380 BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



It should be noted that the Japanese Irises (laevigata or Kaemp- 

 feri) are totally different from the Flags, requiring a moist soil. 

 They are magnificent plants, but they are not suitable for the 

 majority of suburban gardens. 



The English and Spanish Irises will thrive in suburban gardens, 

 and they are both beautiful and cheap. They are not rhizome 

 rooted, but bulbous, and dealers supply them in autumn with 

 Hyacinths, Tulips, and other bulbs. Although smaller than the 

 Flags, the flowers are little less beautiful. Dealers offer named 

 varieties of both classes, but it is scarcely worth while to buy 

 them, as there are no shows for them, and practically no discussion 

 on the different sorts. Mixed bulbs will do quite well. 



The foregoing notes on some of the most useful plants for 

 small gardens, with the fuller remarks in previous chapters, will, 

 it is hoped, be of assistance to suburban amateurs. We need 

 not deal at length with plants for the greenhouse, supposing such 

 a structure to be erected, because a comprehensive chapter has 

 been devoted to greenhouses and suitable plants for them ; but 

 we may let fall the hint that the plan of specialising one or two 

 particular classes of flowers, which is so popular nowadays with 

 garden plants, is by no means without advantages for the green- 

 house. An amateur with a warm house may, for instance, make 

 a speciality of Zonal Geraniums, which will form a beautiful display 

 in winter if a minimum temperature of 50 can be maintained. No 

 genus of plants, indeed, will do more to brighten a greenhouse 

 at the dull season. In the case of an unheated house bulbous and 

 allied plants, such as Spiraeas, Dielytras, Lilies of the Valley, 

 Christmas Roses, and Deutzias must be drawn upon largely. 



We have spoken hitherto of quite small suburban gardens, at 

 the back of terrace houses. More may, of course, be done in the 

 larger gardens belonging to semi-detached and wholly detached 



