Iris germanica Je Vole

Iris germanica 'Je Vole' is a bicoloured bearded iris variety with flowers that are not huge, but beautifully made and well-coloured, in yellow and deep violet. Its flowers bloom on sturdy stems that are more resistant to bad weather. They bloom at the end of the iris season, for about 3 weeks. Irises, remarkably sober, are excellent perennials for slopes and dry soil.

'Je Vole' 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 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. They are plants that thrive in calcareous soils and require plenty of sunlight, with their rhizomes needing to 'cook' in summer in order to flower. A minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day is traditionally required.

'Je Vole' is a low-growing variety, reaching a height of 75 cm (30in) when in bloom. Its branched floral stem carries an average of 7 flower buds. The clump will spread indefinitely over time, with the central rhizomes thinning out in favour of the outer ones. The foliage consists of long and wide sword-shaped leaves, of a slightly glaucous green, with parallel veins running through them. In May floral stems appear which will produce medium-sized, compact, undulated flowers in June, opening from the top down towards the lower branches. They consist of 3 upright petals of an intense yellow tinged with amber on the edges, 3 almost horizontal sepals of a bright violet with white tiger-like markings at the base, 3 orange beards, 3 styles, and 3 stamens. The colouring of this plant is, as always with Bearded Irises, magnified by the thick and iridescent texture of the floral parts.

Obtained by Cayeux, 2016. ('Ciel gris sur Poilly' x 'Macaron')

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.

The vegetable garden can also be embellished with a few clumps or borders of irises, as a place dedicated to growing cut flowers.