Varieties In early June the mass of Iris germanica opens and lends 



of Iris itself to varied grouping, the mauves blending with almost 

 any colour. Supreme at this time stands pallida or pallida 

 dalmatlca. The flowers are larger and last longer than those 

 of other varieties, and are borne on strong stems a foot taller. 

 Where there is room for only one Iris it should certainly be 

 this variety. Two lovely pictures caught my eye in a friend's 

 garden this summer one of a large yellow Scotch Briar falling 

 in a tangle with the silver and white of Cerastium tomentosum 

 on to a stone path, and above on a raised bank the cool tones 

 of the Iris ; the other, of the mauve Iris growing under a wall 

 beneath the Pink Rose Papillon^ and a beautiful large violet 

 Clematis, which I believe to be called La France. 



These accidental groupings of lovely colour show how 

 well worth while it is to give a good plant the neighbour that 

 becomes it most, and also to have enough of it to make an 

 effect. Near these Irises, again, the following plants look well, 

 cream and white Pyrethrums, Day Lilies particularly Aureole 

 and Gold Dust, the white Dictamnus or, for a gayer com- 

 bination, the new salmon-pink Oriental Poppies. In quite a small 

 garden I found a lovely picture of pallida and the uncommon 

 Pancratium illyrlcum. The white lily-like heads of the latter 

 open so early as to make one fear for its hardiness, but it 

 flourishes in our part of the world. 



But a number of other Irises generally included under 

 the name of Germanica, though botanically belonging to such 

 groups as /. amasna, plicata, varicgata, etc., are open at this 

 moment, and must be considered. The following list may 

 be found useful, though names in many cases seem to have got 

 confused and duplicated : 



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