Bearded Iris Bloom In Late Spring
The tall bearded Iris is blooming in my backyard right now. Do you have one of the many varieties in your garden? They are one of my all time favorites in the springtime.
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| Tall Bearded Iris in my own garden |
The Iris Has A Long History
The iris has been around for a very long time. I'm not sure why it was decided to name this particular plant after the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow but it appears that it was. It is a flower that has been a symbol of royalty and monarchs throughout history. It is a long history, too. The palace of King Minos on the Greek Island of Crete has a fresco showing the iris. That fresco dates back to somewhere around 2100 B.C.
The Bourbon Kings of France used a symbol of an iris to show power and position. We all know that symbol as the "Fleur de Lys". Great Britain adopted the iris as a symbol of the monarchy when Edward III added it to his coat of arms in the 1300's. Queen Elizabeth I had her portrait made in a gown covered with irises.
Whether it has anything to do with royalty or not, the beautiful iris has been around for people to admire for a very long time. There are non-bearded irises but that isn't what most people think of when they think of this lovely flower in their gardens.
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| Clump of bearded iris in my yard. |
Planting Bearded Iris
You want to plant the rhizomes of the bearded iris in the summer. The reason for this is that they need time to grow and establish in the ground before winter takes hold. If you don't already have them in your garden you can buy the rhizomes from a local nursery or you can find them online.
Every few years you should divide your current colonies of iris. If the plants become to crowded they don't bloom as well. It is really easy to divide them. After they have bloomed for the season, dig around the green stems of the plants. Cut out some of the fleshy brown root looking rhizomes and take to a new area where you want to see irises bloom next year. I like to take a large cutting and then divide it in two or three pieces. It is that easy. Just make sure you water the new area to help the new cuttings take hold and that is it. Next year, you will have more of the tall bearded iris to enjoy.
I'm thinking of adding a different color this year, I particularly liked this color. I think it will blend nicely with the ones that currently grow in my yard.
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