Iris germanica Art Deco - Bearded Iris

Iris germanica 'Art Deco' is an Iris of the Plicata type, which is a chromatic category in which the flower has coloured edges and stripes on a light background. This variety of Garden Iris is very early, one of the first to bloom in spring. And its flowering with a very bright colour, where white clashes with dark purple, does not go unnoticed in the garden. Plant your tall irises in the sun, in well-drained, preferably limestone soil, even dry in summer.

The 'Art Deco' Iris is a rhizomatous perennial plant that develops in spring in elegantly upright clumps, with its foliage disappearing in winter. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained over centuries, whose controversial origin is debated around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It should be noted that Garden Irises have European origins. They are plants that thrive in limestone soils and require sun, with their rhizomes needing to 'bake' in summer in order to flower. A minimum of 6 hours of sun per day is generally required.

The 'Art Deco' iris will reach a height of 84cm (33in) when in bloom, making it a medium-sized variety. The clump will spread without a theoretical limit over time, with the centre rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the outer rhizomes. The foliage consists of long and wide sword-shaped leaves, with a slightly glaucous green colour, traversed by parallel veins. In April, floral stems appear that will give flowers in May, with simple and well-proportioned lines, which open from the top to the lower branches. This variety blooms at the very beginning of the tall iris season. Each flower consists of 3 upright dark purple petals marked with white in the centre, and 3 wider, drooping sepals, white with fine dark blue-violet stripes. The beards are yellow at the base and blue at their tips. The colour of this plant is, as always with Garden Irises, enhanced by the thick and iridescent texture of the floral pieces. The fragrance of the flowers, light, is described as vanilla.

Obtained by Schreiner (USA), 1997

Awards: Honorable Mention in 1999; Award of Merit in 2003

To accompany irises, choose plants to associate with them based on their needs (exposure, soil...), their "respectful" vegetation towards irises (low-growing plants or light foliage), and their decorative complementarity (appearance, flowering date). For example, Gauras will provide little shade to irises and will keep the faded iris bed attractive all summer. California Poppies and Love-in-a-Mist will thrive in the same dry summer soil as irises. Perennial Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also go very well with irises. Slopes and terraced edges will be stabilized 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 care is possible, one can choose more modern varieties, for example intermediates that are less likely than tall irises to be literally laid flat on the ground by wind and rain.

The vegetable garden can be adorned with a few clumps or borders of irises, as it is also the classic place dedicated to cut flowers.