Few flowers are as user friendly to the weekend gardener as the bearded iris.
Offering carefree blooms in nearly every color of the rainbow, bearded irises are easy to establish and require a minimum of maintenance. Petals that vary in texture from the most plush velvet, to the finest silk, often on one flower, provide variety to suit almost every taste. Unlike most spring bulbs, bearded iris don't require a period of cold to produce blossoms, making them perfect for areas with mild winters. They are also extremely drought tolerant, good for areas with little or no summer rains. Bearded irises are not actually bulbs, but rhizomes, a kind of thick brown root.