is warm enough to grow freesias. They can be a challenge; but you can do it! You can begin by using corms that have been saved from last year's crop and also purchasing a few new hybrids.

As with all bulbs, it is best to select those that are large, plump, and firm. Pots really can be any 6 or 8 or 10 inch size. I don't particularly like the low bulb pans, because they need too much watering and don't hold the amount of soil that helps good growth. Terra cotta or plastic both work well.

As for soil, the standard mixture of equal part loam, peat moss and sand works the best. They need a well-drained soil so perhaps one third perlite or vermiculite could be a solution, too. Some people like using those better than sand.

Around early September, I begin the process of gradually potting up the freesias, a few pots each week, that I want to have blooming around January through March.

About 6 or 8 corms are gently spaced and placed an inch or two below the soil mixture, firmed down with a bit of soil and then watered thoroughly. This count is for the smaller pots. Do not crowd the corms as they do need a bit of room for development. The corms should placed about two inches apart. The pots do not go right into a greenhouse as I do not have one; but if you do, it is a good place to keep them a bit later on. You can place them in a cool, dark or shaded area to enable them to establish a nice rooting system. An insulated cold frame will do nicely, or even outside under an eave. They do not need light or sun until the first leaves show. They should be at about 45-55F, no higher; as it will promote too fast a development. Any lower and the bulbs could rot; so try to get it around those temps. Freesias are happier if kept this way for about 45 days. If they are kept cold or cool for too long, they will develop corms above the soil line, so you must pay a bit of attention to them.

Once new growth appears in each pot, move the plants to a slightly warmer area; in the house is ideal. The temperature here should be about 60-65F. If necessary, add a bit of water to pots that seem to be drying out. Freesias need a good amount of water during their entire growing period, though watering should not be too much. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Now that they have leaves, they must manufacture food for bloom, so light is important now as well. A south-facing window might be cool yet bright enough to suit them. Don't worry about being exact with these requirements. As long as the freesias receive sufficient light at this stage, they will manage to bloom. Very warm temperatures however will delay flowering or cause bud drop or blasting, as with other bulbs.

When the foliage gets to be around 6 inches...

Fantastic post from Hopflower. Thank you. I'll print it off for reference.

However, we get colder winters than that here, and probably longer too. Would that affect when the corms should be brought into growth?

Are freesias a plant that flowers during short day lengths? It goes against the grain to be starting anything into growth in September as they will need so much special care for them to survive the winter.

Yes. I know what you mean, as I have family is England and have visited there often. I wrote it as I do it and hoped you could apply the principles at the appropriate time of year for you. I would think you could start your growth when the weather cheers up and you get longer days. This might mean early spring (to take into account the 45 day period; when it is still cool and before summer arrives). Still, your summers are not that hot so as to be concerned with tropical heat waves! Or could it mean very late winter? You would have to experiment a bit with that and perhaps you could start two pots (one behind the other by a few weeks) just to see how they react. It is true that being further north your days are shorter, and a faster and colder (and longer) winter approaches. One of my cousins grows freesias there occasionally. I could ask her which month she starts them in. They also have a glasshouse, though.

I must say that our weather has been very weird, lately. It has seen us have very, very hot summers when historically we only get a few real scorchers say, 3 days per year. I am talking 108F degrees which is far too hot for me and seems to be getting longer each year the last few summers! I may have to revise MY schedule!

Expect Freesias to flower in spring and early summer here, not late winter. You still have to follow a suitable temperature regime.

According to Eric Sawford, who has written a book on bulbs; you can use John Innes 2 potting mix and leave the pots on a sunny window as they only need about 4-5 hours of sunlight per day. He recommends starting them at the same time I do here; it just might take a bit longer for yours to flower. The idea is to keep them cool at first and in a shady aea, not too dark just that they don't need sun yet; keep them moist, and fertilise them when they start growing and through that period. They can be kept a bit warmer as they start to develop a few inches high to temperatures around 54-60. His book, of course, was printed in the U.K. and he grows them frequently. I had occasion to go to the library last night and looked this up.

So, no excuses! Go plant those freesias!