bcirissociety.com

BC Iris Society is a volunteer group of gardeners in British Columbia who share knowledge about iris varieties and how to use them in landscapes. Its website is useful if you want to browse iris photos, read the society's newsletters, or find where to buy iris in BC. It is an informational and community site rather than a commercial shop, though it does include a checkout page.

Who runs it and what it does

The society describes itself as "a group of enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to enlightening fellow gardeners about the different types of irises for enhancing all landscapes." That purpose shows up in two main ways on the site:

• Iris galleries — photo collections of named cultivars, often with height and bloom-time details.
• Newsletters — the Rainbow Goddess newsletter, now published as a blog.

What you can find on the site

Iris galleries

The galleries list iris cultivars with practical growing details. Examples from the homepage:

The abbreviations (TB, SDB, AB, SIB, PCN, SP, JI, SPX) refer to iris classes such as Tall Bearded, Standard Dwarf Bearded, Arilbred, Siberian, Pacific Coast Native, Species, and Japanese. If you are choosing iris for a specific spot, height and bloom time are the two details worth checking first.

Newsletters

Recent Rainbow Goddess issues cover:

• "From Print to Blog: Our New Format + Reticulata Iris Feature"
• "From Ukraine to BC: Iris Stories, Tributes, and Garden Highlights"
• "Summer Iris Update & a Tribute to Bill Dumont"

An archive of older issues is also available.

Where to buy iris in British Columbia

The site points to growers such as Hillside Irises in Cawston, BC, which ships bearded iris across Canada and offers online ordering. This is the most directly actionable page if you want to buy plants rather than just read about them.

Who this site is for

• BC gardeners looking for iris varieties suited to local conditions.
• Iris hobbyists who want cultivar photos and bloom-time references.
• Anyone sourcing iris in Canada who needs a starting list of growers.

If you are outside British Columbia or Canada, the galleries and newsletters are still readable, but the buying guidance is Canada-focused.

The BC Iris Society publishes its Rainbow Goddess newsletter as a blog, and the current issues cover three main things: a format change from print to blog plus a reticulata iris feature, iris stories and tributes with garden highlights, and a summer iris update including a tribute to Bill Dumont. You can read the latest issues on the site and browse older ones in the archives.

Recent newsletter topics

The site lists its most recent Rainbow Goddess newsletters with a short title and a "Read More" link for each:

The titles are the main guide to content — the site presents each as a headline with a link to the full post rather than a summary, so open the ones that match your interest.

How to access current issues and archives

1. Go to the BC Iris Society homepage.
2. Find the Our Latest Newsletters section, which lists the most recent issues.
3. Click Read More about [title] under the issue you want.
4. For older issues, follow the archives link at the end of the newsletter section.

What else the site offers alongside the newsletters

The homepage also functions as a gallery of named irises with their classification and bloom details, which pairs well with the newsletter features. Examples of the entries shown include:

• Cimarron Rose, SDB — height 14" (46 cm), midseason to late bloom and rebloom
• Dusky Challenger, TB — height 39" (99 cm), midseason to late bloom
• Shimmy Shake, AB — height 16" (41 cm), early bloom
• Table For Two, TB — height 36" (91 cm), very early bloom

Classifications you'll see in these entries include TB (tall bearded), SDB (standard dwarf bearded), SIB (Siberian), AB (arilbred), PCN (Pacific Coast native), JI (Japanese), and SP (species). If a newsletter mentions a type you don't recognize, the gallery entries give you the abbreviation and typical height and bloom timing.

If you want to buy irises after reading

The site's "Where to Buy Iris in British Columbia" page points to at least one source: Hillside Irises in Cawston, BC, described as growers of bearded iris shipping all over Canada with easy online ordering. Note that the site also has a checkout page, but the available material doesn't state prices or whether any content requires payment or login — check the individual pages before assuming anything is free or open.

The BC Iris Society maintains a "Where to Buy Iris in British Columbia" resource on its website, and the first grower listed there is Hillside Irises in Cawston, BC — a grower of bearded irises that ships all over Canada and offers easy online ordering. If you want irises in BC, that page is the practical starting point: it points to BC-based sellers rather than a single shop, so you can compare growers before ordering.

What the BC Iris Society resource gives you

The society describes itself as a group of enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to teaching other gardeners about the different types of irises for enhancing landscapes. Its buying page is part of that same mission — a curated pointer to where irises can be purchased in the province, not a storefront of its own.

From the listing shown on the site:

The page is titled "Where to Buy Iris in British Columbia," which signals there may be additional growers listed beyond the first entry. Check the full page for the current list rather than relying on a single name.

