Winter iris, (Iris unguicularis) have been flowering for a couple of months now.
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Their flowers can be white, mauve-blue through silvery lavender to darker blue and rich purple or pink, and will fill your home with a lovely sweet vanilla-lemon aroma. Cut, don't pull, the flowers when picking them.
If you don't pick them for a vase, cut back the flower stems as the blooms die off and they will continue to flower in the garden for several months.
Winter irises prefer a dry, sunny and well-drained position and grow best when left undisturbed.
Winter irises prefer a dry, sunny and well-drained position and grow best when left undisturbed.
Only divide or move them when they have become really congested and do this in late summer if necessary.
Otherwise the only maintenance really needed is to remove old leaves and other leaves on the ground.
Some Jobs for late winter and the start of spring
- Cut back any dead growth still left on perennials and grasses, particularly, before too much new growth appears. Cover the crown with loose hay, compost or mulch, especially where they are fairly new plants or in an exposed position. If any are still flowering, removing the flower stems will prevent plants from using their energy on seed production.
- There's still time to prune your roses but don't leave it too much longer as some are starting to put on new growth now.
- If you haven't done so already, prune grape vines before the sap starts to rise
- Give trees and shrubs that you planted as bare-rooted, a regular soaking. One of the main causes of bare-rooted trees and shrubs failing is lack of water, especially if planted when the leaf or flower buds are close to bursting.
- Continue preparing beds for spring planting; dig in plenty of compost and manure / fertiliser.
- Spring catalogues from the mail order nurseries are starting to be released. Get in early if you are interested in some of the rarer plants that are often only available via these outlets.
- Protect winter annuals and young, vulnerable plants with mulch, loose straw or hessian.
- Remember not to prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees at this time.
The next meeting of the Armidale Garden Club is on Thursday 28 August, at 7pm in the Uniting Church Youth Club Hall. Everyone is welcome and all COVID requirements will be adhered to.
