Huge, sumptuous flowers with wide, heavily marked petals open over an extended period from early to late summer. Some years ago we were given a few precious seeds from a skilled breeder of these desirable plants and these gems were the result. Their extreme breeding means that very few fertile seeds are ever set. With very few exceptions, they are reluctant to set pods. Around 70% of diploid crosses end up producing seeds, but only 20% of tetraploid crosses do so .....in a good year. In addition tetraploid pods typically contain fewer seeds. Finally, these seeds usually germinate more slowly than diploids and other irises, BUT they make fabulous, showy flowers, and are well worth the wait!! ... Learn More

Mid purple flowers with darker purple veins on the standards and on the falls, and which have a light yellow zone, open on long stems in spring, which form a larger clump each year. From western China, this is a close relative of Iris chrysographes, but differs from the latter in its flowers which are a paler bluish to violet. ... Learn More

The flowers are certainly not oil-coloured, but its name alludes to the Greek, chrysographes or 'gold writing'. Tall strong stems hold sprays of darkest blue to almost black velvety flowers which are delicately marked with golden lines. ... Learn More

This gorgeous black flowered clone is one of the very darkest irises grown, although the flower colour is in fact a very deep violet that appears black, the falls having an exquisitely delicate golden tracery of veins near the centre. This solid clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial has upright, strap-like, grey-green leaves, and is truly one of the nearest flower colours to black it is possible to grow although seedlings may vary. ... Learn More

The unusual "Welsh Gladwyn," is usually grown not for its quite pretty pale mauve flowers, but for the bright orange seeds which burst forth from the seed-pods in autumn, but do not fall until spring (as demonstrated in the picture). The botanical name refers to the fact that the crushed leaves smell like roast beef!!! Whole stems can then be cut to make an impressive floral display which lasts until the following year. Once you have a clump be sure to share the ripe seeds around you borders where they will slowly naturalise into trouble-free clumps! ... Learn More

An improved variation of the "Welsh Gladwyn Iris", which has pale lemon instead of the normal mauve flowers. The attractive thick evergreen leaves make a wonderful autumn and winter foil for the large pods of bright orange seeds when they burst open. ... Learn More

Distinguished by its lemon-yellow flowers with reddish-brown veins and markings on the falls, Iris forrestii, a member of the normally blue Chrysographes subseries, makes a superb companion with the black form of Iris chrysographes. A rarely offered clumping species from China, Yunnan, Sichuan & Burma, it grows in moist sites flowering in early summer, and is easy and non invasive in the border. ... Learn More

We are offering an attractive mix of various hybrid forms of this lovely plant from southern China, with flowers that vary from lemon yellow, through shades of purple and mauve, all with purplish veins, held on strong stems above clumps of narrow, almost grassy leaves. ... Learn More

This easy and vigorous juno iris grows to very little more than 6 to 8 inches tall, the most attractive flowers being borne in the early spring with blue-purple blooms with white to blue or even lavender markings which are strongly veined around the crest. Glossy bright green leaves with white margins add to the pretty effect. This lovely gem slowly expands into a strong clump. ... Learn More

Rather resembling a dwarf Iris setosa, this lovely iris has large, reflexed, blue-purple flowers, white-blotched at the centre, and all attractively pencilled in deeper purple, with small standards. It does best with ample moisture, but must have adequate sun to flower well. These plants are native to the coastal states of north-east USA and Canada, where they grow in damp places. ... Learn More

These beardless hardy irises open in shades of blue-purple, lavender and paler combinations, with distinctive veining on the falls, and are usually evergreen, being native to areas with wet winters, relatively dry summers, and moderate temperatures, and flowering in the spring to early summer. Pacific Coast irises are found in the western United States, mostly Oregon and California, but also Washington. ... Learn More

This rare and gorgeous plant is the only yellow species amongst the spuria irises, blooming in early summer with large, narrow, reflexed-petalled, lemon-yellow flowers with narrow leaves. It needs neutral to slightly acidic, gritty, well drained soil with plenty of free-flowing water in Spring, and is native to N E Turkey, where it grows in open pine forests at altitude. ... Learn More

The State Wildflower of Michigan is an attractive miniature iris with showy, deep blue flowers, which open from mid May to early June and are borne singly on short stems which are sometimes no more than two or three inches tall, and are becoming increasingly uncommon in the wild. In the wild Iris lacustris is usually found growing in slightly acidic, moist, sandy, or rocky soils, in sun-dappled, forested openings, often near the lake shore. ... Learn More

Very rarely offered from seed, this semi-dwarf iris from the Pyrenees displays deep blue, six-petalled flowers, with yellow marks in the centre of the lower petals, on short stems from May until July. Also known as The English Iris, Iris latifolia, Iris xiphiodes and Iris anglica, it is a common and attractive iris of the Pyrenees and Northwestern Spain. The leaves are stiff and sword-shaped and are approximately 60 cm long. In the wild, leaves begin growth in early spring, before the snow has entirely melted. ... Learn More

This is the lovely pure white form of this normally purple flower, which has a distinctive central yellow bar on each fall, and occasionally has a very pale purplish to lilac shading. They are easy to grow and often happier in heavier soils that retain moisture as they prefer dampish soils in sun, or maybe even in light grass in a sunny place. ... Learn More