In England we have heavy clay, so irises have to be somewhat cosseted with regular checks that the tops of the rhizomes are above the soil. But they are generally pretty robust (and I love them SO much that it's really worth the effort). In France we have very sandy soil, perfect for the free-draining conditions that irises like, although we need to add quite a lot of fertiliser because it leaches out of the soil very quickly. That said, with a little effort we get great results - rebloomers like Rosalie Figge seem to flower more or less year round. I've been importing all sorts of favourite plants to France (English roses, hemerocallis, hostas) and with few exceptions where there's a will there's a way...
