Online Catalog of Mail Order Perennials, Roses, Trees and Shrubs for American Gardens Since 1916.

A canny gardener can have Irises in bloom almost continuously from spring through fall, and this one should be the very first to arise. Its early-spring blooms are large, brilliantly colored, and abundant, making the perfect companion to spring-blooming bulbs and waking up the border for another glorious year of blooms.

'Powder Blue Giant' is just 6 to 8 inches high, but on these petite stems sit blooms that reach 3 inches wide. Sky-blue with yellow and white markings, they are a breathtaking sight in the vase as well as the garden. Very free-flowering, this plant spreads 12 to 15 inches wide over time, and needs almost no attention from you to do so.

Native to the northeastern United States, Crested Iris is very easy to grow in any well-drained garden soil. Once it establishes in your landscape, it spreads happily, flowering determinedly year after year. Try it in the front of the border, as edging, and in containers. You will find it adaptable and carefree in full sun (in cooler climates) to partial shade (farther south and southwest). Zones 5-8.