See ‘flags’ come out at 75th annual Sacramento Iris Show

“Flags” will be flying high this weekend at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center as the Sacramento Iris Society hosts its 75th annual show and sale.

With the theme “America 250!,” this huge show featuring bearded irises – also known as “flags” – will be open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 18, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Admission and parking are free.

This will be a judged show with many different varieties and kinds of irises vying for awards. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the many different color combinations and how to better identify varieties.

And there are a lot of varieties! Bearded irises now include more than 60,000 named cultivars and come in every color from pure white to black with countless shades in between.

The most common colors are blues and purples, closest to the iris family’s native hues. Thousands of varieties feature unusual color combinations on standards (the upright petals), falls (the down-pointing petals) and beards (the fuzzy flower parts that give these irises their nickname).

Take some irises home, too! The club will offer potted irises for sale with plants ready to transplant now.

Bearded iris, the most common perennial iris, is a water-wise wonder that thrives in Sacramento. Once established, irises should be watered when the top three inches of soil dry out. Deep, infrequent watering is recommended.

Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento, in McKinley Park.

Details and directions: www.sgaac.org or https://sacramentoirissocietydotcom.wordpress.com/.