BORDER IRISES 163 



the May-flowering sorts. It grows about two and a half 

 feet high. 



Besides these tall, early-flowering Irises there are a 

 number of dwarfs, some of which bloom in April. The 

 different species and their varieties are rather badly 

 confused in catalogues, and I don't know that it makes a 

 great deal of difference as they are much alike, save that 

 it is interesting to know the true names of one's plants. 

 Lurida, with its beautiful coppery-bronze flowers, is too 

 distinct to be easily confused with other sorts. With 

 me this plant blooms twice, first in early May and again 

 in late October, but as I have not seen this generous 

 behaviour ascribed to it I do not know if it be its regular 

 habit. 



Varieties of 7. Chamaeiris and pumila are constantly 

 sent out misnamed that is, the former is nearly always 

 sent where the latter is ordered, and this is irritating 

 since pumila is both dwarf er and prettier than Chamae- 

 iris and may be easily distinguished by the fact that it 

 has no stem, while the taller sort has very distinctly an 

 inch or two. The loveliest variety of pumila is caerulea, 

 a four-inch mite, very nearly sky-blue in colour, and 

 there is also a pretty sky-blue sort called Attraction. 

 Chamaeiris has a number of good sorts red-purple, 

 blue-purple, citron, pale yellow, and I believe white. 7. 

 gracilis bears a charming silver-gray flower shot with 

 mauve and sweetly scented. 7. lutescens is pure yellow 

 of a very fine warm tone. There are also the Hybrid 



