Planting bearded irises


Light: Choose a spot that re- ceives 6-8 hours of direct sunlight.


Soil: Irises are tolerant but thrive in well- drained soil. If the soil is heavy clay, add humus or compost to improve drain- age.


This gorgeous iris, Burnt Offering, is just one of the spectacular irises growing in Gallegos’ garden.


patonic,” which has glowing russet standards and reddish-brown falls.


Then there are irises that fea-


ture several colors, such as the ka- leidoscopic “Battle of the Bands,” which has yellow standards and purple falls, its edge a ruffled gold. Gallegos also grows historic iris


varieties in a separate area of her garden. Historic irises often have skinnier stems and narrower pet- als and leaves, and do not grow as


big as modern iris hybrids, she says.


About three years ago, Gallegos and her late husband, Raymond, traveled to Nebraska to participate in an iris dig, which she found out about through the Historic Iris Preservation Society. An elderly property owner was selling off her irises so they could be grown else- where and preserved. “We’re losing some of them,” Gallegos says. “I think it’s impor-


Planting: Plant in mid-summer to 4-6 weeks before frost, covering rhi- zomes firmly with up to 1 inch of soil. Plant 12-24 inches apart.


Watering:Wa- ter well after planting. Once established, water when the top three inch- es of soil are dry.


Source: Amer- ican Iris Society


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