The Best Partners For Irises By The Pond

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:50

Irises are by far one of the most spectacular plants to be used in water bodies. Streams or ponds, on the banks of which at least one iris flaunts, look more structured and thoughtful. After all, the luxurious xiphoid foliage and graceful flowers always and everywhere stand out well. Today, even completely "non-water" irises have begun to be used in the landscaping of the reservoir. But for them, and for true moisture-loving stars, you need to very carefully select partners.

Content:

• Irises in the design of the reservoir
• Iris Partner Groups
• 10+ ideal partners for irises by the pond
• Iris preferences when selecting partners

Irises in the design of the reservoir

A variety of irises are used in the design of reservoirs. Not only beardless Siberian and marsh irises are planted on the shore today, but also bearded and even dwarf irises.

The former retain the beauty of the leaves throughout the season and are attractive not only during flowering, they are used as moisture-loving species in the design of the pond zones close to the shore, and not only on the shore itself. But dwarf and bearded irises are the stars of the shores, where they are necessarily placed on embankments and in areas where there is no risk of waterlogging.

Any iris planted in shallow water, in a swampy area or on a dry shore can become the main star in the design of reservoirs. These plants look even more impressive here than on flower beds in the garden, because the natural transitions and typical plants around are as if created in order to reveal the beauty of the irises themselves.

However, everything is not so simple when it comes to finding really successful solutions for the presentation of irises by the reservoir. Irises really stand out always and everywhere. But sometimes this is not enough to fit into the situation. In the business of landscaping ponds for irises, you need to choose partners so as to create an environment, a background that can reveal all their advantages and at the same time make it a harmonious part of the entire landscape.

To highlight, without highlighting, emphasize and at the same time combine with plants in deep water and shallow water, with lush coastal plantings - the task is not as simple as it might seem.

Iris Partner Groups

Favorite partners for irises are plants with completely different characters, with which you can create a sense of textural diversity, contrasts, layering and non-trivial structure of compositions.

Conventionally, all partners for irises near water bodies can be divided into three groups:

1. Plants that can oppose dense, beautiful sod of narrow and long leaves with tiered inflorescences, strict forms and large leaves.
2. Plants with a pronounced lacy character.
3. Crops with similar sods, but smaller leaves.

10+ ideal partners for irises by the pond

Small-toothed primrose (Primula denticulata)

This is the foreground plant. Its bright velvet leaves in rosettes seem to draw the eye to the iris foliage. This species of primroses is famous for its globular inflorescences, capable of competing in beauty with decorative bows, but much denser and brighter.

Reaching a height of only 30 cm, fine-toothed primrose forms rosettes of wrinkled, wide leaves (the diameter of the bushes is equal to the height), which do not fade after flowering, but continue to grow and develop. Peduncles up to 20 cm high are crowned with spherical heads of purple, lilac, white or red flowers. Inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter. This species usually blooms in April.

Japanese primrose (Primula japonica)

Unlike fine-toothed primrose, it is better to plant this primrose on the same plane with irises. After all, its main advantage is long-tiered inflorescences that can give irises “solidity”.

This is one of the easiest candelabra primroses to grow, forming a spectacular rosette of spatulate leaves up to 20 cm in length. The flowers are crimson, with a light spot in the center, up to 2 cm in diameter, collected in multi-tiered "candelabra" inflorescences up to half a meter high. This species blooms later, in May-June, from bottom to top.

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)

Herbaceous perennial with fleshy straight shoots up to 40 cm high, alternate bud-shaped leaves with a glossy surface and a rich, unusual color. Basal leaves - up to 20 cm in diameter, sit on fleshy petioles. Flowers in low-flowered inflorescences bloom on long peduncles in the axils of the upper leaves, they are dazzling yellow or golden, catchy, especially effective against the background of dark leaves.

This plant looks magnificent and lacy, but its main advantage is its bright, rich color, so unlike the restrained tones of the irises themselves. The dazzling background of marigold leaves becomes even more compelling when the plant blooms. This is one of the best partners in the forefront.

Loose leaf (Lysimachia nummularia)

Another sunny and bright miracle that can favorably emphasize and shade the beauty of irises. Bright, unusual foliage and yellow flowering are two factors that make it akin to marigold. But, of course, these plants are radically different in character.

