{"product_id":"dietes-grandiflora","title":"Dietes grandiflora","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDietes grandiflora\u003c\/strong\u003e, the \u003cstrong\u003eFairy Iris\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003eWild Iris\u003c\/strong\u003e, is one of the toughest and most elegant evergreen perennials you can grow for a warm, sunny, well-drained spot. It forms stiff, upright fans of narrow, dark green, sword-like leaves and sends up a long succession of large white iris-like flowers, each marked with golden-yellow and violet-blue blotches, through summer. Architectural out of flower and captivating in bloom, it brings a clean, exotic structure to \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic borders\u003c\/a\u003e and gravel gardens alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNative to South Africa, this is a sun-loving, drought-tolerant plant that thrives in mild and coastal conditions. Each flower lasts only a day or two, but they are produced in generous flushes over many weeks, so the display keeps refreshing itself right through the warmer months. The evergreen foliage holds its form all year, giving you the presence of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/architectural-foliage\"\u003earchitectural foliage\u003c\/a\u003e even in the depths of winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the UK Dietes grandiflora is best treated as half-hardy (RHS H3). What puts it at risk is a cold, wet winter rather than cold by itself: losses come from waterlogging and freezing acting together, not from low temperatures alone. Give it a warm, sheltered spot with genuinely sharp drainage and it will come through most British winters, while in colder or wetter gardens it is well worth growing in a pot that can be moved somewhere frost-free, or protecting the crown with a dry mulch and fleece. See our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ewhat to expect from hardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e for more on seasonal care.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun for the best flowering, tolerating light shade; choose the warmest, most sheltered corner you have.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e any free-draining chalk, loam or sand at any pH; improve heavy clay with grit or grow in a container.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e forms a clump around 1 to 1.5 m tall and 0.5 to 1 m across in time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e half-hardy (H3); it is cold plus winter wet that causes trouble, so drainage and shelter matter more than raw temperature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater regularly through the first summer to establish a strong clump, then let it largely fend for itself, as it is genuinely drought-tolerant once settled. Its upright, evergreen fans make it a natural for \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003epots and containers\u003c\/a\u003e, sunny \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/coastal-plants\"\u003ecoastal and exposed gardens\u003c\/a\u003e, and low-water \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/drought-tolerant-plants\"\u003egravel and dry planting\u003c\/a\u003e. The nectar-rich flowers are a magnet for bees and other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003epollinators\u003c\/a\u003e, so it earns its place in wildlife-friendly schemes too. Browse the rest of our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e to build a full, sun-loving, architectural planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery Dietes grandiflora we supply is nursery-grown, carefully selected for a healthy fan of foliage and a strong root system, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"9cm \/ 0.5L","offer_id":57976162222463,"sku":"DIETGRAN9","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/1280px-DietesGrandiflora.jpg?v=1784323851","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/dietes-grandiflora","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}