Iris ensata 'Variegata'

Iris plants are generally free from pests and diseases. If planted in water, be aware of root rot - to prevent this, make sure the water depth is no more than 15cm. If your pond edge is deeper, you may need to plant in pots. Keep an eye out for the Iris Sawfly - a pest whose larvae eat the foliage of waterside irises. They look like greyish-brown caterpillars up to 25mm long and initially eat v-shaped notches from the leaf margins before moving on to eat from the leaf tips downward. This isn't usually too serious and plants can recover, but it's a good idea to encourage predators like birds and ground beetles, as well as regularly inspecting plants during the growing season and removing any larvae by hand. If planted in a border or pots, slugs and snails may be a problem. For slugs and snails, it's important to keep the area around the plant free of debris and as dry as possible, especially at night as slugs and snails love damp conditions. You can use barriers such as eggshells or copper wire to surround the plant to prevent slugs and snails from reaching the leaves. It's also a good idea to spray your plant with water which has boiled some garlic in it for around two hours. For more serious slug and snail control, you can also use specific nematodes that will find the pests and cause them to die.

Irises typically need moist soil so although those planted in ponds will not need extra watering, you will need to keep an eye on them if planted in beds and borders, making sure to water in dry or hot weather as required.

Irises prefer a position in full sun (6-8 hours of sunlight daily) but will also thrive in partial or dappled shade.

Irises are fans of moist (but not waterlogged), slightly acidic soil. They are well suited to planting at the edge of a pond or in a bog garden.

No feeding is needed if you plant your irises straight into a mature pond due to the nutrient content of pond water. However, in a non-pond setting, it's a good idea to feed both before and after the blooming period using a slow release, granular general fertiliser.