Before you order

A few things are worth confirming with any BC grower, since the site's listing is a starting point rather than a guarantee:

• Shipping range — Hillside Irises ships across Canada, but confirm whether that includes your province or territory and whether there are remote-area limits.
• Availability — bearded irises are typically sold by named cultivar, and popular ones sell out. Ask what is in stock for the current season.
• Planting timing — bearded irises are usually lifted and shipped in the dormant season, so order windows matter more than impulse buying.
• Cultivar names — the society's galleries show the range available, from tall bearded (TB) types like Dusky Challenger (39"/99 cm) and But Darling (46"/117 cm) to smaller standard dwarf bearded (SDB) types like Cimarron Rose (14"/46 cm) and Blue Neon (12"/30 cm). Knowing which class you want makes ordering easier.

Using the society's galleries to decide

The BC Iris Society site includes iris galleries with cultivar names, class abbreviations, heights, and bloom seasons. That is useful before you buy, because it tells you what a named iris actually looks like and how it behaves:

• Class codes — TB (tall bearded), SDB (standard dwarf bearded), SIB (Siberian), SP (species), PCN (Pacific Coast native), AB (arilbred), JI (Japanese), SPX (species cross).
• Height and bloom time — for example, Feel the Thunder, TB, is listed at 43" (109 cm) with midseason bloom; Table For Two, TB, at 36" (91 cm) with very early bloom.
• Rebloom — some cultivars, such as Cimarron Rose, are noted as midseason to late bloom and rebloom, which extends the season.

Match those details to your garden's space and climate before choosing a grower.

If you are outside BC

The listing notes that at least one BC grower ships all over Canada, so the resource is still relevant if you are in another province. If you are outside Canada, the society's page is unlikely to help directly — you would need a grower in your own country, since plant shipping across borders usually involves import rules the page does not cover.

A reasonable next step

1. Open the "Where to Buy Iris in British Columbia" page on bcirissociety.com and read the full current list.
2. Note each grower's location and shipping range.
3. Browse the society's iris galleries to pick cultivars by class, height, and bloom time.
4. Contact the grower to confirm stock, price, and shipping before ordering.

The society itself does not appear to sell plants — it shares knowledge and newsletters, and points you to growers. Treat its buying page as a directory, and verify details with the grower directly.

BC Iris Society (bcirissociety.com) is a gardener-run educational site for anyone who wants to pick the right iris for a landscape and learn how it grows. It is most useful if you are gardening in British Columbia or a similar climate, want to browse named cultivars before buying, or are looking for a Canadian mail-order source. It is not a shop itself — the site points you toward growers rather than selling plants directly.

What the site actually gives you

The homepage describes the group as "enthusiastic gardeners dedicated to enlightening fellow gardeners about the different types of irises for enhancing all landscapes." In practice that means three things a home gardener can use:

• An iris gallery of named cultivars, each labelled with type, height, and bloom season
• Newsletters covering growing experience, garden stories, and seasonal updates
• A buying guide for iris in British Columbia

Reading the gallery: what the labels mean

The gallery entries follow a consistent pattern — cultivar name, iris class abbreviation, height in inches and centimetres, and bloom timing. That format is the most practical part of the site, because it lets you match a plant to a spot before you order it.

How to use this: if you want colour at the front of a border in early summer, a 12–16" SDB or AB fits. If you need height at the back, the 36–46" TBs are the candidates. Bloom timing tells you whether a cultivar extends your season or overlaps with what you already have.

The gallery also includes species and non-bearded types — Iris chrysographes (black form), Iris florentine, and Siberian irises such as Flying Fiddles, Humors of Whiskey, How Audacious, Dotted Line, Solar Energy, and Carnavalito. That matters if you are working with wet soil or a naturalistic planting rather than a sunny, sharply drained bed.

Where to buy iris in British Columbia

The site's buying page names Hillside Irises in Cawston, BC, described as growers of bearded iris shipping all over Canada with easy online ordering. That is the concrete starting point the site offers for Canadian gardeners who would otherwise be looking at US suppliers and cross-border shipping.

If you are outside Canada, treat this page as a model rather than a directory — the useful move is to search for a specialist grower in your own region and check the same things: which classes they carry, whether they ship to you, and whether their listed bloom times match your climate.

Newsletters: what you can read

The most recent newsletters are listed on the homepage, with an archive also available:

• From Print to Blog: Our New Format + Reticulata Iris Feature — covers the society's move from a print newsletter to a blog format, plus a feature on reticulate irises
• From Ukraine to BC: Iris Stories, Tributes, and Garden Highlights — iris stories and garden highlights with a tribute element
• Summer Iris Update & a Tribute to Bill Dumont — a seasonal growing update alongside a tribute

These are worth reading if you want local growing observations rather than generic plant-profile text. The reticulata feature in particular is relevant if you are interested in the small, early-blooming bulbous irises, which behave differently from bearded types.

