For Western Pennsylvania gardeners there can hardly be a better endorsement for a plant than "the deer won't eat it."

According to Mike Corle of Hampton, they won't eat iris. He has the experience to make that statement: He's the Iris Vice President of the Pittsburgh Iris and Daylily Society, and in that position, tries to encourage area gardeners to get interested in these varied and colorful plants.

Iris have a bad reputation, says Mr. Corle, and he's working hard to change that view. They get such a bad rap because they can fall victim to borer and rot. But not all of them suffer the same. And some of the older varieties, which many of us grew up calling "Flags," are resistant as are the smaller types. Japanese, Siberian, Louisiana and Spuria iris, also are resistant and all of them grow well here.

To see what's out there, gardeners might want to make a trip this weekend to the 56th Annual Free Iris Show at the Phipps Garden Center in conjuction with the May Market. Iris plants also will be for sale during part of the show. Hours for the show are 1 to 7 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow.

When iris are mentioned, most gardeners immediately think of Bearded Iris. So named because of the fringed "beard" on the tongue of the flower. What might not be known is that there are many kinds of Bearded Iris for gardeners to enjoy. All bearded varieties thrive in sunny, dry soil, and there are many sizes to choose from.

• Miniature Bearded Iris (4 to 9 inches tall)

• Dwarf Bearded Iris (up to 14 inches tall)

• Intermediates (up to about 21 inches)

• Border Bearded (up to 26 inches tall)

• Miniature Tall Bearded, also known as table iris, usually up to 24 inches but have smaller foliage, a more slender stalk and small flowers. Most possibly the plants we knew as "Flags"

• Tall Bearded, which are the biggies most associated with the name.

For some reason, the Tall variety seems to be most plagued by borer. Possibly because of the fat rhizome, although all varieties can be infested.

Borers can decimate a stand of iris in no time flat, and many growers spray for them in early spring before they enter the leaves, using a pesticide recommended for borer. Mr. Corle, however, prefers to go a safer route.

"Usually [when the borers] are working their way down [to the rhizome], and they are going into the center fan, you can see some raggedness and goo. I cut the whole thing off about one-half an inch below where you see the damage and you can pretty much save the plant that way."

But he concedes some borers do manage to get through. (Any plant found to contain borers should be removed and destroyed.)

These days he grows about 70 to 80 varieties of Bearded Iris, which is why he got started in the group. But he also grows a selection of Japanese, Spuria and versicolors.

"I just call them species or species crosses because they are native from all over the world," he says. "I've made a specific and concerted effort to show people about different iris."

But if you have your heart set on the Bearded varieties, go for it.

"I don't ever tell them to skip [the Bearded Iris]," he says. "There are some that are more prone [to problems] than others."

Mr. Corle does discourage gardeners from buying potted iris at nurseries because iris do not like to be confined in containers.

"I recommend buying iris from a grower, or from our club," he says. "Freshly dug is best."

Joining the society is the best way to get started.

"We are constantly looking for new members," he says. "Novice gardeners are great. We can help them get started on the right path for a successful garden."

At the summer picnic, new members can expect to be given lots of daylilies and iris to experiment with from members' gardens.

"You can see what you have success with," says Mr. Corle. "When it blooms, it's like 'Oh My God, that's fantastic.' "

In addition to his activities with the Pittsburgh Iris and Daylily Society, Mr. Corle runs a landscape business called Irisaurus Gardens, in which he does garden design, installations and maintenance. He incorporates Iris in many of his designs. For more information call 412-600-5813.