Iris 'Rodeo Arena' (TB) — Clump forming

Overview

Iris 'Rodeo Arena' (TB) is a clump forming herbaceous perennial in the genus Iris, part of the Iridaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Iris 'Rodeo Arena' (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 'Rodeo Arena' is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the Iridaceae that flowers from May to July and suits borders and cut-flower use. The plant carries deciduous foliage and forms organised clumps each season. It prefers full sun in well-drained loam of neutral pH and performs best in a sheltered south-, east- or west-facing position. Rated H6, it tolerates typical UK winters as a very hardy garden perennial.

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

A named cultivar within the Iris genus, Iris 'Rodeo Arena' is grown as a herbaceous, clump-forming perennial with a clear period of interest in late spring to early summer when it flowers from May to July. The foliage dies back after the season, leaving the established clump ready for the following year. Choose a sunny site and a free-draining loam with neutral pH; the plant dislikes waterlogged ground. Position it where it receives shelter from strong winds and where the aspect is south-, east- or west-facing to encourage upright flower stems. The H6 hardiness rating means it is very hardy and will withstand normal UK winter conditions when given these favourable site conditions. Iris 'Rodeo Arena' suits a range of uses including city and courtyard plantings, cottage and informal gardens, patio containers, and classic flower borders, and it is also recommended for cut flowers. Place it where its May to July flowering complements other early-summer perennials or where single stems can be cut for vases during the flowering window. Its seasonal flowering span reliably supplies stems for cutting 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 'Rodeo Arena' (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