THIRD WEEK IN MAY 



with these blossoms in rich violet-blue, with a high crest 

 delicately frilled in paler shades. The plant needs a specially 

 chosen position in our gardens to do well, as it is not con- 

 sidered to be absolutely hardy, and it requires to be roasted 

 in the summer sunshine of July and August if it is to pro- 

 duce its exquisite blooms, in delicate shades of violet, with 

 silvery white crests on each fall. The only protection which 

 the plant needs in winter here is from a small frame-light, 

 about a yard square, which is fixed over it (slanting from the 

 wall) from November until April, so as to keep off the heavy 

 winter rains. Iris tectorum produces a quantity of fresh 

 rhizomes each year, some of which are removed and placed 

 separately in small pots of gravelly soil in the greenhouse 

 after the plant has flowered, these being well rooted by 

 October, when they can be planted out. 



This iris is said to do well in a cool greenhouse ; but in 

 this case it would probably be safer to grow it in a well- 

 drained box or a large pot, as it requires to be placed in the 

 strongest sunshine during the summer and kept fairly dry 

 during the winter months. 



Another iris which loves a dry, warm position is an Indian 

 species I. milesii, from the slopes of the Himalayas. This is 

 about the same height as I. tectorum (i.e., 2 feet), and it also 

 blooms in spring, producing purple flowers with a high yellow 

 crest ; and that most delightful plant, I. stylosa, flourishes 

 mightily on the same dry gravel terrace, although it has 

 received no attention for years. This iris, if given rich soil, 

 makes much fine growth, but utterly refuses to blossom ; but 

 when grown in gravel, and allowed to form a large clump, 

 it is most floriferous, requiring no protection, although its 

 flowers are constantly appearing from November to May, their 

 slender styles pushing up amongst the leaves when the weather 

 is open and mild. These exquisite winter blossoms, only 

 second to an orchid in beauty, are gathered directly their 

 colour shows, taken into a warm, sunny room, and placed in 

 tepid water on the window sill, where they may be seen to 

 unfurl their petals within half an hour, as though they had 

 been waiting for the sunshine. Two large clumps on the 



181 



