My success with any of the aril irises has been 'less than stunning", to say the least, but.....those that DO grow for me, are planted in a "raised bed" (not really very high....just 4 inches higher than the surrounding soil), filled with a mix of "light" soil (about 50% sand), and "topped off" with a 2 inch deep layer of "pea gravel"). Excess rain, and soil moisture is NOT your friend ! Especially during the summer dormancy period, they need to be as dry as possible. I've heard (but never tried) of folks even erecting "roofs" over the plants, to keep them dry during the summer ! My thought were, that the "pea gravel" top layer....where the rhizome actually sits....won't hold ANY water, and the "sandy" soil, underneath, drains the moisture away, as quickly as possible
.. Good luck, and please keep us posted, as to your progress !
