Iris 'Pink Parfait'

Iris 'Pink Parfait': Peony-Style Pink, Iris Toughness

Double, ruffled lavender-pink flowers layered like somebody built a dessert in a tall glass and didn't hold back. 'Pink Parfait' handles clay and wet feet, and it's ZERO CALORIES.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iris sibirica 'Pink Parfait'
• Common Name: Siberian Iris
• Height: 60–75 cm (24–30 in)
• Spread: 50 cm (20 in)
• Flowers: Double, ruffled lavender-pink with white and yellow sunburst markings at the centre
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Narrow, upright, grass-like green leaves
• Features: Tolerates moist and clay soils

Where to Plant: Use it near the front or middle of a border where the double flowers can be seen up close. It's a good fit for rain gardens, pond edges and low spots that stay moist in spring, and it handles clay and hard winters across Ontario and Quebec.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Pink Parfait' in a moist bed in sun or part shade with a blue carpet, ruby bergenia and scarlet campion. Isotoma fluviatilis carpets the front at 3 to 5 cm with tiny blue stars from June to September. Bergenia 'Bressingham Ruby' opens rosy red-purple flowers at 30 to 35 cm in April and May. Lychnis chalcedonica 'Scarlet' brings scarlet heads at 90 to 120 cm from June to August. Miscanthus 'Purpurascens' rises behind at 120 to 180 cm, turning red-orange in fall.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun to part sun, in moist, fertile soil. It flowers best with at least half a day of sun. Set the crown about 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) below the surface and water regularly in the first season and during dry spells. Cut the flower stems down after bloom. Cut the foliage back in late fall or early spring. Divide when the clump gets crowded or thins in the middle, in late summer or early spring. Keep the divisions watered until they root in.

History: Siberian irises (Iris sibirica) are native to moist meadows across central and eastern Europe and northern Asia, and most garden forms have single flowers with three upright standards and three drooping falls. Double-flowered types like 'Pink Parfait' carry extra petals for a fuller, rose-like look while keeping the toughness that made Siberian irises a staple of cold-climate gardens.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant, low maintenance and loved by bees. Plant it in layers. THE SPOON IS OPTIONAL.