Yah -- the first picture was taken in 2012 -- before the trouble started.

But thanks -- I'm trying to get back to that!!

Like the mix in your garden, Tom. Really nice photos.

Mary Ann, I am hoping that something better will come from the replacing you will have to do. Different, probably, but hopefully better.

Cat, in the past, I tended to keep the Iris sort of to themselves. Also as a result of the very, very generous people here, I have a buncha new ones to put in and will be making some exclusively Iris areas, but more than half will probably be interplanted with the Daylilies, Echinacea, Lilies, Penstemon, Dianthus, and Liriope that are already established here.

See -- Paul is absolutely right -- a garden is a personal thing. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, and we each have the right and capacity to create something that pleases our eyes only.

Here's a good article on plant combinations...
http://theamericanirissociety....

Sherry Looks like a lot of great info!

Oh my (again)!

Beautiful Mary Ann! With the current work you're doing on it, it will be better than ever.

(I would hate to have mow that lawn )

Thanks for that link Sherry, it was immediately bookmarked and it will come in handy.

Mary Ann, your Iris Lane is stunning!

Sorry I didn't respond to your question about the bi-tone purple iris, but when I clicked "go to first unread", it skipped to the next page, and I missed your iris lane pictures. I went back after reading all the nice comments about it. Anyway, That is Made Of Magic, I don't have it any longer. I got tired of the stalks falling over all the time. It was pretty, but most of the time the stalks would fall over, and need staking. You have done what I was talking about, having your day lilies on one side, and the iris on the other. Looks great.
Here's some close ups of it. At least this is the one I think you were talking about.

Stunning garden shots Tom and Mary Ann.

That looks like the one I was talking about, Tom. Sad that it doesn't have sturdy stems..........

Thanks Vi! And Jan! And Rob!

Mary Ann, love, love, love iris lane!

Beautiful!!

And Polly. And Leslie. Thanks!

Polly -- thought you saw those pictures a couple of years ago?

Tom that purple is Gorgeous!

I really like your combo of iris and lilies. Unfortunately, I think my garden would need to be widened to accommodate the lilies! That way I could have lilies down the middle and the iris on both sides. Hmmmm. (light bulb goes on).

Leslie, that's what I'm doing with my doggie memorial. Day lilies and peonies down the middle and irises on the outsides. I can mulch the middle and not the outer area.

Oooh Peonies AND day lilies in the middle! That would be so beautiful! (Will be beautiful in your case Tom!) Now if I could quit my day job and build all the gardens....

I saw the beds during this last year Mary Ann. I would still like to pull up a chair and just live there awhile. it is enchanting and I know you are restoring it.

Leslie -- you wouldn't have to widen it much -- my Iris Lane is (I think) 76" wide -- so 6 to 6-1/2 feet. You're only a little bit shy..............