THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



IRIS. 



513 



with an orange-yellow beard, whilst the 

 broad leaves are rich dark green. A native 

 of S. Europe, flowering during May and 

 June. The variety albicans is almost pure 

 white. 



I. FCETIDISSIMA (Gladwin). A British 

 plant, i^ to 2 feet high, with bluish flowers. 

 There is a variety with variegated leaves. 

 The common green form is worth growing 

 in rough grassy places for its brilliant coral- 

 red seeds. 



Iris faetldissinia (Glad win). 



. I. GATESI. A handsome Flag from 

 Armenia, and very near to susiana, but 

 the rhizome is more compact, and the 

 foliage smaller, .shorter, and narrower. 

 The stem is taller, i feet or even 2 feet, 

 and the flower, when well grown, larger. 

 The prevailing colour of the specimens so 

 far cultivated is, when seen at a distance, 

 a soft delicate grey, brought about by 

 very thin clear veins and minute dots or 

 points of purple on a creamy-white ground. 

 I. GERMANIC A (Common German Flag). 

 The best-known Flag and one of the 

 few plants that succeed well in London. 

 /. nepalensis is a charming form from 

 India, with flowers from 5 to 6 inches 

 long, the standards rich dark violet-purple, 

 the falls intense violet, striped white and 

 purple at the base, with yellow and reddish 

 markings. It flowers during May and 

 June, and may be increased quickly. The 

 German Flags flourish in ordinary garden, 

 dry gravelly soil, or sandy banks. A good 

 selection of varieties of the German Iris, 

 all good garden flowers, would be com- 

 posed oiAtro-purpurea, Aurea, Bridesmaid, 

 Calypso, Celeste, Gracchus, Mme. Chereau, 

 Mrs H. Darwin, Queen of May, Rigolette, 

 Victorine, and George Thorbeck. 



IRIS (June - flowering or Bearded). 

 These are the noblest of a great race : 

 moderns for which gardeners are indebted 

 to enthusiasts like the late Professor 

 Foster and Mr Bliss, who, happily, is still 

 continuing the good work. In vigour, 

 branching habit, freedom of flowering, 

 stature, and fine presence, they are im- 

 measurably superior to the older sorts ; 

 giants many of them, and of beauty 

 unknown till recent years. In cultiva- 

 tion they ask for nothing more than a 

 sunny garden or position, while revelling 

 in light sandy or calcareous loam ; indeed, 

 in common with all the Flag Iris, they 

 much appreciate a limy soil. March- 

 April and September-October are the best 

 planting seasons in the order given. In 

 planting keep the rhizomes quite near the 

 surface. The following is a selection of 

 them : Alcazar a giant in flower and 

 growth, bluish violet and purple Azure ; 

 magnificent and free, and a most effective 

 garden plant ; Black Prince ; Clematis 

 well named, giving an /. Kcempferi effect ; 

 Crusader noblest of Irises and the bluest 

 of the blues ; Dominion a Black Prince 

 glorified : quite unique, as is also the 

 price, five guineas being asked for a plant ; 

 E. H. Jenkins a great Iris in lavender 

 and allied shades, branching to the ground ; 

 Eldorado yellow, bronze, and helio- 

 trope ; Miranda big deep blue self, 

 early ; Knysna crimson and gold, abso- 

 lutely unique, late ; Lady Foster, Lord 

 of June two of the best in violet and 

 blue ; Phyllis Bliss a great Iris with rosy 

 lilac flowers of extremely handsome pro- 

 portions ; Prosper Langier a notable in 

 smoky bronze and rich crimson ; Rosalind 

 a rosy pallida, very free ; Sweet Laven- 

 der lavender and blue ; and Shelford 

 Giant bright blue and violet. 



I. GRACILIPES. Unique species from 

 Japan, virtually a miniature of the roof 

 Iris (/. tectofum). The grassy leaf tufts 

 reach dinner-plate dimensions, and yield 

 numerous pretty fringed flowers of lilac 

 hue with rich orange centres. A gem for 

 the rock garden or choice border. Quite 

 easy in sandy loam. 



I. HELDREICHI. A beautiful bulbous 

 species allied to I. persica, and first known 

 as /. stenophylla. Native of the Cilician 

 Taurus, and attaining 4 to 6 inches high. 

 It flowers in February and March, the 

 flowers, which have an exceptional ex- 

 panse, being of lavender-blue colour, and 

 characterised by a large triangular dark 

 velvety-blue blotch on the falls. A gem 

 for the cold greenhouse. Rich sandy 

 loam. 



I. HISTRIO. This beautiful bulbous Iris, 

 when peeping through the ground in 

 winter or early spring, reminds one of 

 /. reticulata, but it is rather taller, and its 

 sweetly-scented flowers are broader and 

 more conspicuously spotted or blotched, 

 the colour being rich bluish-purple, flushed 



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