Mary Berry’s favourite flower to grow in the garden is a low-maintenance winter bloomer - and you can plant it right now

Mary Berry has revealed her favourite flower in her garden, and the good news for you is that this plant almost thrives on neglect- and you can plant it right now.

Iris unguicularis, or ‘Mary Barnard’, is an evergreen perennial and one of the best flowering perennial plants if you want a blooming garden even in winter.

An avid gardener, iconic baker Mary Berry is always a great source of inspiration for her flower bed ideas - and her favourite plant is fabulous if you're looking for a low-maintenance option to fill your garden with colour.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Mary revealed her favourite flower was the Iris unguicularis, or ‘Mary Barnard’, commenting that she liked to pick and display this flower in her home alongside other home-grown blooms such as primroses. Mary revealed she grows them in gravel and has had best success growing Mary Barnards in sunny areas.

'Iris unguicularis is one of those plants that quietly earns its place in the garden. What makes it really stand out is that it flowers through the winter, often from November right through to March, when almost everything else has shut down! That kind of seasonal contrast can lift the whole feel of a garden at a time when it’s most needed,’ says Jo Lambell, founder of Beards & Daisies.

‘The flowers are elegant and lightly fragrant, lavender to violet-blue with delicate yellow and white markings, and they’re great for picking too. You can cut a few for a small vase indoors, and they’ll hold up surprisingly well. Plus, you'll sometimes see bees visiting, which is always a welcome sight in the garden.

‘It’s a plant with real character, it's reliable, and quietly beautiful. For gardeners looking to add year-round interest without a lot of fuss, I’d say it’s a natural choice!’

Where to buy

It’s easy to see why Mary has opted for these beautiful flowers. Blooming during winter, when your garden won’t be looking its best, they add a well-needed pop of colour. And a bonus is that this plant is relatively easy to grow and look after.

‘It’s a tough, drought-tolerant perennial that thrives in poor, well-drained soil, making it ideal for low-input planting schemes or gravel gardens, and its narrow, evergreen, grass-like leaves provide attractive texture all year round and work well among other Mediterranean-style planting or at the front of sunny borders,’ says Pandora Ryan founder of Pandora Ryan Landscape and Design Studio.

‘Iris unguicularis is relatively easy to grow given the right conditions. It thrives best in full sun where it will soak up the heat and perform well, and it prefers well-drained, poor to moderately fertile soil,' says Pandora. 'It’s best to avoid heavy clay or overly rich soils, as this can lead to the plant putting its energy into leafy growth at the expense of its flowers.'

‘It’s a virtually trouble-free plant, which doesn’t require feeding, with the main maintenance being removing old leaves in late summer to expose the flower buds as they form. This is a plant that is great for the more awkward dry spots in the garden, for example, by walls or in south-facing foundations where little else will thrive.’

You can also plant Iris unguicularis right now, although it may need a little extra care, as a sudden dry spell can harm the plant before the roots establish.

I love Mary Berry's favourite flower. It's beautiful and easy to care for - what's not to like?