IRIS. Northern Hemisphere, temperate regions. For years I have had a special interest in this group of colorful perennials. The following include a broad sampling of the group, including several native species and their hybrids. All have the flattened fans of leaves and general floral form typical of the genus, but they vary strikingly within these limits. Cultural requirements and hardiness also vary.

ensata (kaempferi). Japanese iris. A spectacular wet growing species with closely branched rhizomes and erect, bright green 2-3’ leaves. Still taller, branched stems appear in summer, bearing enormous blossoms which are colored white to purple or rose overall, often beautifully painted with contrasting colors. All are deciduous in winter. ‘Haku Bocan’, with elegant pure white flowers, is my longtime favorite; unfortunately, it was nearly lost, and building a commercial crop again has been a struggle. ‘Beni Botan’ has flowers heavily marbled with white on a purple background. ‘Gekkeikan’ has similar markings on a red-violet background. ‘Murakamo’ is distinguished by particularly tall stems and velvety deep violet flowers. ‘Shogun’ combines a similar violet background with white centers. ‘Temple Bells’, with lavender flowers.

There are some new acquisitions to mention. ‘Flashing Koi’, received from Ensata Gardens, has stunning large flowers, white overall with reddish purple markings at their centers. ‘Joy Peters’, from Aitken’s, is distinguished by lavender-pink flowers with white styles. Exploiting a different theme is ’Variegata’, with cream-striped leaves and smaller, though quite pretty, purple flowers. Sun, most soils, constant moisture. They can actually be immersed in water; however, in my experience, better clumps and more flowers result from growing them in moist, rich soil. Hardy to 0^oF. or below.

laevigata ‘Variegata’. A showy plant for moist spots and poolside, quite compatible with the ensatas. It makes dense clumps, with tall, narrow cream-striped leaves, which are held erect. In summer violet 3" blossoms are held above the foliage on slender stalks. Hardy to 0^oF. or below.

sibirica. Siberian iris. These are compact plants with narrowly erect leaves, usually around 2’ tall. They bloom in early summer, displaying large blossoms painted in various hues well above the foliage. More recent hybrids have branched stems, broad petalled blossoms and a longer blooming period than older and more common selections. Of our traditional selections, ‘Anniversary’ features pure white blossoms with yellow markings. ‘Orville Fay’ has exceptionally large, broad-petalled flowers, approaching true blue in color. ‘Ruby Wine’ has beautiful burgundy blossoms. Those of ‘Tealwood’ are velvety, deep purple on the falls, with lighter standards; and ‘Tycoon’ has bluish purple blossoms.‘Jewelled Crown’ is a recent acquisition from Ensata Gardens, having elegant, ruffled flowers of deep wine-red with yellow markings at their centers, ringed by white. ‘Navy Brass’, from Caprice Farms, is simply the most stunning Siberian type I have seen; The flowers are very large, broad-parted and close to navy blue in color. Winter deciduous. Sun, reasonably well drained soil, regular watering during growth and bloom. Hardy to below 0^oF.