Dig them up and put them in pots then over winter them in the garage. Replant when the weather get warmer.

Chere

That sounds like a good possibility...so I would plant them in April or so? Would they bloom this year?
Thanks!

I have never done this because I live in California, but others do this and they say it improves their bloom rate.

Chere

I doubt in Boston they will bloom for you. Another thought might be to dig the rhizomes up that are in the immediate area that you want to put your shrubs in, leaving most of the others undisturbed. Then next spring you can plant your shrubs and after the iris are through blooming you can move the rest.

OK, a lazy woman's follow-up. Sounds like if I dig them up now and overwinter in pots, I probably won't get much bloom in my area in the spring. So can I just dig them up and transplant them in the spring when I want to plant the shrubs? Obviously it's not the best time to do it, but if I'm not going to get blooms anyway, it doesn't matter. But might I kill the irises that way or will I just lose a season of bloom?

thanks again.

No, you won't kill the Iris by transplanting in Spring.
Iris are tough plants. Last year I had to dig all mine in March and most bloomed anyway!
I just kept as much soil as I could around the roots to set them back as little as possible.
Marea

excellent, thanks for all the help.