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

Stunning flowers on upright, erect stems, in shades of cream, yellow, maroon and purple, often with intricate patterns and markings, and long narrow leaves. Ideal for the garden border and due to the wide colour variations, this makes a great addition to a cut flower garden. ... 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

Violet, blue or purple flowers open with a large violet-veined and speckled yellow or white patch on the falls, deeply coloured blue standards opening above slender foliage. Making superb strong clumps this is one of easiest-to-grow irises. It comes from West Bengal, near the border with Nepal in the Himalaya region. ... Learn More

This rare and lovely palest buttermilk form of Iris pseudacorus, coming relatively true from seed, has sizeable cream flowers unlike the common blue form, the large pale petals being exquisitely marked and veined in purple. Although it can grow large in a damp or wet spot, or even in water at a pond edge, it does perfectly well in a dry garden. ... Learn More

This AGM Winner is a vigorous clump-forming, rhizomatous plant, having narrow leaves and branched stems bearing very dark, purplish-blue flowers, each fall having a large white patch and yellow haft. It is closely allied to I. sibirica, its range including Central and Southern Europe to Eastern Siberia and Japan. Few seeds collected. ... 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

This very rare and unusual form of the lovely "Welsh Gladwyn," is unique for the attractive, snowy-white, pearl-like seeds which burst forth from the seed-pods in autumn. As they then stay fixed to the open pod and do not fall, whole stems can then be cut to make an impressive floral display. Just a very few seeds collected and you may sometimes get a reversion back to the orange-berried form. ... Learn More

A brand new and incredibly bright, dwarf, shining canary-yellow foliage form of Iris foetidissima. Semi-evergreen clusters of golden daggers arise from compact clumps and are astonishingly vivid in very early spring. The pale blue, typical iris flowers open soon after. Seedlings come quite true but very few seeds collected. ... 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

Plum-scented, reddish-purple flowers with white falls strongly veined with violet, open in June and July. This beardless dwarf spuria iris is native from Spain to Russia and throughout the Caucasus. The name 'Graminea' means 'grass', referring to the grass-like clump of leaves. Few seeds collected. ... 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

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