Iris 'Lighted Window' (TB) — Clump forming

Overview

Iris 'Lighted Window' (TB) is a clump forming herbaceous perennial in the genus Iris, part of the Iridaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Iris 'Lighted Window' (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 'Lighted Window' is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the Iridaceae that flowers from May to July. It carries deciduous leaves and is suited to south-, east- or west-facing sites. Best grown in neutral, well-drained loam and given full sun in a sheltered spot. Its uses include borders, containers, courtyard planting and supplying stems for cutting.

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 'Lighted Window' sits within the Iridaceae as a cultivated, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with deciduous foliage and a defined flowering season of May to July. As a garden cultivar rather than a wild species, it is most often treated as a seasonal flowering accent where reliable spring–early summer blooms are required. Place plants where they receive full sun on a neutral, well-drained loam; avoid waterlogged soils. A sheltered aspect to the south, east or west helps protect the shoots and flowers. The rating H6 means it is very hardy and will tolerate normal UK winter conditions when planted in a suitably drained site. Use Iris 'Lighted Window' in city and courtyard schemes, cottage and informal borders, on patios in containers and as a source of cut flowers. Group with other border perennials that share the same sun and soil preferences, or plant singly in containers that provide good drainage. Its defined May–July flowering window makes it a dependable contributor to late spring and early summer displays and a useful source of stems for cutting during that period.

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 'Lighted Window' (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