220 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



represented in gardens ? As to this, there are no finer 

 Irises than the German, English, and Spanish. The first 

 flower in May, the second and third in June or July, but 

 the English are generally about a fortnight later than 

 the Spanish. The bulbous Irises love a friable, well- 

 drained soil. The bulbs may be planted in autumn and 

 covered with two or three inches of soil. They may be 

 set about nine inches apart in their clumps. 



"Flag" Irises. In size of flower and beauty of 

 colouring the Irises are excelled by very few. The 

 " Flags " are particularly fine. Strong clumps produce 

 a mass of slender, sword-shaped leaves, and throw up 

 flower-stems a yard high, surmounted by magnificent 

 flowers. In many of them the upright petals, which are 

 called " standards," differ in colour from the drooping 

 ones, which are called " falls." Most have a yellow or 

 orange beard, and many have a golden crest. Every 

 amateur gardener, whether he practise in town or 

 country, should have at least half-a-dozen good, tall 

 " Flag " Irises. The vigour of the plants will delight 

 him, the beauty of the flowers will win his heart. From 

 them he may, if he wish, proceed to make a collection of 

 all the best sorts, many of which are fragrant. 



The Iris has a prominent place in literature. It is 

 almost certain the Flower-de-luce of Shakespeare. 

 True, in a passage from the "Winter's Tale," Act iv. 

 scene 4, which I have quoted under Daffodils, the bard 

 makes Perdita, who speaks so much of flowers, refer to 



"Lilies of all kinds, 

 The Flower-de-luce being one." 



This might be thought to convey that the Flower-de-luce 

 was a Lily and not an Iris, but it is not absolutely con- 

 vincing, for old writers classed the Iris with the Lily 



