The clump of Iris ensata ‘Silverband’ outside our kitchen window has just outdone itself this week. This striped leaf Japanese iris is naturally an aquatic plant, growing in shallow water, but as long as the garden soil isn’t drought stricken long term, it makes a suberb, easy-to-grow garden specimen. Although it grows in a tight clump, it’s easily divided either in fall or winter. In winter, it dies back to the ground. Hardiness is Zone 5a-9b.
