CEDAR FALLS -- Vera Thompson, 81, jabs her shiny Dutch fork into the rich earth and lifts out a clump of irises. "The fork works best because it doesn't damage the roots as much," she says, bending ...

Not many plants come in a wider range of color than the iris. In the past 50 years, thousands of cultivars in various colors, sizes, and forms have been developed. "I have about 20 cultivars of ...

Years ago, my husband and I grew over 1,000 iris plants in our yard and flowerbeds. They thrived and were quite a sight to see when they were in bloom with very little effort on our part.

HOW TO PROPAGATE IRIS: 8 to 11 a.m., Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, City Park. Second Tuesday event features demonstration and discussion of propagating iris by division. Free. (504) ...