Late spring or early summer is the time for tall bearded iris, the most popular of the many species and hybrids of the iris family. Varied and lovely are the hundreds of named varieties.
Siberian iris, too, appears this season. Close clumps of upright, slender foliage, almost concealed with an abundance of dainty bloom in white, true blue, and all shades of purple, grow lustily in a damp spot.
Two of the choicest blues are Gatineau and Turquoise Cup.
Colorful Companion Perennial Blooms
Happily for the average home gardener, however, there is a wealth of companion bloom at iris time among the perennials, and each seems to enhance the beauty of the others.
Planning a garden with such plants can be a joyful adventure, a gratifying expression of the gardener’s particular feeling for color arrangement and design.
No perennial offers a wider range of color than iris. One’s favorite can serve as a color theme, threading like a ribbon through the border.
This may consist of many or few varieties but should include all tones from light to dark, the lighter predominating.
Blues, from palest ice blue to deepest blue-black, are particularly pleasing. Around and through this ribbon, iris of other colors and their chosen companions can be located.
Related: Tips on Planting Colorful Iris
Peonies
Who does not love peonies?
Except for very early and very late varieties, they can be depended upon to bloom with growing iris.
The big buds are ornamental, and the shapely clumps of deep green, placed at intervals, offer the contrast needed.
Try some of the gorgeous Japanese types. Their broad, silky petals in white, pink, rose, and richest reds are centered with spectacular tufts of gold and rose.
The stems hold the blooms erect, even through the rain—an asset, indeed.
Allow peonies space to develop so that they will give added glory with the passing seasons.
Dictamnus fraxinella “Gas Plant”
Another permanently beautiful plant is Dictamnus fraxinella, called the gas plant. The more pleasing name, dittany, is preferable.
Long-lived and disliking change, dictamnus increases slowly and remains a shapely clump of rich green at all times.
The tall spikes of loosely arranged blooms are white and orchid-pink to wine-red.
Actually, the colored blooms are white, lightly, or heavily veined in color. The seeded spikes make interesting dry material.
Pests don’t bother dictamnus, and a well-grown clump is always sightly.
Protect hands and arms from brushing the plants, however, as an eruption somewhat like ivy poisoning is often caused by contact.
Colorful Bright Oriental Poppies
Colorful Oriental poppies bloom in the early summer, too.
The great, frilly blossoms, like crinkled tissue paper, unfold quickly when the hairy buds crack open.
Pink rose, and coral are all choices with or without dark blotches. The rich, deep reds, with purple iris against a green background, make a lovely picture, but always avoid the orange reds.
Poppy foliage dies down early, so it is well to plan for plants to bloom nearby later to conceal the bare spots.
Lupins
Lupins lift their slender stalks of pea-like bloom in charming contrast to flowers of rounder form.
Purchased in separate colors—white, blue, pink, and yellow—seed germinates readily.
Transplanted while small, plants grow rapidly, often showing color in the first season.
Rarely does a displeasing color combination result. With their long tap roots, large plants are more difficult to establish.
The spectacular Russell lupins in any quantity seem a bit overpowering, but a few are hard to resist.
Seedlings from cross-pollination between these two kinds of lupins (the busy insects do it for you) are often very good.
Lupins are prone to aphids infestation and must be sprayed.
Much is avoided by having young plants, though, rather than trying to save old clumps.
Thalictrum
The dainty foliage, fluffy, mauve bloom of thalictrum, and the meadow-rue in sizable clumps lend height and a misty charm.
One of the damper spots in the garden suits it well.
Aquilegia
Aquilegia, the choice, long-spurred columbine, is a special favorite. A veritable treasure results from sowing a few packets of seed.
When choosing separate colors, do not overlook the pale yellow Aquilegia longissima species, its fairy-like grace, or the blue and white Rocky Mountain variety (Aquilegia caerulea).
These precious beauties are not long-lived, so stock in the nursery is wise.
