IRISES FOR THE BORDER 81 



and slightly moist, and the shadows of the surrounding 

 shrubs will save the slender rhizome and stem of /. gracilipes 

 from succumbing to the parching drought. Similar con- 

 ditions may be obtained in the rock garden by planting this 

 Iris where the shadow of some rock will shield it from the 

 sun for part of the day. It does best in a position facing 

 west. Its thin, wiry stem bears two or three little branches, 

 each tipped with a delicate pinkish-lilac flower of the same 

 flat, spreading form as /. cristata and /. japonica. The tiny 

 crinkled crest is flecked with gold, and it is altogether a 

 most desirable Iris. 



CHAPTER XIII 

 IRISES FOR THE HERBACEOUS BORDER 



IT is always somewhat surprising to find that in the majority 

 of gardens comparatively little use is made of Irises in borders 

 of herbaceous plants. The reason seems to be that Irises 

 are looked upon as short-lived flowers, and therefore not 

 worth the space they occupy. But, while it is no doubt 

 true that the individual blooms do not last more than two 

 or three days, it 4s equally true that the flowers on each 

 stem open in succession, and thus extend the flowering 

 time to a period not much shorter than the space during 

 which other herbaceous plants are at their best. It may also 

 be remarked that the leaves of many Irises are more deco- 

 rative as mere foliage, and last, in good condition, longer 

 than the often unsightly remains of other herbaceous plants 

 when the flowering season is past. 



The object of this chapter is, therefore, to make sugges- 



F 



