Reticulata Iris 'Blue Planet' - 25 pieces

The blue of 'Blue Planet' is light and cool, almost silvery. On the falls a small blotch in yellow to orange gives the flowers a cheerful touch. The delicate flowers look fragile but withstand cold surprisingly well.

Its place is at the front: in the rock garden, at the sunny edge of the border or in a shallow bowl on the balcony. Combine it with white crocuses or early dwarf tulips, or plant it between thyme and moss phlox. Groups of ten to fifteen bulbs create a small patch of blue that catches the eye from a distance. With 25 bulbs you can plant two such groups or a few pots. The clear blue shines from afar in the still bare garden. It looks best in dense clumps along the path, in the rock garden or in front of evergreen shrubs. Combine the bulbs with yellow winter aconites or white crocuses to create a small spring scene as early as February.

You can cut a few flowers for a small glass on the table. More important, though, is its role in the garden: it brings colour to the weeks when you miss it most, and returns every year in a dry, sunny spot.

Plant the bulbs in autumn, between September and November, about 8–10 cm deep and 5–8 cm apart. Set them in small groups. Choose a sunny spot with free-draining soil, ideally chalky. For pots, use sandy compost with a drainage layer of gravel.

The bulbs need little attention after planting. Let the foliage yellow after flowering so that the bulb can gather strength. Keep the soil dry in summer. Outdoors the bulbs are hardy in Switzerland; place pots where they are sheltered from rain.