Iris hollandica HC van Vliet - Dutch Iris

The Dutch Iris 'HC van Vliet' is a selection of Iris x hollandica, the classic "Dutch iris", renowned for its slender flower stems and its stylised flowers, highly sought after for cut flower arrangements. Its bluish-violet corollas washed with whitish-blue bring a sharp and luminous contrast to the garden in the heart of spring, particularly in sunny borders and in front of summer-flowering bushes. This bulb is suitable for beginners as well as experienced gardeners, as it proves to be reliable, hardy, long-lasting and easy to succeed with in light, well-drained soil.

The Iris x hollandica belongs botanically to the Iridaceae family. It is a hybrid between Mediterranean and North African species, including Iris tingitana and Iris xiphium, native to Spain and northern Morocco, which explains its need for a dry summer rest. Unlike the rhizomatous garden irises, it possesses an elongated bulb which produces a very upright clump of ribbon-like, glaucous green leaves, deciduous in summer.
The iris 'H.C. van Vliet (synonym 'Van Vliet')' is distinguished by its small-sized flowers, which enhances the delicate appearance of the plant. They are blue to bluish-violet, adorned with bluish-grey touches and a small orange signal. They are borne on long stems 60-80 cm in height. Flowering occurs in May-June, for two to three weeks, depending on the climate. Each flower has three slightly arched, downward-facing sepals and three upright petals, creating a graceful silhouette very typical of Dutch irises.
The cultivar 'H. C. Van Vliet', cited as early as the 1930s in Dutch iris catalogues, is the result of intensive selection work carried out by Dutch breeders and the De Graaff brothers, major distributors of these bulbous hybrids. Like all Dutch irises, it prefers well-drained, even sandy or stony soils, and easily withstands cold winters when planted at a sufficient depth. It goes dormant when the foliage yellows, after flowering. Under good conditions, the clump strengthens over time thanks to the production of small bulblets.

In a flowerbed, the Dutch Iris 'HC van Vliet' naturally finds its place among late spring perennials and late bulbs. Its slender habit also makes it a good subject for container cultivation. At the edge of the vegetable garden, alongside gladioli, it will provide elegant cut flowers. You can pair it with the peony 'Sarah Bernhardt', whose large pink flowers open at the same time. In a bouquet, mix it with ornamental alliums like Allium 'Purple Sensation' and stems of Delphinium Highlander Sweet Sensation.