such as Nepeta, Delphinium Chinensis, Oenothera, Garden Pinks 
(Dianthus phimarius), Dicentra spectabilis, Iberis, Myosotis, Sedums 
or Violas. Iris keep their handsome foliage so late that they do not need 
to be hidden back of taller plants. Phlox is the best perennial to plant 
near Iris for continuous bloom in the border. Given these two val- 
uable plants in their varieties you can. keep your border in fine bloom 
from April until frost. They make their debut with Iris Putnila 
Lutea and Phlox Suhulata Lilacea; or Iris Pumila Caerulea and 
Alyssum Saxatile {Sutton's Silver Queen) on April 15th and the finale 
would be when Phlox {Jean Barth) and the second blooming of Phlox 
(Antonin Mercie), are cut down by frost in October. 
The predominating colour in a bed of mixed Iris, especially the 
Hybrids, is a curious tan-mauve, Hke the duller parts of a fire opal. 
Beautiful as it is, it does not register in the border. We find the best 
planters use the clearer Iris in contrasting colours, duets or trios, 
keeping the greyish- white, lilac and purple varieties together; and 
the yellows, bronze-yellows, pink and cream white by themselves. 
Iris Phcata, such as Madame Chereau, though beautiful in detail 
does not look well with other Iris. Their tone is too diffused; they 
are best by themselves or with strong Oriental Poppies, or used as 
cut flowers. The Squalens Group of Iris with standards of copper, 
bronze or fawn, also do not look well in the ordinary border unless 
very sparingly used and always with a clump of good yellow, such 
as Aurea or Sherwin Wright beside them. Never place the Squalens 
Iris near the cool purple or lavenders. Fortunately Iris Germanica 
thrives on a dry hillside, bank or terrace. I find I have best results 
in planting or dividing it immediately after flowering. Divide every 
three years. On page 45 in Miss Jekyll's Color in the Flower Garden, . 
there is a description of a border of Iris and Lupine, and a planting 
plan which brings out this very point; it is well worth minute study. 
Japanese Iris is not an ideal plant for the borders; it should have 
a special bed of its own, a httle sunken, so as to hold the summer 
moisture. They can have a dressing of loam or litter in the very late 
fall to fill up the depression and keep the water from setthng about 
the rhizomes, but this is seldom necessary except in moist places. 
Wet in summer and dry in winter is the plea of the Kaempferi. The 
clear-toned selfs are important for the border from the garden col- 
ourist's point of view. Therefore we must use a few clumps of them 
for July blooming in front of Thalictrum or Delphinium Moerheimi. 
The deep blue of the Japanese Iris is too blue to look well with the 
average July border where there are generally so many milky purples; 
it needs white with it or pale yellow. As it is almost impossible to 
find the shade of colour you want from the catalogues I would suggest 
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