Chailey Iris Nursery

Garden Illustrated May 2025 Benton Iris Article

Dan Pearson has written a great article on this months edition of Garden Illustrated about the amazing Cedric Morris Benton Iris. We hold most of the Benton Iris in stock, but order now as stock is becoming increasingly limited. Benton Iris Collection. If any items are showing 'Out Of

How and When do I need to fertilise my Iris?

The short answer : one month before bloom season, so about the time your tulips are blooming. Then again in September after flowering. So there you go, easy really. I recommend bone meal or super-phosphate and a light balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 6-10-10 depending on the amount of nitrogen

Plant Fairs and Events 2024

We will be selling a wide range of our iris plants in pots at these events. April 22nd & 23rd Spring Live, South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6TL April 22nd & 23rd RHS Garden Wisley,Woking,Surrey,GU23 6QB. This is one of the British Iris Societies

2024 Orders Dig and Dispatch

What little summer we had this year seems to be over ! We have started to dig and dispatch of the Orders placed in 2024, so I thought a quick note would help our customers understand what we do and how.... Starting the first week of September we dig the rhizomes

Sussex Life Article on our Bearded Iris

With over 300 varieties, there an iris for every gardenFor luminous colour, irises are hard to beat. With so many to choose from there are bound to be ones that are perfect for your gardenGreat British LifeLeigh Clapp www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/sussex/24200867.iris-flower-variety-best-garden/

Are your iris struggling in this wet spring?

Wet weather can indeed cause problems for bearded iris, particularly through rot. Excess moisture creates an environment conducive to fungal and bacterial diseases that can lead to rhizome rot. Here are some strategies to prevent rot and protect your irises during wet weather: Improve Drainage Raised Beds: Plant your irises

NEVER bury an iris rhizome!

and ...... why are my iris blooming again in late autumn (2023) You will have been sent a planting guide with your order. IT CLEARLY SHOWS YOU WHERE AND HOW TO PLANT YOUR IRIS RHIZOMES. There are also other blogs below that will illustrate this for you. We have been growing

How to plant your rhizomes

I’ve received my iris order… now what do I do ? Don’t leave the rhizomes in the box for more than a day. If you can’t plant them straight away, lay them out in the shade. They will be happy out of the ground for up to a

Featured

Dividing & Transplanting Irises

One of the great joys of growing irises is that they reproduce new plants every year which will give you loads of new plants for your own garden as well as presents for friends and family. The best time to divide your iris plants is about 6-8 weeks after flowering.

ORDER DISPATCH 2023

Autumn is here, and it looks like we might be in for an 'Indian Summer' instead ! We have started to dig and dispatch of the Orders placed in 2023, so I thought a quick note would help our customers understand what we do and how.... Starting the first

SUMMER SALE

UP TO 50% OFF We don't want our customers to miss out on buying iris for the garden so during July we have discounted the price of many iris varieties, some by as much as 50%. Don't delay, place your order online while stocks last. We

2023 Open Days, Plant Fairs and Events

We will be selling a wide range of our iris plants in pots at these events. National Garden Scheme Open Days here at the Nursery (11 am - 4 pm). May: Friday 26th, Saturday 27th, and Sunday 28th. The main iris flowering season starts. June: Friday 16th, Saturday 17th, and

Open Days, Shows and Events 2022.

Firstly a big thank you to all our customers who have supported us over the last couple of years, during quite difficult times. We're all hoping that the Covid pandemic is truly behind us and we can return to normal, so here are the dates for your 2022

Iris Plant Sale

Up to 50% off many Bearded for a limited period. It's been a strange spring here in Sussex with frequent cold frosty nights and no rainfall in April. This was followed by a very cool wet May and a June that didn't know what to do!

2021 - Garden and Nursery Open Days (11am-4pm)

National Garden Scheme (NGS): 15th, 23rd May and 5th June. Book Here for NGS Open Days Tickets Bevern Trust Charity day: 22 May. ** Please note the change of date. The previous date of 16th May has been cancelled due to Covid. Private Group Days and Tours; May to September by

Spring 2021. Unusual weather and its impact on iris plants.

A few customers have written to us concerned about the lack of new growth on their iris plants this spring. Yes, it’s been absolutely horrible, very dry and cold as well as far too many hard frosts for my liking and for the iris rhizomes ! What Happens to Cold

Spring 2021 Order Dispatch

SALE ENDS 31 MARCH 2021 [https://shop.chailey-iris.co.uk/index.php?id_category=32&controller=category] Order now or you'll miss the April Dispatch [https://shop.chailey-iris.co.uk/index.php?id_category=2&controller=category] The weather is warming up and we are getting

The different types of Bearded Iris flowers explained.....

Bearded Iris are divided into 6 groups defined by their height and bloom period: Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB), Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB), Intermediate Bearded (IB), Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB), Border Bearded (BB), Tall Bearded (TB). Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB) Up to 20cm in height. They are the first of the

I just can't wait!

So you have discovered a love for the wonderful beauty of the iris... and want to expand the range in your collection, but the irises you want show "Out of stock"?!? It's a seasonal thing - irises love plumping up their rhizomes in the summer sun,

Do Bearded Iris die in your garden?

I'm a great believer in “The right plant in the right place”. Bearded Irises need as much sun as you can give them. If your garden border is shady or too damp why not consider a different variety of iris. Many Siberica and Species Iris will grow in

Featured

How to choose the right iris

There are thousands of bearded irises available, and here we’ll show you what to consider when choosing the right plant for you, as well as some ideas on designing your own personal iris garden. I like to get the most out the plants in my garden so as well

Pests & Diseases

Iris are pretty pest and disease free plants. You may get pests like aphids in damp warm weather, or you may see black spots appear on the leaves. I prefer to use a single light spray of ‘Rose Clear’. This will deal with most bugs and will treat and prevent

Open Gardens - Spring 2019

We opened our spring gardens for the first and last weekends in June, in 2019. Two days were in support of the Bevern Trust [https://www.beverntrust.org/] - a local charity that provides accommodation for young people with complex needs when they can no longer live at home. Two

No more flowers?

“Why don’t my bearded iris flower anymore?” Is a question we are sometimes asked at Open days and Shows. This is most likely one of three things, either the plant has got overcrowded, the rhizomes are planted too deep or they aren’t getting enough sunlight. If you haven’