Suzanne Wagner’s Blog – Transplanting Irises

I spent the weekend digging up 20-plus year-old irises and transplanting them out of a bed that was densely packed with out-of-control iris bulbs that had twisted and turned around each other creating a mat of bulbs that were very difficult to pull out.

Many years ago, coming to California, I knew that what lay ahead of me was a tremendous amount of work and effort to bring this amazing landscape into a form that reflected my love for creating spaces for bees and birds, bats and butterflies.

Gardens are a work of love and tremendous effort. That is because you try something and it fails, you try something else and it sort of works, and you have to just keep trying until you achieve something that works for the critters and creatures of this landscape and for the aesthetic beauty that is soothing for my nervous system.

I love the sounds of happy bees gathering up pollen and the flights of the colorful butterflies as they drift and float around my flowers.

But this weekend’s journey began a few months ago as I pulled out many irises then and transplanted them around the circle in my front driveway. This time I had enough to plant all the way around the circle and down the other side of the driveway. I think it will look beautiful next spring. I have some more that need to be planted along a fence line and then I have plants that have to be taken out of pots and put into the garden after I add some great soil. While I am not done. I do expect to be finished with this next level this week or weekend.

But after I transplanted the first round of irises, I was able to put in so many other beautiful plants and my garden seemed to come alive. It was the first time in over 13 years that I finally felt as if my garden was beginning to reflect my heart and soul. I felt finally as if I belonged in this landscape.

Now, I know that a garden is never done and that it changes as I change. It evolves with my own energies that begin to arise. And I am a part of this living, breathing process and evolution. But I am finding a place to be at peace in my yard and enjoy the colors, variety, and flow of my garden.

I am excited to finish up this project and see what evolves and calls to my heart and soul next.

Three years ago, I planted some “Naked Ladies” bulbs. While they had the green leaves come out, I did not see any flowers until this year. And I was delighted to see those fabulous pink fluted flowers emerge. Now that they are established, they will proliferate and continue to slowly spread. I am excited because they bring color in at this time of the year. I am going to buy some more of them this fall and add to the garden. At least now I know that they take a while to flower.

Patience and hope are a gardener’s creed.

I hope your garden is well tended and bountiful. I hope your heart sings and you find peace in what you have created in your life.

My garden has taught me timing. It has taught me to plan. It has taught me that surprises come up each year. And it reminds me that I have created a space that is for all the creatures. Not just me.

I love that it is September and there is still color galore. The bees are busy gathering up the last bits of pollen before the cold of the winter snows.

I know the garden is happy and it makes me smile as I look out the windows. I enjoy the breeze as it comes up the hill and the light now is setting far to the right of my yard and the trees shade and filter that light into dappled bits of iridescence.

Before I die, I hope my garden is so balanced and in alignment … that those that come after me … have less to do and more time to enjoy. But I know that those that come after me will add their own touches into the mix and bring about something new and different. I just hope that a part of my love and energy survives and continues to thrive as well.

~Suzanne Wagner~