The Iris Garden is one of Florence's best hidden secrets, most likely due to the limited time it is open each year. The garden is on a lush hillside accessible from the east side of Piazzale Michelangelo. It makes a great place to get away from crowds and the city for a quiet stroll. The garden belongs to the "Società  Italiana dell'Iris" (the Italian Iris Society), an association that promotes the flower. An international competition is held by them each year for the cultivation of the Iris. Through a combination of flowers a display is created annually that has the color of the iris represented in the coat of arms of Florence.

The garden is only open in May! From the 2nd to the 20th, Monday to Friday from 10 am to 12:30 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm.