164 MY GARDEN 



As a rule, however, the yellow flower is later. But 

 never mix irises when cut. A few spikes of one 

 sort together will please you best. Flavescens comes 

 from Armenia, and that fine iris, sambucina, of the 

 elder scent, is a compatriot. 



Neglecta a very free flowerer is said to be a 

 hybrid between sambucina and variegata. It has lav- 

 ender standards and style-arms, and a handsome fall 

 of very rich purple-red streaked on a white ground. 



But the noblest of the clan, to my mind, is Iris 

 hybrida, or amcena, as it is very often named. This 

 is exceedingly distinguished, and the almost invari- 

 able pure white standards and style - arms, rising 

 above the grand purple or white and lavender falls, 

 make a remarkable contrast. Few things are lovelier 

 than a good group of "Thorbeck" or "Mrs. H. 

 Darwin." To my own taste, hybrida is easily first 

 among the great company of the Germanicae. Bili- 

 otti must also be very good, and cypriana is declared 

 to be very lovely. I have this great iris from Cyprus, 

 but as yet it has not flowered with me. Squalens I 

 do not admire. This fact, however, it has survived, 

 and is very often to be met with. 



Perhaps the most popular group of all these irises is 

 that of the Pallidae. To them belongs the favourite 

 Florentina precious above ground for its snowy 

 beauties, touched with the least possible trace of 

 pearl-blue upon the fall ; and below ground for those 

 plump rhizomes from which the fragrant powder of 

 orris is manufactured. Desfontaines found it in 

 Algiers on graves; and I met with the pure white 



