224 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



and grows only about six inches high. It is cheap, 

 pretty, easily grown, and has several varieties. Bakeriana, 

 lilac, cream, and violet, a comparatively new species, 

 having been introduced as recently as 1889 from Armenia, 

 is a beautiful little plant, and may be grown on the 

 rockery. It is illustrated in the Botanical Magazine, 

 t. 7084. Amcena, with blue flowers in May, and aphylla of 

 gardens (plicata), white and blue, have many varieties, 

 and have given us some fine Flags (see end). Biflora, 

 growing about eighteen inches high, and bearing purple 

 flowers in June, is worth growing in a representative 

 collection of Irises, although it is not one of the most 

 important species. 



A pretty modern " Cushion " species, introduced from 

 Lebanon in 1892, is Bismarckiana. It grows about fifteen 

 inches high, and has bluish grey veined flowers. Cristata, 

 on the other hand, is a very old species, having been 

 known in British gardens since 1756. It only grows 

 about six inches high, and produces blue flowers in June. 

 A charming little species, L cristata, is figured in the 

 Botanical Magazine, t. 412. Danfordice, also grown 

 under the name of Bornmulleri, is a dwarf, yellow, 

 winter-blooming bulbous species, introduced in 1899. 

 Flavescens, pale yellow, sweet, blooms in early summer. 

 The Florence Iris, florentina, introduced from Southern 

 Europe in 1596, is a handsome plant, and is interesting 

 as yielding the Orris root, or Orrice. This, with its 

 odour of Violets, is used to scent powders ; and the 

 French peasantry string pieces of dried root together, 

 pour boiling water on them, and immerse their bed linen 

 in the liquid in order to give it a pleasant odour. After 

 use the roots are re-dried and stored for use on future 

 occasions, care being taken that they are not eaten, 

 as Irises are poisonous. Gatesii is a beautiful silvery 



