222 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



While we cannot escape controversy if we decide 

 that the Iris is the Flower-de-luce, we have considerable 

 weight of evidence to support us. 



Iris, the mythological daughter of Thaumas and 

 Electra, and messenger to Juno, travelled from heaven 

 to earth along the rainbow, which is called Iris in Greek. 

 The bow and the colours are seen in the iris of the 

 human eye, and so the plant has derived its name from 

 the diversity and beauty of its flowers. 



Native Irises. The Iris is a very old plant in British 

 gardens, and two species are natives. These are the 

 Yellow Flag, Iris pseudacorus, and the Stinking 

 Gladwyn or Gladdon, Iris fostidissima. The Snake's- 

 head Iris is naturalised in a few places. The Yellow 

 Flag grows wild in shallow water almost all over 

 England, Ireland, and the Channel Islands. It blooms 

 late in May and early in June, and grows about three 

 feet high. Shakespeare probably knew this fine old 

 plant quite well, and had it in his mind when he put 

 the following lines into the mouth of Caesar : 



" It has been taught us from the primal state, 

 That he which is was wish'd until he were ; 

 And the ebb'd man, ne'er loved till ne'er worth love, 

 Comes dear'd by being lack'd. This common body, 

 Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream, 

 Goes to and back, lackeying the varying tide 

 To rob itself with motion." 



Iris pseudo-acorus (or pseudacorus, as now com- 

 pounded) was probably this " vagabond flag upon the 

 stream," and our interest in the flower is strengthened 

 by the splendid figure which these noble words form. 



The Gladwyn also grows wild almost all over Eng- 

 land, and is naturalised in Scotland, Ireland, and the 

 Channel Islands. It frequents copses, and blooms early 



