Blandy's iris collection has been in a holding bed since last summer while work is completed regrading and reshaping portions of the garden beds and adding paths, stone walls, and shrubs. Carrie Whitacre, Assistant Curator, Herbaceous Gardens, has been working with a team to manage the renovation of the existing Walter Flory Memorial Iris Garden. Once this work is complete, the irises will be transplanted into the new garden.
If you're thinking about doing some spring transplanting in your own garden, the arboretum experts from Blandy offer the following tips:
4 Quick Tips to Divide and Transplant Your Perennials
- Choose a cloudy day to minimize transplant shock.
- Carefully dig around the plant, getting as much root as possible.
- Immediately place the plant in a slightly bigger hole and cover gently with soil.
- Water in well and check for signs of wilt over the next few weeks.
The irises will be transplanted back into the revamped garden in mid-April. "Although some bloom might be sacrificed this spring, the plants will have months to settle in and root before chilly weather returns," she said. "Several of the bearded iris in our collection rebloom in the fall, and we look forward to that surprising display every October."
The perennials can easily be transplanted in the spring to rejuvenate or control their growth, or perhaps you saw a bloom combination in your garden last year that you’d like to move closer together or need to make space for a new favorite. Many summer perennials will take a move in stride and bloom the same year. Spring perennials may be interrupted, but don’t worry, they will certainly show off their beautiful flowers next year.
Over the winter, workers added stone walls and paths to the existing Walter Flory Memorial Iris Garden.