Iris germanica Ciel Gris sur Poilly - Bearded Iris

Iris germanica 'Ciel Gris sur Poilly', named after the grey colur of its leaden sepals like a sky filled with clouds, is also a beautiful evocation of the small town of Berry where it was born. This Garden Iris with its unusual, elegant, and discreet colour, still has its place in the garden, to accompany pink or red flowers. The pure white petals unfold wide undulating and almost horizontal sepals, in a true medium gray, illuminated by a bright yellow beard from which beautiful bronze veins radiate. This rather robust variety will offer better resistance to bad weather.

The 'Ciel Gris sur Poilly' Iris is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant with an upright habit. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained over centuries, whose controversial origin is discussed around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It should be noted that Garden Irises have European origins. 

'Ciel Gris sur Poilly' is a sturdy variety that will reach 80cm (32in) in height when flowering, with a solid stem by rhizomes, carrying 5 to 6 flower buds. The clump will spread very quickly, with no theoretical limit over time, as the central rhizomes become bare in favour of the outer rhizomes. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped, glaucous green and highly veined leaves. In April, floral stems appear, which will give flowers in May, blooming from the top to the lower branches. The very soft colour of this plant is, as always with Garden Irises, magnified by the silky texture of the petals and sepals. This variety tends to flower towards the end of the Iris season.

Cultivated by Cayeux, 2011. 

To accompany Irises, choose plants to associate based on their needs (exposure, soil...), their non-choking vegetation for their rhizomes (low-growing plants or light foliage), and their complementarity (appearance, flowering date). For example, Gauras will cast little shade on Irises and will keep the faded massif attractive all summer. Eschscholzias will be content with a dry and poor soil, just like Irises. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also accompany Irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges will be stabilized by dense plantings of old vigorous varieties that can remain in place and require little care. If the goal is more decorative and easier access for maintenance, you can choose more modern varieties, such as intermediates, often very floriferous, which will be less likely to bend in the wind or rain compared to tall varieties.

At the base of a very sunny wall, sheltered from the wind, you can use tall Irises. You can plant them in the background behind shorter and earlier-blooming varieties.