My Blog about my garden at Otara Birch, Rongotea, New Zealand. I love growing Japanese irises, called 'Iris ensata'.
The Japanese iris love full sun, making fabulous water loving plants, water feature plants in drifts of summer colour, around or beside the edges of your ponds, streams and lake sides.
When in bud, I pick their long stems, using them for cut flowers in a heavy base vase and watch the huge blooms unfold over time in front of my very eyes. Pure magic.
They are plants that love wet feet and dry ankles.
In my shady areas are hostas. The hostas are great companion plants planted in half sun to dappled shady areas.
Here are my joys about these wonderful perennial plants that give me so much pleasure.
These beautiful varieties look magic planted up to be enjoyed in the garden near your pond or any rich moist soil.
Give them at least 6 hours of sun light if you can.
Japanese irises are gross feeders so a good balance fertilizer in the early spring and again after flowering around the drip line of foliage will do them proud. Little and often is a good rule of thumb for fertilizers.
Water in where possible to help the plant take up the benefits.
Mulch around the plants with barely straw, pine needles or pea straw to retain moisture in soil and prevent weed growth.
Remember that Japanese Irises "Love wet toes and dry ankles" so when you are planting these take this into consideration please.