You've just learned the nature of bearded iris rhizomes. Vigorous ones travel quickly to new soil.

I have mine planted in mixed beds with roses, daylilies, other perrenials, bulbs and reseeding annuals. The con is dividing without disturbing other plants/bulbs. For this reason I prefer less aggressive iris cultivars. The pro is continual display. Daffodils/hyacinths bloom before the iris. Calendulas/nigellas blooming with them. Roses beginning at the tail of their bloom.

I especially like one bed with a climbing rose & clematis as a backdrop.

I have mine both ways but I think I rather have my iris in their own beds. Everyone has different tastes but I really like large groups of iris grouped by cultivar. Each iris just seems to stand out better this way.

Thanks for the reply. I think I may move them after they bloom to a less crowded bed.

Anyone have visuals for how to divide?

Thanks,
JR

i just recived two dozen iris bearded can i plant them now

hightider, I would plant them now.
JR, there are a lot of sites that have photos of dividing iris. I couldn't find the one that I really liked that I remembered. I did find instructions/photos on about.com at the following url http://gardening.about.com/od/perennials/ss/DividingIrid.htm
Hope you find it helpful.
Gayle

This link to the BBC Gardening site shows pictures for each step of the process.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/growflowers_liftiris.shtml

Thanks for the great websites and the information. Guess I know what I'll be doing later this spring.