Spanish bulbs of Gladiolus or Hyacinthus Candicans, and the sketch shows 
Iris and I. how well this plan succeeds; or in the autumn Spanish Iris can 
Ochroleuca be dibbled in, and will flower till the end of June or beginning 
of July, the orchid-like flowers just topping the leaves of Iris 
Germanica when its own flowers have died away. ‘This is 
rather an extravagant plan, as the Spanish Iris will be stifled by 
the others in time, but, as they are so cheap, it is well worth while 
using them as annuals. In our Iris border I find the most effective 
are: — 
Darling : ; ) 
Alexander von Humboldt Deep: ble 
Midley . , é . Light blue. 
Louise . ; , . Lavender and white. 
Blanche superbe. . White. 
But there are numbers of sorts, and all are pretty. The finest 
of all, but considerably more expensive, is /i/ifolia, a large deep 
blue with white markings. All of them flower at an invaluable 
moment, when spring bulbs are over and there are weak places 
in borders where annuals are to flower presently. I grow them 
down such a border in clumps below a hedge of Penzance Sweet 
Briars, which are glorious at the same time with every shade 
of pink. The Irises have no objection to a carpeting plant being 
grown over them such as 4renaria montana or Pinks. 
Before these Spanish Irises come /ris sibirica, and directly 
after, Iris ochroleuca, with flowers held four or five feet high of 
narrow white and yellow petals and handsome leaves almost as 
tall. These look magnificent grouped with Delphiniums against 
the feathery masses of Crambe Cordifolia, which grows nine feet 
high. Gzganiea is a handsomer form of L. ochroleuca or orientalis, 
136 
