A complete guide to growing and propagating irises.

"Cultivation advice, information about the plants' breeding history, and ideas for using irises with other plants in the garden make this the perfect one-stop reference for iris enthusiasts everywhere."--BOOK JACKET.

The diversity of bearded irises rivals that of any other perennial grown in temperate climates. For some gardeners, they bring back warm memories of a grandparent's garden; for others, they're a cutting-edge plant with a seemingly endless capacity for producing new forms and patterns. As the manager of Rainbow Iris Farm and co-editor of the Bulletin of the American Iris Society, Kelly Norris is the authority on gardening with bearded irises. His introductory chapters offer tips for successful growth, garden design, plant selection, and "creating" new irises. A Guide to Bearded Irises also provides portraits of the most outstanding plants in each of the six recognized categories, from the dainty miniature dwarf bearded irises to the stately tall bearded irises. A resource section lists specialty nurseries, organizations devoted to bearded irises, and public gardens with notable iris collections.

Focusing on the iris, this guide allocates each species to its recommended growing area, such as the water garden, the shady garden, the summer border, and the rock garden. All plants are cross-referenced to classification chapters which explain how the genus is made up.

The warm climate and generous rainfall of the Caribbean islands, together with rich soils, provide excellent conditions for growing a great variety of plant life. Columbus discovered that the indigenous peoples of the region were successfully growing an extensive range of plants and crops, and successive settlers of many cultures have introduced their familiar species. There are few places in the world with as great a diversity of plants as found in today`s Caribbean. This book tells the reader how to acheive the best results by learning more about the plants and how to grow them in particular situations. It covers all aspects of Caribbean and tropical gardening. It discusses climate, soils, drainage and irrigation, feeding, pruning and propagation. A chapter on landscape introduces the basics of garden design, and shows what to grow where. The section on plant competitors focuses on pest, disease and weed control in a tropical context. Iris Bannochie won the Gold Medal on three occasions at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, and was awarded the Gold Vietch Memorial Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1977 for her contribution to tropical horticulture.

The Bearded Iris is a dependable plant for the perennial flower garden. Its low maintenance combined with dependable bloom and showy blossoms make this perennial flower one of the gardener’s staple flowers.

Stebbings begins with a chapter on classification and botany, explaining how the genus is organized. In the chapters that follow, he groups the plants according to their place in the classification, recommending species for water gardens, shady gardens, rock gardens, etc. He offers advice on their cultivation, propagation, pest and disease control, and hybridizing; he also gives a brief history of each species. In a chapter on irises for the specialist, the author recommends a variety of species that are more difficult to grow and hard to find. The book's appendixes include a 20-page list of cultivars arranged by color and a list of award-winning irises. This truly comprehensive guide book has 79 color photographs.