The Dutch Iris are practically the first thing to bloom for me... usually in mid-late February. But then they die back. I had the bright idea to move some of my mom's old purple Iris in with them since they bloom towards the end of April and they stay green pretty much all year. But they are so aggressive they took over the bed. I spent the morning digging everything out and putting back the Dutch Iris bulbs. But now... it's empty-looking. Is there a nice perennial that would share the bed with the Iris? Or am I stuck with just having to use annuals there? Thanks for any suggestions/input!
Cheryl--I have never grown Dutch iris. So, for what is is worth, I have teamed daffodils with daylilies. Just as the daffodils are passing, the daylily foliage grows up and hides the floppy daffodil spikes. I wonder if daylilies would do that with Dutch iris.
Daylilies are among my favorites... but I have two big beds of them. And I was thinking of not getting another bulb, that way I could always distinguish the Iris from any other thing growing there. Thanks for the input!
In zone 8 and I am pretty sure zone 9, Lilies start putting out new growth in late Autumn, remain green all winter then bloom in Spring. They would blend in with the Iris but would be dying back not long after the Iris so that would still leave you with a bare spot all Summer. I need to thin out my Lily bed this fall and will be putting in a dwarf Hardy Hibiscus to be a filler next summer. As far as being compatible, just about anything will work. Plant a Lantana camara 'New Gold' near the patch of Iris, it sprawls, will cover the spot where the bulbs are planted but doesn't start coming back until they have finished blooming. (after the ends of the Iris leaves turn yellow cut them back by about half to finish their life cycle that also makes it easier for the perennial to hide them) You still have some green from the Iris but as it dies the Lantana will be greening up. Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (Turk's Cap) puts out new growth that will help hide the dying Iris leaves also. As will Salvia elegans (Pineapple Sage) Achillea 'Coronation Gold' (Yarrow) will stay evergreen (actually ever-gray since the foliage is gray) all year round and in about mid-Spring will start putting out new growth and blooming. With the Yarrow, you could plant one in front and each side of the Iris patch and they will grow to cover up the area during the summer.
Thanks Toni for the input. Dwarf Hibiscus... gonna have to look into that. Same with the Pineapple Sage. Lantana... I'll pass on. They just haven't been doing well here at all... except for the really creeping purple one, which I think would be too much for this bed (which is about 6 foot long and 2 foot deep). And probably the same for the Turk's Cap .. just not enough room. And I have one just in front of that bed already. I'll check out that Gold Yarrow also. Does it spread alot?
Just to update and to ask if you think these will work or not. Probably should mention that the bed is probably about 6 foot long and 2 foot deep. So... I'm in Lowe's yesterday looking to see what they had that might go well in that bed. And what was right in front of me? A Hibiscus moscheutos (appears to be a dwarf) with a really deep red/burgandy flower. So...I got it...(thanks Toni-the-enabler). There had white Guara on sale, so I got two of those and some moss rose. So my plan is to put the Hibiscus in the center. The Guara on each end and the moss rose in-between. I also have some Rooster Comb that I'm thinking of putting along the back. Do you all think this will work and not block out my pretty yellow & white Dutch Iris early next spring?
The Hibiscus moscheutos is a dwarf...did you get Luna Red? I think the enabler just got whammied, I need to make a trip to Lowe's now I had a Luna Red a couple of years ago but it didn't get established before the drought set in and I couldn't water it enough to keep it going in the heat. Anyway, it's slow to return in Spring because it likes things hot before it feels like showing up, so it shouldn't conflict with the Iris as they will be on the way out by then. The Guara will stay green all year round but it won't start putting on new growth until after the Iris finished. And I don't think it spreads at the roots so much as just gets taller and bushier so there shouldn't be any trouble with its roots bothering the bulbs. The Moss Rose won't be a problem either since any freeze will take it out in the winter then the seeds don't germinate until later in Spring.
Toni... the tag just says "Luna". But it's such a beautiful burgandy/blood color. Do you know if these set seeds like other Hibiscus?
