These iris rhizomes sat in this flat on our drive since last September. They were drenched with rain repeatedly, frozen and thawed, drenched again, snowed on, frozen and thawed… you get my drift; in short they were abused.  Their roots could reach no soil and yet they sent up this one spectacular blossom.  I’m not showing you this image so you can see what a slacker gardener I am, or that I hate iris—I don’t , I love them— but to show you how resilient tall bearded iris ( Iris germanica cv ) are. I have seen them flourishing in the Sonoran desert, rambling through the rocky soil, where they crept, very slowly I imagine, out of a garden and down an embankment by the road we were on and settled in among some beautiful purple prickly pear cactus (Opuntia violacea) where they bloomed in February. Tall bearded iris are not native to deserts per se  but to the Mediterannean. You often see them growing wild in olive groves.   The history of their cultivation is long, reaching back to ancient Egypt. The species Iris germanica is generally considered to be an ancient hybrid. Modern tall bearded iris have a very mixed parentage, including I. florentina and I. pallida.Their beauty is legendary.

 

The iris I so cold-heartedly let suffer in a flat on the drive all winter is one of those beauties. When I bought it it was simply labeled: IRIS (black). I’ve seen blacker tall bearded iris, but this one is sufficiently black for me. Actually it is the only tall bearded iris I grow on the farm where it has settled into the gravelly edge of raised drive nicely. Modern bearded iris come in so many colors it’s hard to image why I’d be satisfied with such a plain iris. But to me iris are purple. It is a rather childish notion that settled into my head years ago, along with the notion that iris are tall bearded iris.

But their are many irises, over 200 species across the Northern Hemisphere, not to mention the subspecies, hybrids  and cultivars (whole books and nurseries are devoted to the tall bearded iris alone). On a very specific day almost 30 years ago I changed from an  iris lover into a lover of irises. Back when I was studying botany in Milwaukee I would walk along the Milwaukee River identifying plants as I went. One particularly benevolent June day I stumbled up on a large swath of blue flag (Iris versicolor). It is one of the most widespread of the native irises in North America. It’s beauty is simple and sophisticated for a wild plant. I plant it in all of my clients gardens, now and call it my favorite iris. 

I was totally unfamiliar with the Japanese water iris ( I. ensata, sometimes called I. kaempferi) when I moved to the Seattle. They are to the east what tall bearded iris are to the west, highly revered and extensively hybridized. According to Geoff Stebbing author of “The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Irises” they were raised to cult status in ancient Japan, individual plants being treated like pets. There are now hundreds of cultivars available. Their lush feminine grace is an asset in wet gardens where a bearded iris would sulk and die. And I find their upright architectural foliage an asset, too.

 

I don’t grow many irises just for foliage, but here are two. Iris pseudoacorus ‘Variegata’ is a stunner when it’s sword-like yellow-striped foliage begins to emerge early in the spring. It holds well through the summer kept moist, and requires thorough deadheading, it seeds in with obnoxious abandon.

 

 

Iris foetidissima ‘Variegata’ on the other hand is well behaved, forming nice solid clumps of evergreen foliage striped with large bands of white. It tolerates a great deal of shade and drought. And contrary to it’s specific epithet is not foetid in the least. (The small flowers are a white Ranunculus ficaria.) 

There is one group of iris I grow for both foliage and flowers. That is the Pacific Coast Hybrids. This group of iris was created by hybridizing several species native to the west Coast of North America, primarily California. That said, they are not for every garden. They prefer drier conditions and some do not withstand much frost. I’ve lost quite a few in the Snoqualmie Valley where the winters are dark and cold, and freeze and thaw repeatedly. I’ve found ‘Money Maker’ (pictured above) to be an exceptional performer increasing in strength and beauty over the years.

 

Pacific Coast Hybrid Iris don’t like to be moved.  ‘Canyon Snow’ has been growing undisturbed in one of the gardens I created for almost 10 years. It is in full shade and yet blooms readily and the evergreen leathery grass-like foliage makes a nice textural compliment to broad-leaved perennials like hostas or bergenias. When I say I love irises I definitely mean this one.

 

Not all irises are created equally. And I’ve had my share of disappointments. Especially with the Louisiana iris. Coming from the southern United States I think they have a tendency to baulk at our cool wet winters and often succumb to frost. Of all of them I’ve tried only ‘Red Velvet Elvis’ persists and continues to bloom although sparing. But with a flower like this, one can be enough.

The spuria iris are another bunch I’ve had mixed success with. Too wet , too dry?  Too cold… who knows? ‘Lucky Devil’ has bloomed repeatedly over the years for me but refuses to make a large clump.

Now Siberian iris are consider one of the easiest irises to grow. And I have grown them, but with little satisfaction. I been warned I was being too kind to them. So Michael and I have planted them in the leanest soil we can find at the farm and they seem to be happier. I’m looking forward to a large clump of this sky blue one.

In Washington we have only two native iris: I.tenax, west of the Cascades, and I. missouriensis, east of the cascades. This one is I. missouriensis, growing in Umtanum Creek Canyon in what is known as sagebrush country. I have heard of small populations growing west of the Cascades and I plan to collect seed the next time I’m hiking in the canyon and give them a try.