Regarding Iris species that grow well in my area, I would agree with Mary Sue that the Pacific Coast species and their natural and garden hybrids are the most dependable. They are useful for holding the soil on banks and for providing a grasslike foliage contrast when out of flower. The flowering period is short, in late spring to early summer. All Pacific Coast irises flower best in sun here, although they can often be seen growing in woodland in the wild. They are adapted to persisting vegetatively when shaded, and to flowering and increasing by seed when the tree or shrub cover is removed by fire or other means. The seeds can remain dormant for many years, germinating when the soil is disturbed -- which suggests shallow sowing. This pattern is also observed in an iris endemic to my area, I. tenuis, the only western North American member of the crested iris group. It forms huge colonies in shade, but flowers much more in open situations such as road cuts and under power lines. If I can get healthy bulbs of Iris reticulata, Iris histroides, and their hybrids, they are long-lived in the garden in areas not watered in summer. They flower best if planted deeply. The problem is that most commercial stock is infected with ink spot disease, which soon debilitates the plants once they are not subject to the Dutch cycle of lifting, treatment, and controlled storage. Growing I. reticulata from wild-collected seed was a revelation for me: plants three times the size of commercial varieties, and setting big seed pods. A few bearded irises have persisted here, notably I. albertii, wild forms of I. pallida, and I. subbiflora. I gave up on bearded iris hybrids years ago when I found that they do not tolerate competition from neighboring plants and suffer incessantly from diseases and slug predation. One might as well grow hybrid tea roses. Some Juno irises seem to be doing all right outdoors here, in particular I. magnifica, I. vicaria, and I. bucharica, all of which are readily available. I grow them on the rock garden. Now I'm trying some selections of the Regelia species I. stolonifera outdoors. Oncocyclus irises cannot be grown in the open in the Pacific Northwest, and hardly can be grown under cover, unless you use fungicides and keep them dry until late winter. The bulbous irises of the Xiphium section are represented in our gardens mostly by "Dutch" irises, which don't persist here over many years since their winter-growing foliage gets frozen. Far better is the "English" (actually Spanish) Iris latifolia, which comes in a number of color selections and doesn't make growth until spring. It should be a standard border plant in Mediterranean climate gardens. Iris unguicularis is increasingly grown in the Pacific Northwest, though it can be expected to suffer in our colder winters. (I keep some in the bulb frame as insurance.) Its close relative I. lazica is more cold-hardy and flourishes here, as do most plants from the Pontic region, its home. It grows well in part shade but flowers better in sun, though its evergreen foliage can sunburn in the latter situation. It blooms in early spring and unlike I. unguicularis has little fragrance. Spuria irises do very well here, but they are grown mainly by specialists, since they take up a lot of space for the sake of a very short season of proportionately small flowers. Siberian irises are fine as long as I get them in spots where the soil is retentive enough. Iris cristata cannot be grown here because of the slugs, which love it intensely. Japanese irises (I. ensata) do not flower for me, I suspect because of too much night cooling at this elevation; they are hot-and-humid-summer plants and do fine on the valley floor 1500 feet (500 m) below me. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA