Flowers
Iris
Whether as bulbs or rhizomes, irises have been famous, cultivated and admired since ancient times. They were undoubtedly one of Claude Monet’s favourite flowers as he planted them and painted them on multiple occasions, as did Vincent Van Gogh after him.
See them
The irises are absolutely stunning in the second half of May. They line half of the Clos Normand either by themselves or with peonies or aubrieta. As a favourite flower in Monet’s paintings, irises are the main subject of many artworks including ‘The Artist’s Garden at Giverny’ which was painted in 1900 and is exhibited at Musée d’Orsay.
Grow them
Irises require well-drained soil and hate having wet roots. Maximum sunshine is required for optimal flowering. For poor soil, simply add some natural fertiliser, or synthetic fertiliser, at the start of the season to give it a helping hand. Not much more is needed, except to divide the plants when they grow too closely together and have fewer flowers, which should be done every 3-5 years or longer in some cases.
