Iris unguicularis
It’s always a surprise when you spot the Algerian iris, Iris unguicularis in February. For a winter flower it’s quite flamboyant, with blooms that dwarf those of neighbouring snowdrops and crocuses. There are several varieties to grow, including the regular species, which has fragrant violet flowers, its three falls marked with stripes of white and yellow. Alternatively look for cultivars such as ‘Mary Barnard’, pictured above, which bears flowers in intense purple, or ‘Walter Butt’, which is said to have the largest flowers of them all, in a very pale shade of lavender. They make smashing underplanting below winter shrubs, such as red-stemmed dogwoods, or can be grown in shallow pots for displays nearer the house – just make sure they get plenty of sun.
Daphne bholua
Gardeners…
