As Rodger noted, Iris lazica is more cold-hardy than the related I. unguicularis, and also more tolerant of winter wet (it comes from the part of Turkey near the Black Sea coast, which Brian Mathew once observed has the climate most like that of the American Pacific Northwest). I obtained I. lazica many years ago from Avon Bulbs in England, and have distributed it particularly to nursery growers in this area, so it's getting around. I find that if planted in full sun it flowers heavily but the leaves tend to sunburn; in shade, it is a prettier foliage plant (it's evergreen) but flowers less. It is a great weed-suppressing cover plant and contrasts nicely with other foliage. The main problem is that slugs eat the flowers. It is very easy to propagate by division in early fall or probably any time of year. The flowers are not quite as fragrant as those of I. unguicularis. I also grow I cretensis, or I. unguicularis ssp cretensis, in the garden, where it has survived temperatures in the mid-teens F but does not flower nearly as well as the plants I saw in the wild. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA At 09:46 PM 1/11/2009, you wrote: >On 11 Jan 2009, at 19:49, Jim McKenney wrote: > > > ...Iris lazica, which enjoys a cushier life in the protected cold > frame, has > > yet to bloom here (ever). > >Well, would *you* blooom if you were cooped up in a protected cold frame? > >[At this moment, I have a vision of Jim in a tutu performing "Dance of the >Flowers". Look, mommy, at the funny man: he's blooming!] > >Plant it out. > >I've got a few clumps of I. lazica scattered around the place, and afaict >they're bone hardy. They don't need the same sunny baking that I. >unguicularis >seems to prefer.