Dividing Siberian irises

Split big clumps to keep them flowering well, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

SIBERIAN irises are smaller and less flouncy, but no less attractive, than their cousin, the bearded iris.

Their delicate flowers that usually bloom in shades of purple or mauve, and slim blade-like leaves, add colour to the garden in late spring and early summer.

If grown in a spot that they favour, as marginal plants by the side of ponds, in a bog garden, or in a bed with full sun or partial shade in enriched, moisture-retentive soil, they will soon form an attractive clump. However, if left alone too long these clumps have a tendency to outgrow their spot.

When this happens, new shoots appear around the edge of the original clump which eventually develops a unsightly bare centre.