Irises-(Dr. Pauline Thompson variety) – Part 2 of 4

In 2006 the Dr. Pauline Thompson Irises were planted in the rear of my home. This area only has sunshine approximately 3-4 hours per day. The Irises do grow, but have fewer and smaller blooms than those that are planted in a sunnier area.

CA Darko-Gosnell 2008

Mid May 2008

Irises are beginning to shoot up against the foundation of the building. The violets are also shooting up in front of the Dr. Pauline Thompson Irises. Notice how the cedar mulch is not covering the top of the Iris bulbs. By doing this it allows the Iris to bloom.

CA Darko-Gosnell 2008
Early June 2008

The White Violets are blooming in front of the Dr. Pauline Thompson Irises which have yet to get any buds. There is just too much shade during the day in this area. I have decided to transplant them this fall to a sunnier area.

CA Darko-Gosnell 2008

Early June 2008

The White Violets have finished blooming and the Dr. Pauline Thompson Irises never even got buds even though the bulb tops were not covered with mulch. Notice the Petunias growing in front over the White Violets. I had expanded this flower bed 10 inches to accommodate the Petunias which do well in partial sun.

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Irises-(Dr. Pauline Thompson variety) – Part 1 of 4

Dr. Pauline Thompson Irises are my favorite type of Iris. Part 1 of this series will cover the front flower bed where I first started my Irises. Originally they were planted at my former home of thirteen years and then transplanted in 2004 to my current residence. The Parent plant is 16 years old. It still blooms vibrantly.

CA Darko-Gosnell @2008

Irises in Early May 2008 (Originally transplanted July 2004)

The Irises are just beginning to shoot up. Fresh cedar mulch has been added to the flower bed to retain moisture. Only place mulch around the outside of the plant, not directly on the top of the bulb. This area needs to be exposed in order for the Iris to bloom. If it is covered the Iris will not bloom.

CA Darko-Gosnell @2008

Late May 2008

In this photo you can see how crowded the flower bed has gotten. The Daffodils (yellow flower), Tulips (pink flower) and Irises (green shoots) are all intermingled.

CA Darko-Gosnell @2008

Early June 2008

The Irises are in full bloom. They need to be thinned out. Now that fall is here it is the perfect time to do this. Last year one parent plant produced 19 bulbs. You do not have to wait until fall to thin and transplant bulbs, but it is best to wait about 4-6 weeks after they have flowered and the leaves are beginning to turn brown. The reasoning is this allows the parent plant to produce bulbs. To have the plant produce the most bulbs allow all the leaves to turn brown.

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Irises-(Dr. Pauline Thompson variety) Introduction to a 4 Part Series

Irises (Dr. Pauline Thompson variety) are another of my favorite flowers. The blooms are a beautiful shade of purple. They are a large flower with a hardy stem. When cut for a vase they last a long time and have a light fragrance. I will be doing a 4 part photo series to show how my Iris flower beds have developed over the past four years.

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