My planting system closely resembles Rob's. The only thing I try to do is not place flowers of the same color next to each other (and that includes in front of and/or behind, since all of my beds are multiple rows). Also -- like Tom -- I try to plant selfs next to multi-colored ones.

I'm not OCD about placement -- my joy in my Irises is the individual blossoms -- and not the *landscape* appearance.

My sentiments exactly. Mary Ann!

Too many similar irises planted near each other can lead to mistakes in dividing them; they can get mixed up.

Then there are the iris that are just so hard to place. Tuscan Summer is a great iris, but finding other iris that it would look good with was difficult. Any year's planting mix is dependent on what other iris I ordered since they will occupy the same garden bed. I just didn't have many ordered that played well with TS. It did get planted though!

irisarian said:Too many similar irises planted near each other can lead to mistakes in dividing them; they can get mixed up.

Good point, Lucy -- I hadn't thought of that!!

So Leslie -- what did you plant it near?

Or it could be the center piece with less colorful plants radiating out from it.

Some fun with Tuscan Summer:

Wow, I wish I had had Overview to plant with it!!!

Well, just added another Iris I want now from that lovely group of pictures. Thanks rob lol

Only one Sherry? I could add two at least!

Good job, Rob!!!

Overview is gorgeous -- and a perfect companion for Tuscan Summer!

I want all of them.

I tried to arrange it as if they were all planted together like that.

Rob had the best one with Overview... but I like this game.. I would have liked a nice maroon self in this mix, but you can never have enough yellow.. right?

Nice!

I was looking for a deep maroon too, but I could only come up with "Midnight Embers". It doesn't have any photos on ATP and it's on my must have list. (Golden Legacy might work too)
http://rockytopgardens.com/Roc...

That'd be a great tour lot in the garden Sherry. Great combo! I'll work this week on the computer and paste together some lot arrangements to present. Sucky thing is I'll have some that won't arrive till after the shipping season. This is becoming quite the addiction and chore. I think I'll add an "Enablers" bed to the mix.

On a crazy note, I'll be up to 100 named varieties soon. This is nuts!

I might have a bit of Overview to share next spring, but will have to see how the spring rot season goes.

Do you call it that because of spring rains?

Well, it seems that I have the most rot issues here are in the spring. Once we get into the heat of summer it seems to be much less of a problem for me. It's usually cool and wet in the spring here.

Our rot season here is Fall. The first cool rain seems to attack newly planted rhizomes. That's why I'm going to pot all my new ones this year.

Blessings