This is a herbaceous perennial, thanks to creeping shoots, it perfectly copes with the role of a ground cover. Stems up to 60 cm long, the leaves are opposite, up to 2 cm long, almost perfectly round, monotonous. The flowers are solitary, growing from the axils of the leaves, literally shining with a bright yellow color of five petals.

Hosta lanceolate (Hosta lancifolia)

A compact form of a host up to 40 cm high, constantly expanding in breadth (usually forms a half-meter rosette). Leaves are dense and glossy, rather narrow and medium-sized, up to 17 cm long and 8 cm wide, oval-lanceolate. The lilac funnel-shaped flowers in a loose inflorescence look amazing, bloom from August to October, making the lanceolate hosta one of the most late flowering species.

The white-bordered form of this hosta is especially good for highlighting compositions, but simple varieties also set points of attraction for the eye, stabilize and balance compositions, give massiveness and structure, but at the same time surprise with beautiful flowering. It is better to use this plant not in the foreground, but where the eye-catching effect is obvious.

Hosta bloated (Hosta ventricosa)

One of the most interesting hosta species with late July-August flowering. But not her drooping, up to 5 cm in length, lilac inflorescences are so appreciated in choosing partners for irises, but large heart-shaped leaves, bluish-matte, up to 25 cm in length and almost the same width. They perfectly highlight the beauty of the iris leaves themselves. Although more than one meter high inflorescences look very impressive next to irises.

Hosta Sieboldiana

This popular host species conquers primarily with its bluish colored leaves. Large, even massive, they offer to create a stunningly spectacular contrast with the leaves of irises and seem to arrange, subordinate any composition to a certain rhythm.

Broad-heart-shaped leaves with a dense texture and waxy bloom adorn with a play of gray shades and prominent veins, grow in length up to 35 cm with a width of about 20-25 cm. Funnel-shaped, up to 6 cm in length, flowers with a pale, almost white light lilac color are collected in dense inflorescences. This species blooms in July.

Sedum acre

A perennial with erect stems and fleshy thick leaves is one of the best ground cover succulents. Unusual inflorescences, with almost sessile flowers of a bright golden color, transform this plant, turning it into a bright spot.

Despite its drought resistance, sedum is today very often used to decorate rocky shores and talus near water bodies, fully appreciating its ability to create natural transitions and soft bright spots as a landscape ground cover. “Flat” spots of sedum in the foreground seem to highlight bright irises in the design of the banks.

Daylily hybrid (Hemerocallis x hybrida)

A plant that, echoing with irises in the shape of the leaves and the type of curtains, is able to perfectly balance them. But in terms of flowering, the daylily suggests adding a spectacular contrast to the irises in the form of a large-flowered perennial.

Rhizome herbaceous perennials with broad-linear, intact basal leaves in lush clumps, daylilies constantly grow and form a stunningly beautiful picture. On high peduncles, funnel-shaped flowers in loose inflorescences bloom for just one day. Hybrid varieties have a huge selection of sizes (from miniature to large) and colors. And all daylilies, without exception, do not lose their versatility at all.

European hoof (Asarum europaeum)

Another groundcover that looks great next to irises. An evergreen herbaceous perennial with a creeping rhizome and shoots creates a very beautiful canopy of large kidney-shaped leaves. Clefthoof blooms in April and May are almost imperceptible, but the beauty of the leaves is enough to arrange beautiful texture spots in shady spots around the irises and combine them with other partners.

Astilbe Arends (Astilbe gr. Arendsii)

The most spectacular group of these beautifully flowering perennials up to 1 m high. The plant develops in the form of a sprawling round or pyramidal bush. The intensely colored, double or triple plumose leaves provide an excellent backdrop for stunning clusters of thousands of small flowers. Astilba's palette includes red, pink, lilac, white options in a variety of shades.

The lush bloom of Astilbe with its lacy foam of inflorescences on the shore lasts especially long. She looks like a lace cloud sets off the beauty of any irises and is one of the best big partners for these perennial stars.

Iris preferences when selecting partners

When choosing partners, it is worth considering that each iris has its own preferences for "neighbors":

• For Siberian iris - Japanese primrose, Japanese host, daylily.
• For marsh iris - host, astilba, daylily and Japanese primroses.
• For bearded and dwarf irises growing on the shore, stonecrops, clefthoofs, daylilies and hosts are selected as partners.