Iris germanica Jazz Festival

Iris germanica 'Jazz Festival', a tall bearded iris, offers giant and fragrant bicoloured flowers in May-June, with light cream-coloured petals and deep cherry pink sepals. The flowers reach a diameter of 16 cm (6in), are numerous, and carried on strong stems. Its growth is vigorous, and it quickly forms beautiful clumps. Ideal in flowerbeds, borders, and on slopes.

The 'Jazz Festival' iris is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant, forming upright clumps from spring onwards. It belongs to the family of Iridaceae. It is one of many cultivars obtained over the centuries, with debate about their disputed origins revolving around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It should be noted that Bearded Irises have European origins. 'Jazz Festival' can reach a height of 100 cm (39in) when in bloom, and the clump will spread indefinitely over time, with the central rhizomes becoming bare as the outer rhizomes take over. 'Jazz Festival' has an elegant upright habit with dense clumps. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped leaves, glaucous green and heavily veined. In April floral stems appear, which will produce flowers in May, opening from the top down towards the lower branches. The colour of this plant, as always with bearded irises, is enhanced by the texture of the petals and sepals. It is worth noting that the flowers are also nicely scented.

To accompany your irises, choose plants based on their similar needs (sunlight, soil), a growth habit that is "respectful" of irises (i.e. non-competitive plants which are shorter, have light foliage), and how they complement each other visually (appearance, flowering period). For example, Gauras won't create shade, and will keep the bed attractive all summer after your irises have finished flowering. California Poppies and Love-in-a-Mist, like irises, will tolerate dry soil in summer. Perennial geraniums, salvias, and Libertias also accompany irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges can be stabilised by dense plantings 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, e.g. intermediate ones that are less likely than tall ones to be flattened by wind and rain.

At the base of a wall, the relative shelter from the wind allows for the use of tall irises. They can also be planted in the background of shorter and earlier varieties.

Border planting: the entire range of irises can be used, from dwarf early bloomers under 40 cm (16in), to tall irises over 75 cm (30in) that flower in May, including intermediate varieties (in size and earliness) and border irises, which are medium-sized but flower with the tall ones. Tall irises are at risk of being toppled by wind if not staked, particularly in exposed locations.

Edge of a flowerbed: the domain of border irises but also dwarf varieties, depending on the circumstances.

Mixed border: the entire range of sizes can be used, chosen according to the available space (foreground, background) and the size of the surrounding plants.

Iris bed/garden: the paradise of iris enthusiasts where the choice and arrangement of varieties (form, colour, fragrance) reflects individual taste. The use of the full range of bearded irises allows for two and a half months of flowering in spring. The choice of reblooming irises offers a few additional flowers in late summer or autumn.

The vegetable garden can be enhanced with a few clumps or borders of irises, as the classic place for growing cut flowers.