For that ‘light bulb moment’ consider the two main species of Iris that will grow from bulbs. Bulbs are generally cheap and easy to grow. The bulbs are often packed in 10’s or 50’s so you can grow a group of Iris together or grow extra for cutting.
The main sorts are Iris reticulata and Dutch Iris but there are also some other bulb species to look out for.
Tips for Growing Iris from Bulbs
Growing Other Iris Variety from Bulbs
Useful Links
British Iris Society over 100 years old and going strong
Dutch Iris or Iris reticulata are small bulbs for pots or rockeries.
Flag Iris are big and blousy and grow from Rhizomes.
These pictures of different Iris are grown from bulbs.
The reticulata group produce narrow, triangular leaves and a single, slender bloom per bulb.
Flowers are principally in shades of blue and purple, often with an attractively contrasting orange or yellow mark at the top of the fall.
Iris histrioides ‘George’ is proving to be a good Iris shown top.
Iris Franz Hals above or you could try the unusual Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ below. Its exotic colouring of cream overlaid with a blend of light yellow and greeny-blue comes from its parents.
One of the earliest flowering bulbs is this Iris Reticulata. It makes a lovely rockery bulb. It is low growing, though the flowers are as beautiful as anything you might see in summer. The foliage is also delicate and attractive.
The flower can vary in colour from this deep purple to yellow like below.
Plant in autumn at a depth of *2 or *2.5 the bulb height. They aren’t too fussy, though a good drained soil helps. To make the most of the flowers, try planting with a layer of light coloured gravel. This helps prevent soil splashing the flowers and also shows off the dark coloured
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