Iris 'Dover Beach' (TB) — Clump forming

Overview

Iris 'Dover Beach' (TB) is a clump forming herbaceous perennial in the genus Iris, part of the Iridaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Iris 'Dover Beach' (TB) grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H6. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal garden, patio and container plants, cut flowers and flower borders and beds.

About

Iris 'Dover Beach' is a herbaceous perennial in the Iridaceae with a clump-forming habit and deciduous foliage. It flowers from May to July. Grow in full sun on a neutral loam that is well drained, sited on a south-, east- or west-facing aspect with some shelter from exposure. It performs well in borders, containers and as a source of cut flowers.

About the genus

Iris takes its name from the Greek goddess of the rainbow, and for once the naming feels entirely earned. I can't think of another genus that covers so much ground — inky purples, burnt apricots, clean whites, blues that seem lit from inside — or so many situations. There are bearded irises that want their rhizomes baked in full sun, Siberian types happy in ordinary border soil, and species that will sit contentedly at the edge of a pond. What they share is the flower: three petals standing up, three falling away, built with a kind of architectural confidence most plants never attempt. Even out of bloom the foliage earns its place — those upright fans of blue-green leaves hold a border together for months. I grow them for the fortnight in May and June when nothing else in the garden can compete, and I've made my peace with that. Some plants are for the long haul. An iris is an event.

Written by Henry

In the garden

Iris 'Dover Beach' belongs to the genus Iris and forms neat clumps of summer-flowering stems with deciduous leaves. Its main display runs from May to July, providing a reliable early-to-mid summer presence in planted schemes. Place the iris in full sun on a neutral loam that drains freely; avoid heavy, waterlogged ground. A sheltered site on a south-, east- or west-facing aspect helps protect the flower spikes from strong winds. The rating H6 indicates the cultivar is very hardy across most UK conditions, so it will survive winter outdoors without special protection in typical gardens. Use it where season-long, cut or border flowers are wanted: city courtyards, cottage or informal borders, patio containers and mixed beds. Where space is limited, a container on a sunny, sheltered patio will allow easy access to stems for cutting. The predictable May to July flowering run makes it especially useful for supplying stems for vases through early summer.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Iris

Sunlight: Full sun
Soil type: Loam
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil moisture: Well-drained
Aspect: South-facing, East-facing, West-facing
Exposure: Sheltered
UK hardiness: H6

Plant details

Iris 'Dover Beach' (TB) size, habit and characteristics

Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
Habit: Clump forming
Foliage: Deciduous
Suggested uses: City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Cut flowers, Flower borders and beds