Tall Bearded Iris 'Connection': Linked Beauty from Ghio's Network

The Tall Bearded Iris 'Connection' links the late spring garden to new realms of beauty. Introduced in 1999 by Ghio, this millennium-turn cultivar represents the culmination of decades of breeding innovation from one of America's most prolific and respected tall bearded iris hybridizers.

Visual Characteristics

Cultivar Profile

Growing Notes

Ghio's tall bearded iris introductions, from his California breeding program, are legendary for their innovation, beauty, and garden worthiness. 'Connection' (1999) represents the late 1990s peak of his work, where every aspect of the modern TB—form, color, pattern, texture, stem structure, foliage quality—had been refined to an extraordinary degree. The name 'Connection' suggests linkage: between colors in a blend, between parent and seedling, between breeder and gardener, between the garden and the wider world of iris enthusiasts. Tall bearded irises are among the most rewarding perennials for the home gardener—spectacular in bloom, architectural in foliage, drought-tolerant once established, and long-lived with basic care. They require full sun (6+ hours), excellent drainage, and near-neutral soil pH. Plant rhizomes at soil level in a slight mound. Water regularly during spring growth and bloom; reduce watering after bloom to simulate summer dormancy.