The wheelbarrow load of irises seen in the photo above is actually load number 3 from my front yard. I managed to give away the first and second loads to a number of neighbors and coworkers. I began today's replanting project with what is seen in the photo above. The scary thing is that I still haven't touched the large section of irises in the center of the yard, (they have to be dug up and divided as well).

Today's project was to try and make a small dent in the pile. I have been scouting locations to plant replant some irises since I started this project. Rather than plant a large area of irises, I've decided to plant several smaller clusters scattered throughout the yard.

When I first divided the irises that occupied the center of my front yard in 2017, I decided to experiment with the replanting process by creating a path of irises that meandered through the entire design. It looked fine in the spring, but grew out of control as the season continued. It turns out that not only did the irises grow too large, they also grew too close to everything around them which affected the growth and/or blooming of several of the other plants in the yard.

I've learned a few things since then. This time, my plan was to give away as many of the divided irises that I can. Any remaining irises will then be planted in small clusters throughout the entire design so as not to smother everything else in the yard. The two large groups of irises I planted last summer, one next to the driveway and the other on the opposite side of the yard, will remain in place because they don't sit among anything small that they could smother.

I started looking for spots where I could plant a small cluster of irises. A spot seen in the photo above next to the maple tree seemed to be a good size.

I was thinking a small cluster of irises would fit in between the pampas grass and gladiolus bulbs seen in the photo above. But this spot may work well for the Eleanor Tabor Indian Hawthorn, which I've learned needs to be in as much full sun as possible. The problem is that the Pampas grass is capable of growing huge. So the jury is still out on this location.

The area seen in the photo above behind the pampas grass is large enough to hold a couple of iris clusters in between the group on the left and the individual plants on the right.

I grabbed the trowel and a few bulbs and started planting. A small cluster fit nicely in between the crape myrtles and palm tree.

Another small cluster fit nicely on the other side of the crape myrtles next to the pear tree.

Another cluster fit nicely next to the maple tree.

Another cluster fit in between what's left of the relocated flowering dogwood tree and the Goldmound Spireas. I thought the dogwood may have died over the winter. But it surprised me this past spring. If it's going to grow, I'll leave it in place and see what happens.

I planted the small cluster of three irises in the center of the photo above last summer to take up an open space. Since there was enough room, I planted a few other clusters on either side.

The new clusters will connect the three on the right side of the photo above to the larger group of irises on the left.

There isn't anything on this side of the yard the irises can smother. So I can be a little more liberal with them here.

The last location I was thinking about is seen in the photos above and below. This area was originally nothing but weeds. But in 2016, I removed the weeds, put down some landscaping fabric, and filled in the area with pine bark chips with the intent of doing something with it later.

With this area being in the back of the design, I can plant a few irises here and not worry about smothering anything. So I'll relocate the pine bark chips, pull up the landscape fabric, and add some potting soil in the coming weeks.