Iris 'Rosalie Figge'

Iris 'Rosalie Figge': Deep Violet Perfume Twice a Year

Violet on top, dark violet below and a sweet perfume that follows you down the driveway. This iris reblooms too, so it's basically THE FRAGRANCE COUNTER THAT RESTOCKS ITSELF.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iris (Tall Bearded Group), often sold as Iris germanica
• Common Name: Bearded Iris, Reblooming Iris
• Height: 90–100 cm (35–39 in)
• Spread: 60 cm (24 in)
• Flowers: Violet standards over dark violet falls, with a white spray pattern around white beards. Sweetly fragrant.
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June to July), with possible rebloom in late summer or fall
• Foliage: Upright, sword-shaped green leaves
• Features: Fragrant, reblooming

Where to Plant: Its height suits the middle or back of a sunny border, near a path or patio where you can catch the fragrance. It's also a good cut flower, and a few stems in a vase will scent a room.

Companion Plants: Give reblooming 'Rosalie Figge' a sunny, dry bed with rose coneflowers and white hollyhocks. Sempervivum 'Sunset' tucks in at the front at 8 to 10 cm with colourful rosettes. Echinacea Prairie Splendor™ Compact Rose adds rose-pink coneflowers at 35 to 40 cm from June to September. Alcea 'Polarstar' rises at the back to 150 to 180 cm with white hollyhocks from July to September. Pennisetum 'Piglet' fills in at 40 to 50 cm with soft, fluffy plumes.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Keep the top of the rhizome at or just below the soil surface. Don't bury it or pile mulch on top, and avoid spots where water sits in spring. Reblooming depends on growing conditions, so treat a second flush as a bonus. A sunny spot, a little balanced fertilizer in spring and after the first bloom, and water during summer dry spells all help. Remove spent flower stalks at the base. Tidy up old leaves in fall to cut down on iris borer. Divide every three to five years in mid to late summer.

History: Jane McKnew of Maryland bred 'Rosalie Figge', which was introduced in 1993 and received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 1996 and an Award of Merit in 1999. It became a classic among rebloomers, and gardeners have reported fall flowers from many regions, Ontario included.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant, drought tolerant once established and easy going. Plant it by the front step and SPRITZ THE WHOLE STREET.