Their main problem for me is the short flowering period, but while they are in bloom, I think they're hard to beat for the wonderful range of colour. In fact, the genus was named after Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow. Bearded iris is only one subdivision of the iris genus. But why are they called bearded? Their flowers are described according to the colour of their standards and faIls. Each flower usually has three faIls, (which are the pendant petals) and three standards (the erect petals). The beard is the tuft of hairs on each of the fails and as this isn't present in all irises, the ones that feature it are known as bearded. The bearded iris cultivars we see in gardens today are the result of much breeding work over the past 200 years. Even so, they mostly have one common ancestor Iris germanica. This is a purple flowered species from Europe and the near east. In the early 1800s, to produce a range of other colours, Iris germanica was being crossed with two other European species, Iris pallida with its pale lilac blue flowers and Iris variegata with its yellow standards and white fails with dark brown markings. Then in the 1890s a new range of species was introduced into breeding programmes, tetraploid irises, which were bigger plants with bigger flowers. American breeders have used these extensively and the results are what we see today. Breeders have also used small¬ growing species to produce dwarf bearded iris and there is now a whole spectrum of colours and sizes. Bearded iris are hardy perennials. The leaves are generally greyish green and grow in a flat fan shape from the rhizome. Some are very tolerant of poor growing conditions but they thrive best in full sun in well drained, slightly alkaline soil that is fairly rich in organic matter. They generally flower in late spring or early summer, producing their display of flowers for just a few short weeks. However, there are some varieties, that flower again in late summer. After flowering they should be quickly deadheaded so all the plant's energy is directed into growing the new rhizomes for next year. Bearded irises are sun worshippers and they need a good baking during the growing season to ripen the rhizomes. Plant them in open patches, in full sun and with their rhizomes showing on the soil surface. If the rhizomes don't see the sun, they won't ripen enough to flower the following year. Irises also won't flower very well if the rhizomes are overcrowded, particularly if they have started to grow on top of each other. The best solution is to lift the whole clump and divide it into individual rhizomes, each with a growing point, using a knife, if necessary, to slice them apart. These can then be replanted, each being given more room than before. This job is best done in August. To compensate for the initial shock of division and to prevent the plants rocking in the soil before the roots have re established, the leaves should be cut back by at least a half. Finally to give you something to look for I have compiled a few named varieties. I don't how available these are in the USA. First of all is Iris 'Florentina' which has scented white flowers with a yellow beard. Then there is the sky blue flowers of ‘Jane Phillips' and 'Tarn Hows' which is rusty brown. 'Black Swan' has dark purple flowers, and in contrast there are the pure white flowers of 'Cliffs of Dover'. 'I Do' has white flowers with a hint of green veining on the falls while 'Lovely Again' has lavender pink flowers with a yellow beard.
