Each year, nurseries and plant breeders offer new colors of iris. The classic purple bearded iris has been joined by blues, reds, whites, yellows, pinks and bicolors. If you love to collect gorgeous combinations for your garden, you can pursue a number of strategies.
Watch for iris rhizomes coming on sale at local garden stores near the end of July until the end of September. The dates depend on the part of the country you live in and the climate zone for the area.
2
Ask to be placed on the mailing list for bulb supply companies and nurseries. They send out catalogs in advance of planting seasons so they can receive orders early. The plants or rhizomes are prepared and mailed at the correct time of year for planting for each plant hardiness zone. Some companies offer discounts for early orders for fall plantings sent in before the end of July.
3
Join an iris society in your town. Iris lovers are all over the country and have organizations, flower shows and meetings. The groups get together at the right time of year for their locality and have an iris sale for the public.
4
Find neighbors that have iris gardens and ask to trade one of your colors for theirs. When it is time to lift and divide the plants, gardeners are pleased to swap for a new one for their collection.
Tips & Warnings
Only trade or share plants that are healthy and free of borers.
Smell bearded iris when they are blooming. The fragrance is delicately sweet and unique to each color.
Don't propagate and sell patented plants -- it is against the law. Trading with a neighbor is acceptable.
Don't remove native and endangered iris species that grow in the wild and in national parks. You can face a hefty fine. You may be able to collect seed if you obtain a permit. Native iris that are not endangered can be purchased at local plant nurseries and fit well in a naturalized garden.
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