Columbines
The old-fashioned, short-spurred columbine of Grandma’s garden, purple and rose, makes large, long-lasting clumps, not temperamental.
Seedlings resulting from cross pollination of the different columbines will have spurs of varying lengths and many color combinations.
All this wealth of June bloom is enhanced with a background planting, effective for height and contrast, shady spots, and dappled light.
Phlox Divaricata “Golden Chain Tree”
Drifts of sky-blue forget-me-nots and lavender-blue Phlox divaricata (which flowered earlier) still show color in the light shack where daffodils bloomed beneath flowering crabs and the lovely golden-chain tree (Laburnum vossi).
This is a jewel, dainty of foliage, with golden, wisteria-like flowers hanging in profusion.
Hopa Crabs
The small crabs give a full display of flowers in May, and several have reddish foliage.
The Hopa crab is a lovely kind, with its bloom deep rose and its small and deep colored fruit.
Dolgo
Dolgo, with green foliage and white blossoms, is an unforgettable sight when the bright red fruit hangs in abundance.
Lilacs
Purple and white lilacs are still in flower, and the old-time shrub rose, Harrison’s Yellow, with golden, semi-double blooms, is a cheerful sight.
Austrian Briers
Austrian briers, in yellow and copper, make clumps of brilliant color.
Iris Varieties
Try violet and purple iris in front of the yellow brier and copper, browns and yellow with the copper brier, which has a yellow reverse to its petals.
With much pink, light blue, and yellow in this border, the deeper colored iris, in purples, rich wine, or bronze-reds and browns, can be placed where the depth of color is needed.
Kolkwitzia
Kolkwitzia, the beauty bush, is entirely covered with dainty pink flowers. This develops quickly into a large shrub, an important point to consider in placing it.
Clematis
Trained on poles or trellises, early, large-flowered clematis has an exotic beauty. However, they must be securely tied, as the vines are brittle.
Clematis monlana rubens, a fairly lusty grower, but a beauty, is covered with a bower of blooms, like small pink dogwood.
Dianthus
Clumps of dianthus, (fringy and clove-scented, in white, pinks, reds, or plain-eyed and striped with silvery, gray foliage) and pert violas in blues, yellows, and white, mingle happily with whatever small iris are in bloom at this time.
Iris Paltec
Iris Paltec is a little gem, with flaring blue flowers and foliage a few inches high, the whole in perfect proportion.
It is a hybrid of the species Iris tectorum. Billet Doux, a bit taller, is a miniature tall-bearded, also blue.
Johnny Jump-ups
Irrepressible, lovable johnny-jump-ups (which can also be lady’s delights), joyously scattering the seed, spring up all over, despite the most meticulous gardener.
Hustling insects spread pollen indiscriminately among violas, pansies, and johnnies with charming results.
It is worth seeing what pixy-like bloom results before weeding too thoroughly.
With its lavish bloom, this early summer border needs good soil and generous fertilization.
A spring feeding and another in early July are needed.
Control Borers with Spinosad, or Acephate
Iris needs division when clumps begin to crowd. They also need to be watched for borers.
Starting in early spring, spinosad or acephate spray continued at 7-10-day intervals until bloom starts is a wise precaution.
Early removal of unwanted seed pods is beneficial to plants and a precaution in the case of poppies.
If allowed to scatter, the dust-like seeds can produce many stalks of undesirable orange-red bloom to disturb the color harmony.
The long tap roots of poppies are not easy to remove. However, if any part is left in the ground, it sprouts very readily again.
Beautiful Perennial Bloom Display
Such a well-filled garden of perennials blooming together leaves only limited space for any later display.
Hemerocallis, however, seem to squeeze in easily, and bulbous lilies find many spots to their liking, taking little room for the rich reward of their inspiring bloom.
Regal and madonna lilies, the Olympic hybrids, the native Lilium canadense, gorgeous Lilium auraium, and Lilium speciosum, and a wealth of brilliantly colored hybrids are now available to display their beauty all summer.