How can I Protect my Irises from Birds?

A little while ago I wrote about my prize irises being decapitated by birds. It seems that birds simply can’t resist the  irises. But it’s frustrating me no end.

I have had the actual flowers eaten off at the base of the flower so that all the  petals fall to the ground.  The birds don’t seem to want the flower at all, just the juicy bit below.

So today I thought of a plan.  I would shield the flowers with tin foil.  So I grabbed a roll of tin foil and proceeded to give each iris bud a protective collar so that the flower could emerge but that the juicy calyx would be protected.

I didn’t have to wait too long for the result of my experiment. I went inside for lunch, and when I came out to view my handiwork, there lay the tin foil on the ground together with the bitten off iris buds.  The birds had simply bitten off the stem below the tin foil.

Frustrating?

Yes!

But I haven’t given up yet.  I’m  determined to devise another plan and I’ll keep  you posted as to my success or otherwise.

Meanwhile, if you have any suggestions please send them in.  I will be ever so grateful!

Help! My Prize Irises are being Decapitated by Birds.

If you’ve never seen what an iris looks like after the birds have been at it – I can tell you.

Decapitated”  is the first word that comes to mind!

No sooner does an iris starts to show colour and begin to open than I find it lying in tatters on the ground.

Even the side blooms get decapitated one by one. Snapped off at the base of the flower with only a few ragged remnants lying on the ground to taunt me.

Iris 'The Admiral', 1938

Flickr photo : Tie Guy II

Birds that eat irises certainly have good taste. They can’t be faulted on that one.

But why don’t they rather go for the dainty little lobelias or some other tasty flower nearby?  Why are they choosing my prize irises?

To make matters worse, no one has heard of my particular gardening predicament.  They find it very funny and think I’m joking!

Fortunately for the birds I have an organic garden so I don’t use poisons.  And even though there are times when I could cheerfully roast those birds for our next Sunday lunch I don’t really want to hurt them.

So this is an urgent S.O.S. If you have had any experience with birds eating irises please get back to me in haste. If you have any suggestions I would be more than grateful.

S.O.S. Help me save my irises!