Iris sibirica Bundle of Joy - Siberian Iris

Iris sibirica 'Bundle of Joy' is a mid-season Siberian iris that stands out with its double flowers, in tight cups, filled with petals. The flowers bear a pretty purplish tone. They bloom in spring, carried by tall stems that dominate a beautiful clump of leaves. Appreciated for their graceful flowers and striking foliage, the so-called Siberian irises are vigorous and beautiful plants for wet soils, unlike their cousins the German irises. They are also very hardy and adaptable irises, which will thrive in good garden soil that remains moist in summer. Ideal near water features, as long as the roots are not submerged in winter, they are perfect for romantic, English, Japanese, and even contemporary gardens. 

'Bundle of Joy' is a horticultural selection by Bob Bauer and John Coble, registered in 2000. It is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant, with an upright clumping habit from spring onwards. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained from Iris sibirica, native to central and eastern Europe and Turkey (but absent from Siberia), and I. sanguinea found in China, Siberia, Japan, Manchuria, and Korea. This 'Bundle of Joy' iris will reach about 60 to 65cm (24 to 26in) in height when in bloom, 45 to 50cm (18 to 20in) in height for the foliage, and the clump will spread about 50cm (20in). Its growth rate is average, slower than that of German irises. This plant has an upright, elegant habit with dense clumps. The foliage consists of long, narrow leaves of a slightly greyish-green colour. Between early May and early June, depending on the region, the flower stems project above the foliage with multiple-petalled flowers, numbering between 6 and 9. Their colour is a pinkish violet, and they are arranged in a tight cup shape. Beneath these petals, there are 3 large sepals of a darker wine-red colour. They have a velvety texture, are strongly flared, and appear almost horizontal. The flowers open successively from the tip of the stem towards the lower branches. This iris propagates through rhizomes, with vegetation disappearing in winter.　

'Bundle of Joy' is perfect near a water feature or a stream, or simply in very moist soil. It is also suitable for any type of garden that never dries out. Its elegance is perfectly suited to romantic gardens, English gardens, and other mixed borders. In wet soil, it can be planted with many perennials that thrive in the same conditions: camassias, poet's narcissus, montbretias, daylilies, and astilbes. 

Note: The wild Siberian iris L. is an endangered and protected species that must be absolutely respected. Horticultural Siberian irises are obtained through the hybridisation of different species from the Sibericae series (I. sanguinea, etc.). Their flowers are larger than those of the wild forms and come in various colours. Several hundred named cultivars are registered.