Miniature Dwarf Bearded Irises

They are perfect for the border edge..........coming in just as many colors as tall bearded varieties and only a height of 2" to 8". I have a number of different colors through out Beech Street Gardens. Drought tolerant when established, this is not surprising since some of their ancestors were originally collected on the rocky cliffs of eastern Europe and western Russia. Cold winters are another environmen- tal need for dwarf irises; in fact, the colder the winter, the greater the numbers of flowers for most of these plants.

These irises will grow in more shade than the bearded irises that bloom later in the season. Perhaps that is because they bloom before tree leaves emerge.The ones pictured are Cocoa Pink at the top, Baby Blu in the middle and Kiwi Slice at the bottom.

USDA hardiness zone 3 to zone 8

Pacific Coast Irises

First off the tadpoles have hatched, that was a few days ago. Not to bad, it took about two weeks. When they get a little bigger I will try to take a picture, they are soooooo tiny. The Pacific Coast Irises are blooming in the gardens. Being a Pacific Coast native they are perfect for the Pacific Northwest drought tolerant garden. Thanks to growers in California and Oregon, we now have a lovely array of iris cultivars known as the Pacific Coast hybrids (PCH). Blossom colors can range from white to light lavender to deep plum and a standard height of 18". Compact, lancelike foliage is glossy, evergreen, and pest resistant. These irises enjoy deep watering during the dry season; however, they are drought tolerant once established.