Iris germanica Firestorm - Bearded Iris

The 'Firestorm' Iris germanica, also known as the lilliput garden iris, blooms early in April. It produces flowers with violet petals and speckled and flecked brown sepals, bordered with violet, on a yellow background, with a yellow-orange beard. This small variety quickly forms beautiful, colourful clumps, perfect for creating lovely spring decoration in rockeries and borders.

The 'Firestorm' Iris is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant, forming upright clumps from spring onwards. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many modest-sized cultivars that appeared in the 1950s. Originally, the 'lilliput' category referred to the cross-breeding of an Iris pumila and a tall iris. This term now generally refers to the category of standard dwarf bearded irises (SDB).  'Firestorm' will reach a height of 20 cm (8in) when in bloom, with numerous buds, and the clump will spread indefinitely over time, with the central rhizomes thinning out in favour of the outer ones. It has a dense clump-forming habit. The foliage consists of long, glaucous green, heavily veined sword-shaped leaves. In March-April floral stems appear, which will produce flowers in April, opening from the top towards the lower branches. The colour of this plant, as always with bearded irises, is enhanced by the texture of the petals and sepals.　

To accompany the irises, choose plants based on their needs (sunlight, soil), their "respectful" growth habit vis-a-vis irises (low-growing plants or light foliage), and how they complement each other visually (appearance, flowering period). For example, Gauras will cast little shade and will keep the bed attractive throughout summer once the irises have flowered. Eschscholzia, like irises, will be satisfied with dry and poor soil. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also complement irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges can be stabilised by dense planting of old diploid varieties that can remain in place and require little care. If the goal is more decorative and access for care is possible one can choose more modern varieties, such as intermediates that are less likely than tall varieties to be knocked over by wind and rain.

To line a pathway: the entire range can be used, from early dwarfs under 40 cm (16in) to tall irises over 75 cm (30in) that bloom in May, and including intermediates (in size and earliness) and border irises, which are medium-sized but bloom alongside the tall ones. Tall irises, when exposed to wind, may need staking to prevent them from being flattened.

Edge of a flowerbed: the domain of border irises but also dwarfs, depending on the circumstances.

Mixed border: the entire size range can be used, selecting based on position (foreground, background) and the size of the surrounding plants.