Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Bearded Iris companion plants

Hi,

So bearded iris need to have their rhizomes baked over the summer. What can you put in a flower bed with them that won't inhibit them ?

Posts

  • In traditional gardens I’ve always seen them given a sunny bed to themselves  ... ive never found anything that works please amongst them ... i have seen large beds of flag irises surrounded by lavender. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I was wondering the same about my group of blue dutch irises, what might be safe to plant amongst them, following flowering its a bare patch for most of the summer...
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • I have Dutch and Sibirica irises in a Cottage Garden style mixed border. They don’t need baking by the summer sun as the Bearded Irises do. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I believe there is nothing that can be planted near bearded irises, except at the back of them. As you say, the rhizomes need to be baked by the sun. I add gravel around mine to help keep the heat in, keep off slugs and make it look tidy. You could perhaps do the same, colour matching or contrasting the gravel to the iris flower to make it look more interesting. 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yeh - they're a bit tricky that way. I have a few right under my bedroom window and they're slightly raised which helps. It also keeps them a bit protected from the worst of the wet weather. I mainly have species tulips and crocus in front of them, which have died back by the time the Irises flower.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Some great suggestions. I'm thinking of trying Chrysanthemum's.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    If you are doing that, they must go behind the Irises, otherwise they will stop the tubers getting full sun.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Sign In or Register to comment.