Daphne the 'littles' that require a cold season to thrive are the smallest of the bearded irises ~ MDB's. The SDB's are in the median class and can take a lot more warmer climate conditions. I am in zone 7a and i grow my little MDB's in pots and move them to a north shaded area in the winter to maximize their cooling time. This winter we only had a week and a couple of days below freezing so i will not get much bloom out of them. If you don't have the time or energy to trundle pots to the shade in the summer I do not recommend trying to grow the MDB's. Just my two cents.
The SDB's pretty much require what other medians do. If you grow them in pots remember that pots get colder in the winter and hotter in the summer than ground plants do. Also do not put pots in direct sun without protecting the pot from the rays. If you touch the pot and it is very hot remember that the roots of the irises are in constant contact with this heat.
I know you have heard this before but i always feel the need to say it anyway.....the main thing to remember is to make sure they are watered during dry spells especially in warmer zones. Many people mistakenly refer to irises as drought proof when in fact they are drought tolerant. That being said they do suffer when they are very dry for long periods of time. If you see the tips of the leaves turning brown it usually means the iris is suffering from lack of water. This may mean they are conserving their nutrients in order to survive instead of storing energy for next years bloom. We had a long dry summer last year and many of my little SDB's are putting up leaves that appear to be a bloom stalk but the leaves are empty. This is usually caused by 'environmental stress' or in other words the drought conditions.
If i were you i would try one or two SDB's that other growers in your zone have success with. Try them in different areas and light conditions. I have some TB's that thrive on the north side of the house. The only sun they get is in early morning and late evening. Mary Ann
@Muddymitts also grows a lot of TB's in a shaded area and has great success.
