Plant of the Week
Siberian iris (Iris siberica)
There are a lot of great cultivars, but this one is ‘Ruffled Velvet.' You may have to mail order this plant. For me, it's worked great in a garden spot in a narrow bed that is perpetually wet and gets virtually no sun. Siberian Irises are perfect for this kind of spot.
And unlike most full-shade plants these plants have beautiful flowers, too. I've looked around locally, but the closest plants I could find were Russian irises, which require full sun, not great for my spot.
Since these plants need to be wet all the time, they also make great choices for your boggy areas or shady ponds. You can get them in various shades, normally light to deep purples and blues. They spread to about a foot and a half and get about two feet tall, so they're daintier than traditional irises are. Mine died back to the ground in our extra cold winter this year, but came roaring back in early April as our temperatures warmed up.
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