It's a magical time when bearded iris flowers unfurl their pencil-slim buds to reveal a kaleidoscope of color in spring. Once commonly called flags, these perennials flourish in USDA Zones 3-9, where ...

Bearded irises have come a long way from the simple Iris pallida fondly called “Grandma’s flags” and grown in so many gardens many decades ago. Named for the Goddess of the Rainbow in Greek mythology, ...

Exceptionally hardy, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant, bearded irises are one of the easiest perennials to grow in cold-weather regions. Though they are mostly care-free, these irises do need to ...

The mythology of the iris dates back to Ancient Greece — the goddess Iris personified the rainbow and acted as the link between heaven and earth. Irises are among the most beloved and easy to grow ...

Bearded irises are, undoubtedly, the tall standouts of the spring bulbs, with their showstopper flowers, complete with the ruffled edges that give them their name. If you’re looking for more variety, ...

MOST OF US, gardeners and nongardeners alike, carry memories of bearded iris (Iris germanica), an old-fashioned flower frequently found in long-established gardens, like that of your grandparents or ...

One of the oldest and best-known perennials in the home landscape is the bearded iris, sometimes called a German iris or a flag. But the genus Iris contains almost 300 species, and many irises have ...

The iris is the birth flower of February, the month in which I was born. The Dwarf Lake Iris is the state wildflower of Michigan, where I’m from. There is an iris named “Clarence,” the most handsome ...

Owing to climactic conditions here in the Inland Northwest and my admittedly lazy ways, perennials in my garden have to meet a long list of criteria. They have to be heat and cold tolerant, drought ...

Critics of bearded irises say the flowers are too fleeting, their lives too short, that they bloom for a few brief weeks in spring, then are gone until the next season. Further, they maintain, the ...

Critics of bearded irises say the flowers are too fleeting, their lives too short, that they bloom for a few brief weeks in spring, then are gone until the next season. Further, they maintain, the ...

Irises should be cut back after blooming to prevent energy loss in seed production and promote robust root growth. Remove unhealthy leaves promptly to prevent the spread of diseases or pests and check ...