Versatile Douglas iris hybrid hardy and colorful

Many gardeners are familiar with the colorful Pacific Coast iris hybrids available at nurseries in the spring.

There is a member of the Pacific Coast iris group that may have escaped gardeners' attention:

From spring to early summer it produces simple, 3- to 4-inch-long flowers typical of this group, in colors ranging from white to lavender to dark purple.

Selected in 1978 by Dara Emery at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, it showcases 4- to 5-inch pure-white flowers, offset by golden patches on the falls.

Plant them in a woodland garden setting, amid other perennials or shorter grasses.

Pests & diseases Slugs and snails may attack young plants.

Availability Find Iris douglasiana, Iris 'Canyon Snow' or the Pacific Coast hybrids at your local nursery or garden center.