IRIS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



I. VARIEGATA. A handsome Flag of the 

 Germanica group, i to 2 feet high, with 

 large, slightly fragrant flowers, having 

 bright yellow standards and claret-red 

 falls beautifully veined. Similar in aspect 

 is /. aphylla, with deep lilac falls and white 

 standards veined with purple, whilst there 

 are numerous varieties, the colours of 

 which are varied and beautiful. /. lurida 

 and its varieties also come under this 

 group. 



tinct in aspect from those of the Spanish 

 Iris, and appear a fortnight or so later. 

 They are broad and display a beautiful 

 diversity of colour, from deepest purple 

 to pure white. Among the good varieties 

 are Leon Tolstoi, Mont Blanc, Grande 

 Celeste, King of the Blues, La Charmante, 

 and Vainqueur. There are, of course, 

 many other varieties in which one gets 

 flowers splashed and mottled with various 

 colours. These are not so fine as the bold 



Iris susiana. 



I. XIPHIOIDES (English Iris). A beau- 

 tiful flower, and the many garden varieties 

 are amongst the finest things we have in 

 early summer. 



The English Iris got its popular name 

 in a rather curious way, being sent from 

 its Pyrenean home, where its distribution 

 is limited, to Bristol traders, thence to 

 Holland. The Dutch, supposing it to be 

 a native of our shores, called it the 

 English Iris. The flowers are quite dis- 



self kinds, and raisers should think less of 

 them, rather giving us self-colours, which 

 are always more effective, both in the 

 garden and when gathered for the house. 

 There is a curious variety called Thunder- 

 bolt, which is of a dusky dull colour. 



I. XIPHIUM (Spanish Iris). A very beau- 

 tiful flower, and an old inhabitant of 

 gardens. The prevailing colours are blue, 

 with various shades of purple or violet, 

 yellow, and white. The blue tints of the 



