Iris foetidissima

Iris foetidissima, the delightfully named Stinking Iris - so called because its foliage was said in old herbals to have a yeasty, beefy odour when rubbed or bruised - is one of only two Iris species native to the UK. It is an extremely useful plant for any garden. The dark green sword-like foliage remains attractive year-round and like so many Iris has a dramatic appearance. It has heavily-veined pale blue flowers which are yellowish-bronze near the base. Their understated beauty is elegant, charming and exotic with none of the overblown ostentation of the many hybrid Iris cultivars one encounters on the flowershow circuit or in garden centres. The flowers are followed by seed capsules that burst to reveal their bright orange seeds, a cheerful mid-winter bonus that is as British as a Red Robin.

Iris foeditissima manages to be both subtle yet dramatic - a remarkable achievement - and is a plant that has played a key role in my development of an English exotic style in garden design. It is a plant that I recommend to anyone who seeks to avoid the many unfortunate clichés one sees in exotic gardens.