by Tom Waters
reticulata iris 'Katharine Hodgkin' |
While I enjoy the rest and simplicity that winter brings to the garden landscape, by January or February I find myself looking ahead eagerly to spring. Most gardeners think of irises as late spring flowers, bridging the time between spring bulbs and summer perennials. But there are many wonderful irises that bloom much earlier, and help the impatient iris lover through the long wait for bloom.
I garden in what is now zone 6 in northern New Mexico. (The
older USDA map had us in zone 5). Here the last frost is usually in May. Tall
bearded irises bloom in late May and early June. But my iris season begins in
February, or sometimes even earlier!
Reticulata Irises
Iris danfordiae |
These are small flowers, about the size of crocuses, though
a bit taller. Most of the widely available ones are shades of blue, violet, or
purple, often with a contrasting orange or yellow stripe on the falls. The
earliest of all is the yellow Iris
danfordiae. This little charmer has almost no standards, the shape of the
bloom being formed by its wide falls and style crests. Its bright yellow color
is accented by small leaf-green dots.
reticulata iris 'Cantab' |
These wonderful irises are available inexpensively almost
anywhere you can buy crocuses, daffodils, and tulips. In some gardens, they
multiply from year to year. Elsewhere, they may dwindle away. (Planting deeply
may help.) But they are inexpensively replaced and well worth it for the cheer
they lend to the late winter garden. It’s surprising that they are not as
widely grown as crocuses or snowdrops. They surely deserve to be!
Dwarf Bearded Irises
Iris pumila |
Iris pumila |
Iris pumila 'Steppe' |
Iris pumila comes
from regions where it is cold in winter. It does fine in my garden, where
winter temperatures down to around 0 F are normal, but growers in warmer-winter
climates report that it does not persist well for them.
There are two similar species, Iris attica and Iris suaveolens, that come from the southern Balkans, Greece, and western Turkey. It seems these might do better in warmer gardens, but they are not widely grown. Again, you will need to seek them from specialists.
There are two similar species, Iris attica and Iris suaveolens, that come from the southern Balkans, Greece, and western Turkey. It seems these might do better in warmer gardens, but they are not widely grown. Again, you will need to seek them from specialists.
Iris suaveolens |
MDB iris 'Rosa Brooks' |
Some favorites of mine are'Alpine Lake' (white with a gentle blue spot), 'Icon' (bright orange with a darker spot) and 'Dollop of Cream' (ruffled creamy white).
MDB iris 'Icon' |
By the time the miniature dwarfs have finished, iris season
is well underway, with medians and arilbreds beginning to bloom and the tall bearded
not far behind.
MDB iris 'Dollop of Cream' |
I do love the head start on spring these earliest irises
provide, but I would grow them even if they bloomed later. Their charm and daintiness
speaks to me, and I enjoy the variety and fun they add to an iris collection.