Check out Chuck's website, the diagram will give you a eye view of the size difference.

Here is a link that might be useful: RELATIVE SIZES OF THE BEARDED IRIS FAMILY

I'm SO glad you asked this question. It helped somewhat, but I still wonder somewhat at the classifications of some of my iris. At least I can see now the differences in foliage. I didn't even realize there was such a thing as border bearded til this year. I even have a few.

Most intermediate irises are crosses between Standard Dwarf and Tall bearded irises, thus giving an intermediate size, The dwarfs bloom early, so therefore "most" intermediates bloom earlier than talls. Now from what I read or understand, border bearded irises are from tall breeding that just happened to bloom smaller and shorter, so they are called border bearded. Also the border bearded irises bloom about the same time as the talls. Most intermediates are sterile.
But actually they are both about the same size. Another thing about the intermediates is, they come from Standard Dwarf breeding and lots of those have an eye pattern, which can be transfered to the intermediates. Tall bearded irises do not have a spot or eye pattern. Hope this answers some of your questions.
This is the understanding that I have personally about this confusing question.
Dot

Thanks. The diagrams really didn't help much, at least not for me, but Dots description really does clarify the differences and why they are classified as they are. And what I might want to look at. Bearded Iris are really new for me even though there had been old neglected clumps of Iris growing here for years. They have all been dug out in my garden renovations going on these past 8 years. I did try to relocate some and add some new ones but I mulched them to death. I now know better.

I have deffinatly decided on putting in TB iris, I just have to pick out my selections. I have already added Siberian Iris and have some more shipping this week. So I only need to figgure out how I can go the other way, that is blooms before the TB to get earlier bloom. But I have seen both Intermediate and Border Bearded that I just love and first needed to understand the difference and then decide what I might want to go with. Actually I couldn't see the difference looking at pictures and reading the height descriptions which seemed the same to me.

I have just gone crazy over the large ruffled flowers of many of the modern TB. I honestly don't know if I would have troubles with them here. I don't know if they are like daylilies were the ruffling can cause the flower is get hung up and not open. But I know I have to try some and hope they don't all flop over.

Rita,
If you want early bloom, go with intermediates. Then talls for bloom after that. But some of the intermediates will bloom when the talls bloom, every variety is different.
My earliest intermediates are, Furioso, Bottled Sunshine, Blast, Rare Edition, Blackcurrant, Hers, Jump Start and Country Dance.

Dot

Rita,
I haven't had any trouble with the ruffles not opening on the TBs,
Kay

I honestly did not know if the ruffles on iris would be like the ruffles on daylilies were the flower can get hung up trying to open. Still, it did not stop me from buying lots of ruffles as I just love the way they look
:-))

Dot- So far I have looked alittle but have not found intermediates that are the fancy flowers that I like. Thats why I am so drawn to the TB and I mean the mostly very modern ones. I know some people are really into the historic iris but not me. I look and want to see lots and lots of ruffles, wide petals and love the really jump at you bi tone colors. Or a very strong solid color.

Traditionally, IBs bloom earlier than the BBs. IBs also tended to be smaller, with more SDB traits/patterns, while the BBs bloomed with the TBs, and were more like smaller, shorter TBs. However, those lines have been blurred through hybridizing for late-blooming IBs and early-blooming BBs, and advancements in crosses between classes. I suspect there will be discussion about combining the 2 classes in the future.

If you like ruffles, many of the newer dwarf and intermediate irises have lots of ruffling! So don't count them out!

I haven't really had much of a problem with ruffling causing problems with blooms opening, except occasionally in weird weather conditions. Heavily *laced* blooms, however, do sometimes have this problem.

I'm very new to bearded iris. So what's the difference between ruffles and laces?

No wonder the difference between the two classes is so difficult to make classify. I think I will just wait and see what happens after I get my new areas done and plant the iris that I have coming. I really do go for the flowers of the TB. But I really would like to have that earlier bloom too.

I would be bored to tears if I didn't have my medians. Don't get me wrong, the TBs are beautiful, but the garden would just seem so empty without rows and rows of SDBs, IBs, BBs, and MTBs (and the MDBs too, but they're not medians).

If I had to give up growing one of the bearded classes, the TBs would be the first to go.

Ruffles are the undulating petals and lace is similar to what I think the daylily people call sharks teeth.

Here's a laced variety: 'Visual Arts'

Oh, yes, I like that picture. I do like lace as I am one of those daylily people having almost 400 daylilies by this spring. I had seen a new intro somewhere with that edging, I just didn't know it was called lace. The ruffles I know that I like. In fact the old historic kind that mostly do not show any ruffles I find boring. I want the flower to be ruffled and large and dramatic. Which is why I am drawn to the TB. The other classes, well, I will just have to wait and see.