A Fine Combination

Iris 'Hollywood Nights' and Miscanthus Sinensis 'Adiago'

When I was a little girl my grandmother had a bed of iris outside the back door. They were all the same kind, a purplish-brown and yellow type. I vaguely remember the flowers, but I distinctly remember the foliage. It reminded me of a patch of four by four feet of sharp swords sticking out of the ground. It's amazing to me that these became one of my favorite flowers, however I certainly do not grow them in their own beds. They are one of the few plants that I purposely dot throughout the garden, one here and one there.

Iris 'Vizier' and Miscanthus Sinensis 'Variegates'

This year I have noticed that the ones that seem to be most pleasing in the garden are the ones that are planted near and among ornamental grasses. I think the soft, breezy nature of the grass softens the sharp iris foliage and serves as a neutral background for the stunning blooms. Iris are very stiff plants and grasses are very fluid. A fine combination in my opinion!