130 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
IRIS VERSICOLOR AND ITS NEIGHBORS 
ABOUT THE POND. 
Iris versicolor L . — larger blue flag — stem stout, 
angled on one side; leaves sword-shaped; ovary 
obtusely triangular, with the sides flat; flowers 
short-peduncled, the funnel-form tube shorter than 
the ovary; pod long turgid, with rounded angles. 
This is the botanical description of our common 
flag, abundant in wet places everywhere. Its intro- 
duction to gardens is not of recent date, though 
one rarely meets with this beautiful perennial out- 
side its native haunts. Its semi-aquatic nature does 
not prevent it from taking a place in the perennial 
border where water can be administered occasion- 
ally, but its home and proper place is at the margin 
the boggy shores the pretty flowers of Lady slippers 
rules supreme among pitcher plants and a host of 
other moisture loving friends; across the water at 
the edge of a small island the flowering rush of 
Europe — butomus umbellatus — with its large 
umbel of rosy flowers shows well above the grassy 
border to be seen from quite a distance. On another 
islet several varieties of our native phloxes rule su- 
preme. Potentilla fruticosa — shrubby cinquefoil — 
gracefully hanging over the wateredge will soon 
produce its numerous golden flowers and stilll be in 
good condition when Hibiscus militaris, H. mos- 
hentos, also several varieties of aster, sunflowers and 
marsh marigold that uninvited have made their 
home at the water edge will be in their glory. From 
LILY POND AND RUSTIC BRIDGE, HUMBOLDT PARK, CHICAGO. 
of a rivulet or pond. A large clump of blue flags 
half covering a rock at the water edge is a sight to 
behold, or in a nook mingled with rushes and 
sagittarias, sending its grand blue flowers through 
a clump of white waterlilies. What grander com 
bination could be found in its season and still 
in another place a little around a slight curve, wav- 
ing softly in the morning breeze, the Iris waves to 
its happy neighbour, crambe cordifolia, thatsends its 
panicles of white flowers way above the heavenly 
blue of the flag. But there are other kinds of nature’s 
children that help to decorate the artificial lily pond. 
Here the Robins plantain — Erigeron bellidifolius, 
— stretches its naked stem covered with pinkish 
flowers above a number of cypresses and carexes 
causing envy to the surroundings, and yonder on 
the last named ones we have learned a lesson and 
they are welcome friends nevertheless. Symphytum 
officinale finds here a happy home in close quarters 
with Rhubarbs, funkias, Hemerocallis, Tritomas, 
Eryngium, Eulalias, Elymus, Caltha palustris; and 
further out in the water, Tall reed, cattails, bull- 
rushes, spike rushes, acorus, Calamus, mingling in 
harmony together. Near the woodland at the water 
edge a plant of Polygonum Sachalinense seems to 
enjoy itself, and on the bluffy approach to a boulder 
bridge the mullein is showing its pretty spike of 
a multitude of tiny yellow flowers, where close by a 
plant of Rosa multiflora with its wreath like branches 
of white embraces a rock, and so I could mention a 
score of others that have been given a home along 
the margins of our lily pond. Jas. Jensen. 
