CHAPTER VIII. 



Irises. 



To those who only know Irises through the stately mem- 

 bers of the Flag section, or through the giant Japanese 

 kinds that give beauty to the waterside, the idea 

 of using them as rock plants savours of the ludicrous. 

 There are, however, many species admirably adapted 

 for the rockery. Few genera of hardy plants are, 

 indeed, more varied in habit than the Irises. Some 

 are tall and massive, others dwarf and lightsome. 

 They also differ in their tastes. Some love the bog 

 and others the sun-scorched sandy bed. 



It would be a pity to exclude some of the smaller 

 and choicer Irises from the rockery. If this were done 

 the only place for them — short of special beds — would 

 be the border, where there would be a risk of their being 

 overgrown by coarse things. On the rockery those 

 sorts which are precious by reason of their diminutive 

 beauty or rarety can have the special attention which 

 they need. 



Nearly all the Irises, large and small, have flowers 

 of beautiful form. They differ from all other denizens 

 of the rock garden in structure. In most of the species 

 the flower is composed of two well-defined parts : the 

 upright petals, called " standards," and the drooping 



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