Book of Gardens 
IRIS 
FOR 
A L L 
PLACES 
From a Bewildering Array of the Bearded, Beardless and Japanese Types Almost 
Any Selection Works The Miracle of Beauty 
G ROWING nothing but iris is one of the 
great garden temptations that flower- 
lovers have to resist. So hardy is this group, 
so prolific in bloom, so grateful for a little at¬ 
tention that one is apt to overload on iris. And 
yet, one can never have too much of them. 
Perhaps the only way to resist this temptation 
is to give in to it! 
Save for a few types, the iris appreciates a 
fairly dry, sunny spot. Its rhyzomes, lying 
close to the surface or partly through it, ap¬ 
preciate the sun on their backs. As the iris 
multiplies rapidly it should be divided every 
third year, preferably in the autumn. Do not 
crowd it too closely in the border, and if you 
would have it do its best, see that it receives 
abundant sunlight. These simple requests 
seem about all the iris has to make. The gar¬ 
dener has merely to select colors and types to 
suit her own particular preferences. 
The range from which she can choose is al¬ 
most as bewildering as the variety of peonies. 
Pick up the nearest catalog to hand. Of new 
types—82. The Germanica number 187, with 
35 varied species and intermediates. There 
are 27 of the dwarf bearded and 24 of the 
beardless type, with 46 Japanese iris. Over 
400 distinct kinds in one catalog, each with an 
individual beauty. How then is the beginning 
gardener to make her selection wisely, with an 
eye to sufficient variety? 
First locate the place or spaces that can be 
given to iris. Then visualize the colors that 
are desired. After that, except one be special¬ 
izing in iris, there is nothing to do but wade in 
blindly and choose according to color, height 
and general family grouping. 
The first great family is the Germanica, un¬ 
der which are classed many subdivisions. They 
bloom in May, range in color from rich yel¬ 
lows, soft blues, purples, clarets and bronzes 
to pure white, with every possible combination 
of these colors. Many are fragrant, and all 
have prominent beards. They range in size, 
but for general purposes the tall bearded sorts 
give the widest range for choice. The dwarf 
bearded or Pumila species are best used in the 
front of taller plantings. They flower from 
the end of March to the end of May, when the 
taller varieties take up the iris story and carry 
it into the summer. 
The second great family is the beardless. 
Under this group are classed the moisture- 
loving types, two of which, the water flag and 
European yellow flag, can be grown partially 
in water. This class appreciates a soil kept 
moist by constant cultivation and containing 
abundant richness. 
Finally there is the Japanese or Iris Kaemp- 
feri, a type that deserves even more attention 
than it is getting today. Their flowers are 
often 10" across and borne on stalks 3' high. 
They also should be fall planted, given a mel¬ 
low soil, plenty of moisture during the flower¬ 
ing period and a dry dust mulch to prevent too 
rapid evaporation. They are at their best in 
a sunny situation, and should not be frequently 
disturbed. 
For a general collection of the Germanica 
types, one that gives a good variety of colors, 
the beginner couldn’t go wrong on: Wyornis- 
sing, a creamy white suffused with soft rose; 
Fro, a deep gold; Lohengrin, pink; Princess 
Victoria Louise, primrose yellow and reddish 
purple; Mithras, a light yellow and wine red; 
Her Majesty, rose pink and bright crimson; 
Pfanenauge, olive gold and bluish plum; 
Rhein Nixe, white and violet blue; Spectabilis, 
purple; Bridesmaid, lavender and white; and 
Dr. Bernice, coppery bronze and velvet crimson. 
In the Japanese iris class space permits the 
selection of only six, but these are well worth 
trying: Crane’s Feathers, white; Mandarin, 
lavender and white; Rosy Dawn, purplish 
rose; Starry Heavens, dark blue with yellow 
blotches; Geisha, soft purplish rose finely 
veined; White Waterfall, double white. 
Iris can either stand alone or be given a shrubbery background. They appreciate a warm spot, fairly dry, except the Japanese tyj>es 
which prefer moisture, and the water flag and European yellow flag, which can be planted in water 
