Iris Sacrée Gralée - Bearded Iris

Iris 'Sacré Gralée' German Iris is a recently developed garden iris, distinctly bicolour with a very pleasant combination of colours. Its sturdy flowering stems are less sensitive to wind and bear beautiful, wavy flowers with pale peach petals infused with lavender pink, contrasting with velvety purple sepals with magenta highlights. This variety blooms in the middle of the garden iris season.

Iris 'Sacré Gralée' is a rhizomatous, deciduous perennial plant that grows in elegantly upright clumps belonging to the Iridaceae family. It is one of 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 chalky soil and require plenty of sunlight, with their rhizomes needing to 'bake' in summer to be able to bloom. A minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day is generally required.

'Sacré Gralée' will reach a height of 75 cm (30in) when in bloom, with several buds per stem. The clump will spread without a theoretical limit over time, with the central rhizomes thinning out in favour of the external rhizomes. The foliage consists of long and wide sword-shaped, slightly glaucous green leaves with parallel veins running through them. Floral stems appear in April and produce large and strongly wavy flowers in May, blooming from the top to the bottom. They consist of 3 upright, pale yellow-pink petals, dominating 3 almost horizontal, velvety purple sepals adorned with burnt orange beards. The colour is magnified by the thick and iridescent texture of the floral parts.

Breeding by Bourdillon (France), 2021. ('Good Show' x 'Dinner Talk')

To accompany irises, choose plants based on their needs (exposure, soil...), growth (low plants or light foliage, non-competitive plants), decorative appearance and flowering date. For example, Gauras will cast little shade on the irises and will keep the faded iris bed attractive throughout the summer. California Poppies and cornflowers will also thrive in dry summer soil, like irises. Perennial geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also accompany irises very well. Slopes, the base of small trees with light foliage, and terraced edges can be stabilised by dense plantings of old varieties that require little care. If the goal is more decorative and access for care is possible, choose more modern varieties that are less likely to be knocked down by wind and rain.

The vegetable garden can be adorned with a few clumps or borders of irises for cut flowers.