Seed collected at 3200 meters in Sichuan in an open grazed small meadow area adjoining low scrub. Tightly clumping, deciduous and allied to Iris japonica but is something totally new. Small blue flowers are laddered down the stems in the leaf axils.  This has baffled some of the top authorities on Chinese Iris both here in the US and in the UK

We collected this in 1997 on the Tibetan Plateau near Zhongdian in an area of Tibetan open range. The early October withered, deciduous leaves and dried seed pods shrieked Iris!  Eventual flowers confirmed the species, first described in 1995.  Thin leaves and basal gorgeous flowers. Young plants.

Selected from Darrell Probst's collection in South Korea, this puts on a show being especially free with flaunting its floral wares.  Yellow flowers in such quantity over the low grassy foliage in May that on a cool day it seems like you could warm your hands on them.  A rewarding semi-evergreen small patch in part sun to bright shade.

A floriferous and perhaps hardier selection with a bit larger flowers than usual by the late Don Jacobs of Eco-Gardens in Georgia.  Don was one of the first nurserymen to get into China in 1983 as the bamboo curtain was lifting.  It is hard not to like the soft lavender-blue flowers with darker spotting around the white band surrounding the yellow thumbprint.  Light shade.

We are pleased to be the first to introduce this excellent Sibirica Iris to North America. We were visiting John Grimshaw, plantsman extraordinaire and Director of the Yorkshire Arboretum, and walking about his home garden when he asked if we would like a bit of an Iris he had named with lovely scrambled egg flowers of yellow and cream. We said yes, of course because while we might be comparatively brutish colonists, we ain't without a certain native wit. Very floriferous on a shorter plant with flowers well-displayed.

Blackberry Lily. Our collection of this extremely widespread Asian species which not only has attractive deep orange flowers that are overlaid in a plethora of red spots but also the seed is curiously attractive looking for all the world like a large blackberry. This has wide application in traditional Chinese medicine and our collection is likely an escapee from the local mountain village.

Roof Iris.  These are seed-grown from our plant from an Eric Hammond collection in China.  This species actually does grow on thatched roofs in Japan and China and is quite easily grown in the garden  Large, 5-6 inch lilac-blue flowers are very nice on stems to perhaps 18" tall.  Happy in zones 4-9, this is easy but watch for slugs on the new growth as these might attest.

Found growing along coastal Maine and up the eastern Canadian seaboard, this was known as the dwarf form of I. setosa but is now regarded as a distinct species.  Favoring moist places but adapting very well to average garden conditions, this is best described in the most rigorous of botanical terms as "Cute".  Very hardy.

A lesser-known relative of Iris unguicularis. This Turkish species while it blooms a bit later than it's famed cousin, is still early enough to be immensely gratifying plus it has hands down far more attractive evergreen foliage than I. unguicularis.  Easy with drainage.

We have long affection for all the forms of the dwarf Iris cristata which is an east coast native and with Powder Blue Giant our affections sometimes manifest themselves in PDA's such as stroking the large medium blue flowers and oohing.  Deciduous carpeter.  A real sweety.

This clone of this fabulous Iris introduced by Darrell Probst is one of our favorite plants of all time.  Very fine grassy foliage making a large lax dense mound that is festooned with small white jewels of flowers.  It won't happen overnight, but give this a few years and you will have some serious bragging rights.  Not that we ever concern ourselves with things like that...

Seed-grown from a collection by Daniel Winkler near Chonye on the Tibetan Plateau.  Widely distributed in Asia and throughout the various 'stans, this remains oddly rare in commerce and is not often cultivated.  Thanks to Fran Hawk for flowering and identifying this collection before ours bloomed!  Narrow pale lavender tinted falls with soft blue-ish standards.

This is a choice little dwarf species from China of which we never have enough.  Perfect lavender-blue flowers just a few inches high over densly clumping short foliage.  This is one tough baby Iris as Sue brought this out from her garden in northern Vermont.  Deciduous.

Very rare collectible and delectable Iris from China introduced by Darrell Probst. This particular clone has slightly larger flowers that are white without any blue shading.  Makes an evergreen fine grassy mound.  Best in light shade or part sun.  Slow growing and totally rules when mature.

This is a fine form of the Algerian Iris that we got from our bud, Sean Hogan.  This has larger flowers than typical being 3-4 inches across and of a good blue-lavender with a narrow strip of yellow on the falls which is feathered on each side by white.  A winter bloomer which is critical here in the Northwest.

Rich purple flowers of a color more suited to the dreams of the Pope than the Devil, unless of course the Devil is dreaming of someday wearing those rich purple robes of the Pope, in which case it is appropriately named.  Just speculation.  Great color anyway.

One of the darkest of the cristata selections, the violet-blue petals are made to appear even darker by the little thumbprint of yellow and white at their bases.  A small but mighty little woodland creeper which would revel in bright shade or morning sun.  The thin rhizomes trundle along on the surface and are plenty hardy so don't bury them in mulch!

Primo little collector's Iris with charming white flowers - smaller than the more frequently encountered 'Alba' - over dense mounds of fine-bladed foliage. It's graceful appearance hides a tough core and an implacable perseverance that has kept it in our collection for over two decades.   A Japanese deciduous species preferring light shade or part sun.  This is a good one.

Young plants from seed collected in Mendocino County by botanist Alex Wright.  This species has the all the charms inherent to Pacific Coast Iris along with their legendary variability in color among populations.  This was not seen in flower but we can pin it down for you.  Blue, cream, white or yellow and shades between.

A very good selection of Winter Iris - the species can start flowering in February here for us and at that time of the year, even the worst selection looks mighty fine but this one is truly worthy.  Blue standards - the central upright petals - and blue falls - the large lower petals - that carry a broad white blotch with fine blue lines.

Among our thousands of plant accessions, tall bearded iris are represented by just a single plant - Iris 'Kent Pride'.  This outlier in our collections strategy is sited in one of the choicest spots in the dry garden because it is a stunner.  Rich chestnut-red standards with the same overlaid on yellow around a white blaze on the falls - so good!