Iris foetidissima

Iris foetidissima is the perfect iris for a shady spot, particularly beneath trees, where other plants struggle. It has architectural evergreen foliage and dull purple flowers, but it comes into its own in autumn when its large seedpods split open to reveal rows of orange-red seeds that remain well into winter. It works well with with other shade lovers such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, and under deciduous trees alongside dwarf spring-flowering bulbs. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).