Description

Ixia Mix offers a burst of exotic colour and upright elegance, ideal for brightening Irish borders and containers during early summer. This blend features a vibrant array of star-shaped, cup-like flowers in fiery shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, and cream, often accentuated with contrasting central eyes that give them a striking bi-colour effect. Originating from South Africa, Ixia produces multiple blooms per stem on wiry, slender stalks that rise above narrow, grass-like foliage. In Irish gardens, Ixia thrives when planted in full sun and in sharply drained soil, making it especially well-suited to raised beds, gravel borders, containers, and south-facing positions where it is sheltered from harsh winds and winter wet. While the corms can be left in the ground in milder regions with excellent drainage, most gardeners in Ireland will benefit from lifting and storing them in a frost-free location after flowering.

This bulb truly shines when planted in generous drifts of ten or more, creating a mass of shimmering movement that both catches the eye and draws in pollinators such as bees and hoverflies. Its floral display bridges the seasonal gap between spring bulbs and summer perennials, supporting biodiversity by providing a reliable nectar source at a quieter time in the flowering calendar.

Ixia pairs beautifully with plants like Allium sphaerocephalon, whose globular flowerheads provide textural contrast and Anemone blanda or Triteleia for layered planting schemes. In heavier Irish soils, it is essential to mix grit or sand through the planting holes to ensure good drainage and prevent rot. Typically flowering in June and July, Ixia reaches a height of 40 to 60cm. With its extended bloom time, visual dynamism, and pollinator value, Ixia Mix is a stunning and sustainable addition to any contemporary or biodiversity-focused planting scheme.