GARDEN HELPS 



Conducted by Minnesota Garden Flower Society 



Edited by Mrs. E. W. Gould, 2644 Humboldt Avenue So. 

 Minneapolis. 



Irises for Minnesota. 



Bearded 

 Irises 



"Germanicas" 



Sunny or shady 

 location 

 (Like lime.) 



Dwarf 



Crimean Irises. 



50 varieties. 



Intermediate. 

 30 varieties. 



Tall. 

 Over 400 varieties. 



6-15 inches. 

 March- April-May. 

 Edgings and rock gar- 

 dens. 



12-18 inches. 

 Late April-May. 



15-36 inches. 

 May 20-July 5. 



Beardless 

 Irises 



(Do not like lime 

 except where 

 noted.) 



For dry locations. 

 10 varieties. 



Siberian Irises. 

 20 varieties. 



For borders and water- 

 side. 

 15 varieties. Like lime. 



Water Flags. 

 10 varieties. 



Japanese Irises. 

 Over 75 varieties. 



3-12 inches. 

 May-June-July. 

 Edgings and rock gar- 

 dens. 



2-5 feec. 

 June-July. 



Spurias. 

 1-5 feet. 

 June-July. 



2-3 feet. 



Watersides or in water. 



1-4 feet. 



Late June-July- August. 



Bulbous 

 Irises 

 (Like lime.) 



Dutch. 

 Spanish. 

 English. 



\ May. 



I Late May and June. 



■j June and July. 



In my opinion, perennials should form the foundation of every garden, 

 and in particular three perennials should predominate — Irises, peonies and 

 phloxes. Of these three perennials the Irises have certain advantages over 

 the other two, of which I will tell you more fully later. 



The Iris is called the "outdoor orchid," but the flower of the Iris is more 

 delicate and is easier to' grow. In certain respects, however, it is like the 

 orchid, in that the different varieties have been gathered from practically 

 every part of the world. The native place of a large part of the Iris 

 family, however, is southern Europe and central Asia. 



It is unusual, you may believe, that a flower should have a history, but 

 this is true of the Iris. The Iris was the symbol of hope in early Greece 

 and as such was used to decorate their graves. In Egypt it was the symbol 

 of power and was carved on the brow of the Sphinx. In France it has 

 always been the flower of royalty and from early times was engraved into 

 the arms of France. In Japan the Iris is reverenced, and the month of June 

 is known as the month of the Iris, when it is used to decorate their houses 

 and public conveyances. — J. S. Crooks. 



(Continued in August number) 



(302) 



