Yes, those little pink flowers are part of the reason the irises hasn't flowered. The sun needs to hit the rhizome in order for it to flower. No sun, no flowers. When you plant the irises, just lay the rhizome on the surface with only the roots buried. Don't cover them with mulch or ground cover plants or anything. They love being exposed to the sun & air. I will post picture of mine which had the same problem for years until I moved them.

Thanks B but the creeping phlox weren't there last year or any time before and they still didn't flower. I don't have any trouble with bearded irises, only these little ones. They have been planted in all situations as I said, with rhizomes on top baking in the sun and beaneath the soil. Makes no difference. I'm stumped.

I can only go by what I see in the picture you provided. Maybe the brick wall is casting a shadow.

Given the number of times they have been moved I'm not really surprised they haven't flowered... Give them time to establish themselves in one position planted as Bathgate suggested and remove the creeping phlox

I love these whether they flower or not, that lovely sword like shape and greyish green/cream of the leaves makes them a striking plant regardless of the flowers. I never managed to see the flowers on the clump I owned for three years either, but maybe they flowered after I moved, not sure. They do need a sunny position and yes, the top of the rhizome should be exposed to the sun, but even then, mine didn't flower, so if you grow them for flowers, well, its a wait and see if they do at some point over time.

It's covered by creeping phlox and up against a brick wall. There's no mystery here. Even if you moved them, you won't see flowers this year.

The variegated forms of Iris pallida don't bloom profusely anyway, but your best chance is to plant them in sun, with the rhizome just barely exposed--like a whale surfacing to breathe--and a bit of blood and bone meal during the growing season. It may take a year or two for the flowers to appear. They're a lovely periwinkle blue when they do!

Thank you all. Its in the sunniest part of the garden facing south west and unless it's potted up again, it's going to have to stay there as there is nowhere else for it to go. It is on its final warning now!

I'll never understand UK weather.

Yes, well ours died before it managed to flower and it was in the correct spot for all of its 8 non-flowering years. The clone ours came from never seems to have flowered either, in our friends extremely dry and sunny garden. They had it for over 20 years with no flowers.

I actually find just the foliage quite striking, but flowers would be the bomb!

Oh dear Owdboggy, I'll be pushing up the daisies by then!

Just enjoy the leaves Chammomile... they are beautiful! We have a few roddies. that don't flower but the leaves and the farina are fantastic!

I've never heard of roddies or farinas, is it a Scottish thing Moon grower?

Rhododendrons and the brown, almost powder like substance that can be on the underside of some species Rhododendrons, you also get farina on the leaves of some primulas, can also be described as a powdery bloom.

I love the way we learn something new on this site. Thanks M.g.

After two years undisturbed and still with masses of greenery around the rhizomes and the threat of aniahlation, it's flowered!

Oh, lucky you - perhaps a result of the unusually hot, dry and sunny spring/summer last year maybe?

That's what I thought Bamboo. My friend is really jealous as she gave up on it and passed it onto me!

Congratulations! Nice shade of blue! As Tugbrethil said - like a whale breaching the surface for air, your irises found a sun pocket. Now that they have flowered, you can divide the 'daughter' rhizomes into separate plants. Give some daughter plants back to your friend. The 'mother' rhizome is finished and should be discarded. It will never flower again and attract lots of bugs. Compaction will also prevent flowering and they will actually shatter that planter as they grow. Don't divide until July - give the daughters a chance to grow on a bit first.

If only your friend had waited long enough for a hot summer, cammomile! Be interesting to see if they flower next year - doesn't seem like we're having anything other than an average UK summer so far this year, does it...

It's a very pretty blue Bathgate. I'm not sure my friend's garden is sunny enough for Irises but I'm giving her some of my bearded irises that are in a pot and in need of dividing. You could be right Bamboo, everything has gone mad in my little patch this year but it's definitely cooler weather now.

It is, you did good with this one. My irises are running rampant all over the place,lol. I don't want to get rid of them. I just posted a bunch of pictures if you want to see my gallery.