Collections
Can't decide between individual varieties? Then look at these preselected collections. They are combinations of iris varieties that we feel work together to create an excellent collection for your garden.
Subcategories
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Pinks
Delicate shades of Pink and Pastel blooms giving a soft, warm, and romantic feel to the garden.
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White Garden
For a timeless design that will work with both contemporary and traditional gardens. Creating a calm, serene, and elegant space by including only white blooms as part of your garden.
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Historic
The term 'historic' is an official designation used to describe any iris over 30 years old. The idea, mainly led by the American Iris Society, was to try to prevent the loss of important old irises. Of course this has led to some debate as now a 'modern' iris from 1989 could be called Historic !
In my experience iris varieties pre 1960's have a distinctive form, indicative of the earlier times. I have used this as a bench mark on this site, although there are some exceptions due to their rarity.
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Re-blooming
Many iris flower more than once a year. In addition to blooming in the Spring, the reblooming iris varieties bloom again in the Summer and Autumn.
Remontant iris, commonly called re-bloomers, or re-blooming iris include several types within one category.
"Cycle Re bloomers" may produce two or more flushes of blooms each year or produce a spring crop of flowers, then lie low during summer, and grow and flower again in the autumn. "Repeaters" produce new flowers soon after the first spring flush dies back, extending the bloom season from one to two months, and finally "All-season re-bloomers" produce flowers irregularly throughout the season.
Reblooming isn't guaranteed, being dependent on your location and climate. But don't give up, some varieties need to establish before they re-bloom well.
Remontant irises have accelerated life cycles. They grow and flower faster than the one-timers so they need additional fertiliser and water.
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Space Age
The Space Age Irises have horns that extend from the end of the beard. The horn is a spear-like appendage that emerges from the fall at the end of the beard. The tip of the horn is sometimes flat which is referred to as a spoon or may be split and laced making a flounce which looks like little petals.
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Best of British Iris
These are Bearded Iris that have been introduced by British Hydridisers, the most famous being Cedric Morris with his 'Benton' Collection, and more recently Olga Wells in Kent and Barry Emmerson.
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Florists favourites
This is a collection of Bearded Iris we have found perform very well as a cut flower. With strong stems and well-spaced buds.
Cut the stem, at the base near the rhizome, when you see the first flower start to unfurl.
Display your iris out of direct sunlight and change the water every 3-4 days. Recut the stems if necessary and pinch off the wilted flowers as more blooms emerge lower down the stem.
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Pastels and Soft Tones
These iris varieties give you a soft colour palette for the garden. Not everyone wants their iris to shout at them from the border !
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Striking Two Tones
These stunning iris blooms with striking colour contrasts that will stand out in your garden border.
Known as Bicolour, where the standards and falls of two different colours.
Variegata which tend to be yellow standards with red falls.
Neglecta which have pale blue standards with deeper blue falls.
Amoena flowers have coloured falls with white standards.
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Bold Colours
These are bold coloured iris flowers that will stand out in the garden border