^ Among the Germanica irises there are many so 

 lovely they should be in every perennial garden. 

 ^ An ideal planting, yes, I will say one of the most 

 pleasing I have ever seen, was of pink and pale 

 mauve peonies bordered with waves of the Pallida 

 foliis iris. This species you recall has variegated 

 foliage and tender blue flowers on long, strong 

 stems and while I am not over-partial to variegated 

 foliage, it was charming with the fine but sombre 

 green of the peonies which is so broad and bushy. 

 The great iris spears of Pallida foliis, some reaching 

 quite forty inches in height and two inches wide 

 with very pointed tips, lent an almost tropical note 

 to this planting. 



^ It seems to me that peonies and iris are always 

 happy when grouped together, and isn't the last- 

 ing beauty of their foliage delightful? There are 

 other great beauties among the pallidas as well as 

 Pallida foliis. And think of it! they all have the 

 fragrance of gardenias and orange blossoms, and 

 the broad rich spears but without the variegation. 

 Perhaps first in charm is Pallida Dalmatica a regal 

 plant whose large flowers are of a fine, clear, laven- 

 der, so harmonious with silver-rose, pink, and pale 

 gold. Celeste is not so tall, but just as desirable as 

 are her sky-blue flowers. Australis who sometimes 

 grows to fifty inches and is a splendid iris in the 

 herbaceous border is a softer blue than Celeste, 

 with deep mauve upper petals. Albert Victor is a 

 very lovely blue and lavender. La Tendresse is also 

 lavender-blue and grows to forty inches and more. 

 Delicata is pale lavender with white lower petals 



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