190 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



It is not satisfactory in the colder portions of the 

 kingdom, where it requires a position at the base 

 of a warm wall, but in the south-west it is perfectly 

 at home and flowers profusely throughout the 

 entire winter, beginning at the end of October 

 or the beginning of November and continuing 

 untU April, without needing wall protection. Two 

 plants growing in South Devon have done remark- 

 ably well. They are situated on each side and at 

 the top of a flight of steps, in pockets two feet in 

 length and eighteen inches in breadth, which they 

 now completely fill. Last year they produced 631 

 blossoms, the largest daily gathering being on 

 December 31, when 54 blooms were cut. This 

 Iris increases with remarkable rapidity, six small 

 roots given to a nursery firm about ten years ago 

 having now more than filled a bed fifteen yards in 

 length and three yards across, while several hundreds 

 of plants have been sold. The white variety is a 

 pretty contrast, but its flowers are smaller and the 

 petals narrower than the type. Other varieties are 

 speciosa, with purple flowers ; atroviolacea, pavonia ; 

 superba, purpurea, magnifica, marginata, Klacina, 

 and Kaiserin Elizabeth. In a large collection 

 many shades are to be seen in the flowers, but it 

 is doubtful if any exceed the beauty of the lavender 



