2nd surprise find this year :-).

What a lovely surprise! It looks like a Duch Iris. Aren't they nice? I have a few here and was thrilled to find that a clump of blue ones had spread from two to five!

Thanks Sue, it was a nice surprise, got my phone straight out and took photo lol. That was a nice surprise for you.

Sorry to contradict, but its actually an Iris sibirica I think. They like damp conditions in general. Absolutely beautiful plants. The flowers dont last all that long, like most Iris, but they are really elegant clump-forming perennials and dead easy to keep. :)

Beautiful colour and markings.

Thanks Karen, well I got the Iris bit right lol. Getting better :-). Thats probably why I didn't see it last year. Had a late start in garden due to a bad dog bite so wasn't allowed to do any gardening for over a month while it healed so when I did clear weeds around it, it probably had finished flowering.

thank you Thrupennybit, it is pretty. :-).

I have to restrain myself with them Jen...I really love them, but they have a limited season of interest so don't want too many. :)

?

Thanks for the correction Karen. I haven't got any Sibirica to compare them with and my Dutch ones are in flower at the moment - at least they were bought as Dutch ones.
I can't find a pic of both together to compare - help please!

Not that you would like/need to lift them, Dutch are bulbs, Siberica have rhizomes,(gnarly rootstocks) but like moisture unlike Bearded rhizomes which hate sitting in wet conditions. If they like where they are, just enjoy them.

How nice to spot those waiting to greet you !

Thanks for that Siris, they are not bulbs but as you say roots. Don't plan to move them but nice to know how if I changed my mind.

Terratoonie, I was over the moon when I found them lol

They are a similar size and form of flower to a Dutch Iris Stera...but I haven't seen a Dutch with those markings on the lower petals...but that doensn't mean there isn't one. And Sibiricas have a lot of very upright strappy leaves, whereas my Dutch in the past have had quite soft almost floppy leaves. I always recognise a Sibirica...once you've grown a plant you always know it don't you :) They form a clump from the rhizomes.

Beautiful

Thank you Hillsidegirl, move flowers have opened and I'm still amazed I didn't see it last year. :-)

Thank you Karen and Siris. Easy when you know isn't it!