Iris germanica Above The Clouds - Bearded Iris

The 'Above The Clouds' Iris germanica is a fairly old variety of Grand Garden Iris, awarded for its vigour, floribundity, and its colour which is both soft and fresh and closely resembles pure sky blue. In the garden, this plant forms large, highly-flowered clumps in spring, with the blue harmonizing perfectly with a range of pastel or vibrant shades. It blooms between the beginning and middle of the iris season.

The 'Above The Clouds' Iris is a rhizomatous perennial plant that develops in spring as elegantly upright clumps, with its foliage disappearing in winter. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained over centuries, with its controversial origin being discussed based on the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It should be noted that Garden Irises have European origins. They are plants that thrive in calcareous soils and require plenty of sunlight, with their rhizomes needing to 'cook' in summer in order to bloom. A minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day is generally required.

'Above The Clouds' will reach a height of 90cm (35in) when in bloom, with 2 to 3 flowering stems per rhizome and 8 to 9 flower buds on each stem. Its flowering period lasts for 3 weeks. The clump will spread indefinitely over time, with the central rhizomes thinning out in favor of the outer ones. The foliage consists of long, wide, sword-shaped leaves, with a slightly glaucous green colour and parallel veins. In April, floral stems appear, which will produce monochromatic flowers in May, opening from the top towards the lower branches. They consist of 3 erect, undulating petals dominating 3 wide sepals with wavy edges. Their colour is a very light blue, barely tinged with mauve, and they are adorned with fine grey veins. The contrasting beards are cream-coloured. As always with Garden Irises, the color of this plant is enhanced by the thick, iridescent texture of the floral parts.

Obtained by Schreiner (U.S.A), 2001. Award: Honorable Medal in 2003

To accompany the irises, choose plants to associate with them based on their needs (exposure, soil...), their "respectful" growth towards irises (low plants or light foliage, non-competitive plants), and their decorative complementarity (appearance, flowering date). For example, Gaura will provide little shade to irises and will keep the deflowered iris bed attractive throughout the summer. California poppies and Love-in-a-Mist will tolerate dry soil in summer, just like irises. Perennial geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also pair well with irises. Slopes, the base of small trees with light foliage, and terraced edges can be stabilized by dense planting of old varieties that can remain in place and require little care. If the goal is more decorative and access for maintenance is possible, choose more modern varieties, such as intermediates that are less likely to be literally flattened by wind and rain than tall varieties.

The vegetable garden can be adorned with a few clumps or borders of irises, as it is also the place dedicated to growing flowers for cutting.