Brown is the colour...

Brown seems a popular choice of iris at the moment, if the enquiries on the nursery website are any guide.

Many of the 'brown' irises are more copper than chocolate: Dutch Chocolate is an example where the rich coppery-red flowers are a surprise if you are expecting a dark rich brown that the name implies.

Many others have brown markings on an overall blue or yellow colour scheme - Gallant Moment, for example. Others have brown elements, like Medway Valley which has brown standards and white/purple falls.

Here are two mostly brown tall bearded irises. Firstly, Patina, shown here at the top left with an attractive mix of yellow, olive and brown. Secondly, a traditional favourite, Kent Pride, shown at the bottom left.

Note that all of these irises and more are available though mail order on the nursery website

Climate Change

Water shortages during the summer are probably going to be an annual feature of the UK climate from now on, as are milder and wetter winters.

For those who are worried about hosepipe bans, tall bearded irises provide a drought-resistant, low-maintenance choice of planting, and the huge variety of cultivars that are available provide an almost infinite palette to fit any colour scheme.

Pacific Coast Irises are also drought-resistant when established.

Iris of Sissinghurst in the news

Specialist nursery Iris of Sissinghurst was featured in the May 2006 issue (#104) of The English Garden magazine. The three-page article highlighted the 'singular passion' of the Kent-based nursery who "sell irises - only irises".

Lists updated - new cultivars available

We have just updated two more of our current lists of Irises for sale. New for 2006/2007 in the Iris Siberica list are DREAMING GREEN (white flowers with green flash), FLIGHT OF BUTTERFLIES (numerous blue small flowers), HUBBARD (deep purple with mauve centre), MOUNTAIN LAKE (deep blue flowers), SHAKERS PRAYER (cream flowers with heavy purple veining), SILVER EDGE (mid- blue flowers with silver edge) and TEMPER TANTRUM (purple-violet flowers with a deeper purple flash).

In the Moisture-loving (and others) list, new additions are PACIFIC COAST IRIS: these need acid soil. We are offering MIXED HYBRIDS (orchid-like flowers in various colours), PEACOCK PAVANE (violet flowers and soft yellow markings) and FLOATING WORLD (white falls marked with rose, and rose pink standards).

New Iris Ensata for 2006/2007 are DACE (pure white flowers with pale yellow mark at base), HATSUHIMA (pale purple/pink flowers), MOONLIGHT WAVES (white with lime green centre), PINK FROST (pale pink flowers) and ROSE QUEEN (soft pink flowers)

The new lists are available at http://www.irisofsissinghurst.com/siberian.htm and http://www.irisofsissinghurst.com/moisture_loving.htm