PlantAdvice.co.uk

• Other features: all parts of the plant may cause severe discomfort if ingested; contact with the sap may cause skin irritation

Ravishing rich purple-blue ruffled flowers with yellow markings appear in May and June above the slender strap-shaped leaves. This stately Siberian iris is perfect for providing vertical interest in a sunny border with well-drained, fertile soil. A relatively tall variety it's important to stake the branched stems with bamboo canes in early spring well before the flowers appear.

• Garden care: Plant shallowly with the upper part of the rhizome sitting on the surface of the soil incorporating a low-nitrogen fertiliser in the planting hole. After planting remove the upper-most third of the leaves to minimise the incidence of wind rock. In exposed areas stake with bamboo canes in early spring.