Iris pumila LA Ballet - Dwarf bearded Iris

Iris pumila 'LA Ballet' is a dwarf iris that offers charming pink flowers in early spring. Its flowers are beautifully ruffled, like those of tall irises, but smaller in size. Dwarf and border irises, as easy to grow as their larger cousins, are perfect for quickly creating a lovely spring decoration in rockeries, planters, borders, and large banks. 

Iris pumila 'LA Ballet' is a small rhizomatous perennial plant in the Iridaceae family. It belongs to a horticultural group called SDB (Standard Dwarf Bearded). In this group, hybrids are found between I. pumila, which is truly dwarf, and the garden tall bearded iris. Of modest size, dwarf irises flower before tall irises, but after true dwarf irises.

From spring, Iris 'LA Ballet' forms small upright clumps. Its foliage is deciduous and is absent in winter.  The plant reaches a height of 30cm (12in) when flowering and the clump spreads without a theoretical limit over time, with the central rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the external ones. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped leaves, which are a slightly glaucous green. In March, short flower stalks appear, which will bloom in April, late or early depending on the climate. The flower stalks bear 2 to 3 flowers. Each flower, 7 to 8cm (3in) in diameter, consists of three upright petals of a soft salmon-pink colour, surmounted by 3 almost horizontal sepals of the same pink colour, but washed with blue under the beards. These beards are pinkish-orange with white and bluish tips. Note that 'LA Ballet' flowers are slightly fragrant.

Obtained by Michael Sutton, 2006 

To accompany irises, choose plants based on their needs (exposure, soil), their "respectful" growth with irises (low plants or light foliage), and their complementary style (appearance, flowering date). For example, gauras will provide little shade and will keep the deflowered iris bed attractive throughout summer. Eschscholzia will be content with dry and poor soil, just like the iris. Geraniums, salvias, and libertia also accompany irises very well. A dense planting of old diploid varieties can stabilise banks and patio edges. These irises can remain in place and require little care.

For rockeries, stony and dry meadows, limestone plateaus, rocky embankments, and green roofs: use the full range of irises. Border edges are the domain of border irises, but also of dwarf irises!