Ask the Gardener: Irises are simply divine
The name originates from Greek mythology, where Iris served as a messenger between humans and the gods of Mount Olympus. Wherever Iris went, she was trailed by a rainbow, which the Greeks saw as evidence that a divine message had been delivered.
It is natural to see why the plant, which appears in nearly every color of the spectrum, would be associated with the name and the rainbow. The flower was seen as a symbol of power and majesty, its outline adorning the brow of the Egyptian Sphinx, where the three petals were thought to represent faith, wisdom, and valor. In European history, King Louis VII of France selected the white iris as his house emblem, ensuring the association of
fleur-de-Louis with fleur-de-lis
,
a corruption of the original with no correlation to the French word
lis, for lily.
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In the language of flowers, the iris symbolizes a message of love, friendship, and promise, all valid reasons to share those sentiments in a bouquet with those you care about. Many still believe that a vase of fresh-cut iris flowers provides calming energy and invigoration to a room.
Horticulturally, irises are a versatile group of perennials from early flowering and bulbous to tall, stately bearded. Given the long association with humans, a significant amount of breeding and hybridization work has been conducted with this group, resulting in a diverse array of choices, selections, and hybrids.
Broadly, irises can be divided into three categories:
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not highlight some of our garden-worthy eastern United States species, the blue flag iris (Limniris versicolor), the slender blue flag (Limniris prismatica), and the dwarf crested iris (Lophiris cristata). The
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Now that we have a handle on the diversity of irises available, let's discuss using them in a garden context.
Q.
What natives are suitable for a very wet area? / How do I plant a native rain garden? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Caitlin, Leominster
Rain gardens have been on my mind over the past few years, given the swings between drought and deluge that we have weathered. Managing stormwater is crucial to the health of local waterways, rivers, ponds, lakes, estuaries, and bays by keeping runoff (fertilizers, pollutants, and soil) out of those bodies of water.
One of the goals of a sustainable garden is to retain as much water on site as possible, slow it down, and allow it to percolate back into the ground. Rain gardens can help achieve this goal. And one of the best plants for such an application is the blue flag iris (Iris versicolor). It is tolerant of both waterlogged soils and drier conditions once established. Deer won't bother with it, it spreads slowly via rhizomes and — given time — can form dense stands. Sedges, swamp hibiscus, cardinal flower, and New York aster make great companions to the blue flag Iris and extend the bloom times well into autumn.
These are excellent choices for consistently wet areas, too. Aside from these natives, beardless irises would do well in this type of planting, given their preference for damp soils. There is one iris to avoid: the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus). It is the only iris on the state's
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Ulrich Lorimer is the director of horticulture at the Native Plant Trust in Framingham. Send your gardening questions, along with your name/initials and hometown, to
for possible publication. Some questions are edited for clarity.
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