Reticulata Iris 'Clairette' - 100 pieces

Two shades of blue meet in the flowers of 'Clairette': a soft sky blue above and a deep, almost violet blue below. The falls carry fine white markings reminiscent of tiger stripes. The narrow, grey-green foliage appears together with the flowers and later dies back neatly.

Reticulata irises need a sunny, very free-draining spot. Rock gardens, alpine beds, the front of the border or pots by the front door are ideal. Plant them in dense groups and combine them with yellow winter aconites or white crocuses. Under deciduous shrubs they get enough light in March. The combination of blue and white looks delicate and cool, like a greeting from the end of winter. Set the bulbs in small groups along the path, in the rock garden or under deciduous shrubs. In March the flowers appear where other perennials take over later.

The early flowers are a valuable source of food for bees when little else is in flower. A few stems fit into a small glass for the table. With 100 bulbs you can plant several groups in the garden and a few pots, which come back every year in a dry spot.

Plant the bulbs in autumn, from September to November, about 8–10 cm deep and 5–8 cm apart. Set them in groups so that the small flowers make an impact. Choose a sunny spot with very free-draining soil; lime is well tolerated. In pots, gravel at the bottom provides the necessary drainage.

Hardly any care is needed after planting. Let the foliage die back completely after flowering. The soil should stay dry in summer so that the bulbs do not rot. Outdoors they are hardy in Switzerland; place pots where they are protected from prolonged rain.