Is it the right resource for you?

Use it if you garden in BC or a comparable climate, you want to see named cultivars with height and bloom data before buying, or you need a Canadian supplier lead.

Look elsewhere if you need a plant-shipping shop with a cart and live inventory, detailed cultivation instructions for a specific soil or pest problem, or a society local to your own region.

One practical note: the site has a checkout link, but the homepage content is educational and the buying page points to a third-party grower. Do not assume you are ordering from BC Iris Society itself — check the grower's own site for current availability, pricing, and shipping terms before you commit.

The BC Iris Society website showcases a wide range of iris types through its galleries, with each entry labeled by category abbreviation, bloom season, and height. The main categories visible include tall bearded (TB), standard dwarf bearded (SDB), Siberian (SIB), species (SP), Pacific Coast native (PCN), and others such as arilbred (AB), Japanese (JI), and spuria (SPX). These labels help gardeners match irises to their climate, space, and desired bloom time.

Iris categories on the site

The galleries list irises with a short code after the name. Here are the categories that appear most often, along with examples from the site:

Not every entry includes height or bloom time, but many do. The site consistently uses these abbreviations, so you can scan a gallery and quickly see whether a plant is a tall bearded iris that blooms in late spring or a dwarf bearded iris that stays under 15 inches.

How the site labels bloom season and height

Each iris name is followed by its category code, and often by height in inches and centimeters, plus a bloom season. For example:

• Dusky Challenger, TB. Height 39" (99 cm). Midseason to late bloom.
• Cimarron Rose, SDB. Height 14" (46 cm). Midseason to late bloom and rebloom.
• Table For Two, TB. 36" (91 cm). Very early bloom.
• Fancy Woman, TB. Height 38" (97 cm). Very early to early midseason bloom.

This format lets you compare irises at a glance. If you want a tall backdrop that blooms in late spring, a TB with "midseason to late" works. If you need something compact for the front of a border, an SDB at 12–14 inches is a better fit. The "rebloom" note on Cimarron Rose signals it may flower again later in the season, which extends the display.

Why different types suit different garden situations

The categories on the site reflect real differences in growth habit and garden use:

• Tall Bearded (TB) — The largest group shown, with heights from 30" to 43". These are the classic bearded irises with large flowers, best for mid-border or back-of-border placement where their height and showy blooms can be seen. They need well-drained soil and full sun.
• Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB) — At 12–14 inches, these are compact and early to midseason bloomers. They work well at the front of a border, in rock gardens, or in containers. Their small size makes them less likely to be damaged by wind.
• Siberian (SIB) — Though the site does not list heights for every SIB, Siberian irises are known for slender foliage and tolerance of heavier soils. They suit moist areas or rain gardens where bearded irises might rot.
• Species (SP) — These are wild-type irises, such as Iris chrysographes and Iris florentine. They offer naturalistic forms and are often smaller or more delicate, suitable for woodland edges or informal plantings.
• Pacific Coast Native (PCN) — Native to the Pacific coast of North America, these irises prefer dry summers and are adapted to local conditions in British Columbia. They are a good choice for gardeners wanting regionally appropriate plants.
• Arilbred (AB) — A cross between aril irises and bearded irises, these are often drought-tolerant and have distinctive flower forms. The site lists Shimmy Shake at 16" and Galaxina at 24", so they fit in the smaller to mid-size range.
• Japanese (JI) — Japanese irises typically prefer moisture and have flat, wide flowers. Gingham Geisha is one example on the site.
• Spuria (SPX) — Spuria irises are tall, sturdy, and good for cutting. Do the Math is listed as SPX.

The site also has a page titled "Where to Buy Iris in British Columbia," which mentions Hillside Irises in Cawston, BC, as growers of bearded iris shipping all over Canada with easy online ordering. That page can help you find specific types if you decide which category you want.

Using the galleries to choose irises

To pick irises for your garden from this site:

1. Identify your conditions — sun, soil drainage, moisture level, and space.
2. Match the category — TB for height and show, SDB for edges and containers, SIB for moist soil, PCN for dry-summer West Coast gardens, species for naturalistic plantings.
3. Check the bloom season — the site labels early, midseason, late, and rebloom. Combining early and late bloomers extends the iris season.
4. Note the height — listed in inches and centimeters for many entries, so you can place tall ones behind short ones.
5. Look at the galleries — the site invites you to "have a look through more of our Iris Galleries" to see the full range.

The BC Iris Society site is a showcase and information hub rather than a shop. It provides the categories, labels, and examples you need to understand what types exist and how they differ, then points you to growers like Hillside Irises for purchasing.