GARDEN TALES: Iris bulbs in Marks & Spencer

Monday, April 30, 2007

Iris bulbs in Marks & Spencer

Today I bought a packet of 20 Dutch Iris bulbs at Marks and Spencer in Henry Street, Dublin. I thought they were great value for Euro4.99. The variety or cultivar is 'Symphony' which has the following statistics:

Plant: March - May
Flowers: June - July
Flower colour: Butter - yellow
Height: 60cm
Position: Sun
Plant depth: 10cm
Plant spacing: 10cm
Bulb size: 6 - 7cm

For the past two weeks now I have noticed bearded Irises coming into flower throughout front gardens in Dublin. This particular iris sends up fans of sword- shaped broad leaves and simple or branched stems. The flowers are produced in a wide range of colours. Bearded irises are the most widely cultivated group of irises for garden display. They produce several flowers per stem from spring into early summer, sometimes again later in the season.

For more information on Irises and other plants have a look at the RHS Good Plant Guide which contains 3,000 recommended plants including trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, bedding plants, fruits and vegetables.