RoseBlush- Since my I. cristata 'Abbey's Violet is thriving in really dry shade here. The soil is not rich, and it is under a big pine tree, that variety could be a good one for you to try. They get early morning sun only. Last spring and summer was a drought, and I could not water because my house was being remodeled and I could not get to the hoses-they spread anyway! Edelweiss Nursery is in Oregon, and hotter and drier than here but not like California. Maybe in Sept we should swap and you could try them.
