Bearded irises, named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow, are reaching their heavenly peak in mid-June 2026, with a riot of yellow blooms lighting up a neighbour's front lawn in Ottawa.
A Banner Year for Irises
According to Martha Uniacke Breen, writing for the Ottawa Citizen, the recent cool, wet spring may have held things back, but it often produces a colourful season when things eventually bloom. 2026 is turning out to be a banner year for irises, with bright explosions of these regal flowers throughout the neighbourhood.
The author notes that her own irises are going 'pretty crazy' as well, in the best possible way.
Origin and Symbolism
Irises take their name from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. Sweet-natured Iris was a handmaiden of Hera and a messenger between the gods and mortals, slipping down her rainbow to deliver communiqués from heaven. Iris also symbolized hope and optimism.
There are approximately 300 different species of irises, most originating in Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia. The most familiar to Canadian gardeners is the bearded iris (Iris germanica) — a tall, sword-leafed beauty lighting up gardens right now.
Characteristics of Bearded Iris
Its heavy, frilly blossoms, borne in multiples on tall stalks, each feature six petals: three upright 'standards' and three downward-facing 'falls.' In the centre between the two sets of petals is a little fuzzy tongue, an invitation to pollinators that resembles a little goatee. Some even have a delicious, licorice-tinged scent.
Bearded irises come in almost every colour of the rainbow, from snow white to a purple so deep it's almost black. The only colour you don't see is true red — but growers haven't stopped trying.
Other Popular Garden Irises
Other popular garden irises include Iris reticulata or dwarf iris, which is smaller and grows from bulbs instead of rhizomes like other irises. They bloom early in spring, making them a lovely addition to an early spring border next to crocuses, snowdrops, and early tulips. There is also a dwarf bearded type.
Siberian irises (Iris siberica) are the ones immortalized by Van Gogh, with smaller blossoms and finer, more straplike leaves. Their falls tend to stick out more horizontally. They quickly form thick, profusely blooming clumps, glorious in their prime, but tend to hollow out after a few years. When that happens, dig them up, cut off the spent inner rhizomes, and replant the outer healthy sections; they'll soon go at it again. The same is true of bearded irises, though maybe not quite so exuberantly.
Wild Iris and Invasiveness
There is a 'wild' form of iris as well, Iris pseudocorus or yellow flag iris (or blue flag, depending on colour), that grows in marshlands and the edges of ponds. It is technically an escapee, not a wildflower, having been imported by European gardeners a century ago. Despite its undeniable beauty, it is considered invasive. If you can't bear to pull up any growing on your property, at least don't let them spread.
