Iris Frisk Me

Iris Frisk Me, also known as Dwarf Bearded Iris, blooms early in April. It has fully opened flowers with flesh pink petals and sepals, marked with a wine-violet stripe around a blue beard. The combination of colours is fresh and lively. This small variety quickly forms beautiful, colourful clumps, perfect for creating a lovely spring display in rockeries and borders.

Iris 'Frisk Me' is a rhizomatous, deciduous perennial plant, with an upright clump from spring. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many modest-sized cultivars that appeared in the 1950s. Originally, the 'lilliput' category referred to the cross-breeding of an Iris pumila and a tall iris. This term generally refers to the category of standard dwarf bearded Irises (SDB). 'Frisk Me' will reach 20 cm (8in) high when in bloom, with numerous buds, and the clump will spread without a theoretical limit over time, with the centre rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the outer rhizomes. It forms a dense clump of long, sword-shaped, glaucous green leaves with distinct veins. Floral stems appear in March and bloom in April from the top down. The colour of this plant, as always with garden Irises, is enhanced by the texture of the petals and sepals.

Breeder: Blyth 2001

To accompany Irises choose plants based on their needs (exposure, soil...), their vegetation (low-growing plants or light foliage), their decorative appearance and their flowering time. For example, Gaura will provide little shade to the Irises and will keep the faded Iris bed attractive throughout the summer. Eschscholzia will be satisfied with dry and poor soil, just like Irises. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also go very well with Irises. Slopes and terraced edges will be stabilised by a dense planting of old diploid varieties that can remain in place and require little care. If the goal is more decorative and access for maintenance is possible, you can choose more modern varieties, such as intermediates that are less likely to be toppled over.

Path border: the entire range can be used, from early dwarfs under 40 cm (16in) to tall Irises over 75 cm (30in) blooming in May, including intermediates (in size and earliness) and border Irises, which are medium-sized but bloom with the tall ones. Tall Irises are at risk of being toppled over if not staked, especially when exposed to strong winds.

Flower bed: the domain of border Irises... but also dwarfs, depending on the circumstances.

Mixed border: the entire range of sizes can be used, choosing based on the position (foreground, background) and the size of the surrounding plants.