Iris 'Dream Stuff'

Iris 'Dream Stuff': Crisp White Flags for the Front Edge

Little white flowers with yellow beards on a plant you could tuck in a teacup. 'Dream Stuff' is the kind of small that makes everything bigger look a bit OVERCOMPENSATING.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iris 'Dream Stuff' (standard dwarf bearded group, sold as Iris pumila)
• Common Name: Dwarf Iris
• Height: 25 cm (10 in)
• Spread: 30 cm (12 in)
• Flowers: White, about 5–6 cm (2 in) across, with yellow beards and lightly veined falls
• Bloom Time: Late spring (May to June)
• Foliage: Short, sword-shaped green leaves in a compact clump
• Features: Compact

Where to Plant: Use it along the front of a sunny border, in a rock garden, at the edge of a path or in a trough, planted in a group of three or more for a stronger show. In heavy clay, raise the planting area or add grit so water never sits around the rhizomes.

Companion Plants: Sempervivum 'Kalinda' sits in front at 10 to 15 cm with pink flowers from June through August. Gaillardia SpinTop® Mariachi Red Sky adds red flowers at 30 to 35 cm from June into September. Helictotrichon 'Sapphire' brings a blue-toned grass at 60 to 100 cm from June through August. All three want full sun and good drainage.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Set the rhizomes so their tops sit at or just above the soil surface, and don't cover them with mulch. Water until established, then only in long dry spells. Cut the flower stems back after bloom. Clean away dead leaves in fall to keep the clump tidy and reduce hiding spots for pests. Dwarf bearded irises spread outward over time and the centre of the clump can go bare. Lift and divide every three to four years, in mid to late summer, replanting the healthy outer pieces.

History: Standard dwarf bearded irises come mostly from crosses between tall bearded irises and the true dwarf Iris pumila, a small iris of dry grasslands in central and eastern Europe and western Asia. The crosses gave gardeners compact plants with larger flowers in a wide range of colours.

Final Thoughts: Full sun, front of the bed and a spot where the early bees can find it. PINT-SIZED AND PERFECT.