Cooperative Living March/April 2015 - 26

GARDEN MUSE by Paula Steers Brown, Contributing Columnist
Iconic Irises
A
ptly named for the Greek goddess
of the rainbow, the iris dazzles
with intense and varied color
and a form that's divine. The iris's
classic shape has been captured
in art for centuries, from Chinese and Persian
ceramics to the paintings of Van Gogh and the
textiles of William Morris. It has been stylized in
heraldry as the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of French
kings and chivalry. Maybe that noble emblem is
the source of the old-fashioned name " flag, "
which is the name my grandmother and other
folks in rural areas routinely called the iris.
Its many varieties flourish in remarkably
diverse conditions, so this tough plant with its
regal crown became a garden mainstay, a common
sight, much admired as a great combination
of hardiness and elegance. From miniature to
giant, early to late, from wet to dry situations,
there is an iris just right for your landscape.
The Tall Bearded iris, I. germanica, is probably
the most well-known for the amazing range of
color and markings of its stunning blooms. Its
flowering period can be extended to about two
months, April through June, by choosing a variety
of early, middle and late bloomers, and some
even re-bloom in the fall.
These plants respond to sun and good
drainage. Award-winning cultivars pink " Lenora
Pearl " and deep purple " Starwoman " both
bloom early and re-bloom, as does the ruffled
blue-and-white " October Sky. " Midseason
bloomers, yellow-and-white " Again and Again "
and " Orange Harvest " both re-bloom in autumn,
as their names suggest. Vigorous " Stairway to
Heaven " produces many buds on strong stems in
mid- to late-season, when the popular " Victoria
Falls " also flowers. These tall forms make lovely
companions to roses.
While the Tall Bearded irises are at their peak,
the even taller Spurias can fill in the back of the
border with whites, yellows and browns.
24
Japanese irises (I. ensata) begin to bloom in
late spring and are at their best in early summer.
They offer a lovely horizontal contrast to the vertical
effect of the Tall Bearded varieties. Their
standards (the upright petals) are shorter, while
their falls (the draping petals) are exaggerated.
This variety can tolerate clay soil and excessive
moisture. " Lion King " is an award-winning double
purple with white centers and yellow signals.
Siberian irises have slender, grass-like leaves
growing from close-set wiry rhizomes - plant
them if you like butterflies. Dutch irises follow
and are in great demand as cut flowers. They
can be divided into two main groups - the ones
with rhizomes and the one with bulbs.
The dazzling color combinations created by
the different parts of the flower ― which attract
humans ― are actually there to attract pollinating
insects. The display is enhanced by an alluring
section on the top of the falls. On bearded
irises, it is the fuzzy little strip known as the
" beard " that actually functions as a great landing
strip for insects. On beardless varieties, it
may be a contrasting stripe or a frilled crest. It
makes a seductive and handy entry for bumblebees
in search of nectar. Blooms are enchanting
to all, but the foliage of the iris plant also has
great appeal. The blue-green, sword-like blades
and graceful fan shape of the clumps give interest
to any mixed border. The fine, grass-like
leaves of the Siberians create a graceful fountain
form. Many variegated types are strikingly
beautiful, worth growing just for their foliage.
Rooftop iris (I. tectorum), a June-July bloomer,
flaunts broad, ribbed, glossy leaves.
Irises have had many uses over the centuries,
one of the most interesting of which is revealed
in the lore of the rooftop iris. Centuries ago, I.
tectorum was ground to make the face powder
prized by Japanese women. During a famine,
citizens were ordered to stop growing ornamental
plants and only grow edible ones; to get
around the edict, the women began growing
their precious iris on their rooftops!
Dried rhizomes have been used from earliest
times in perfumery. Orrisroot, taken from the rhizomes
of I. pallida and I. florentina, was dug in
the summer, trimmed, peeled and hung on lines
to dry to use as a fixative to floral scents before
the advent of synthetic perfumes.
For the best bloom and good overall plant
health, take care of those roots. Irises need to be
divided every three to four years. Early summer,
just after flowering, is the best time to divide them
so that roots can develop before the onset of winter.
Discard the old part of the rhizome and retain
the newest portions for replanting, spacing them
out in groups of three to five. Dig the area and
enrich it with organic material. Plant so that the
roots reach downward into the loose, prepared
soil, but the top of the rhizome is just at ground
level; barely cover it with soil until the plant
becomes established. Bulbous irises are divided
when dormant by removing the offset bulbs.
Maybe the reason so many old-fashioned borders
are lined with irises is the abundance of
plants arising from this good maintenance habit.
Iris Society exhibitors know the importance
of careful maintenance. (They would recoil in
horror at the dead leaves left on Van Gogh's
Irises.) Perfect grooming, candelabra-style
branching with three blooms per stem is
expected for competition. Irisarians ― purists
who value fragility as part of the ancient flower's
charm ― take issue with hybridizers who breed
for more ruffles or thicker, more velvety petals of
show-quality " substance. "
Yes, we flower enthusiasts each have our
quirks. As for me, I'll go with the Greeks who
started the tradition of planting irises on the
graves of women to prove faith that the goddess
would lead them to the afterlife in the Elysian
Fields. I'm putting in an order now for mine: the
re-bloomer, " Immortality. " 
Cooperative Living/March-April 2015
BACKGROUND PHOTO: ART_OF_SUN/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK
PAULA STEERS BROWN PHOTOS
Cooperative Living March/April 2015

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