Over-the-Garden- Wall 
Tall Bearded Irises 
Each year we speak of these irises as a pageant — there seems to be no other word that 
so well describes the colorful march of these flowers, as they appear from day to day. They 
may be charmingly winsome, or bold and dark, dainty pastels or stately glories — each plays 
its part. To us who live with the garden, the first week is the most entrancing. Each morning 
sees just a few new blossoms at the tips of the stalks, and there is opportunity to study each 
one, to appreciate the fineness and delicacy of line and form and shading. And there are no 
withering blooms to dull the color effect as one gazes over the field. The mass effect of the 
next two weeks, when the pageant has reached its riotous climax, is bewildering. At this 
time, it is wise to stand at the entrance, letting the eye wander over the planting, picking out 
a gold or a blue here, a red, a white or a purple there, that would seem the keynote one wishes 
to use for a new color combination. Then others may be added to this first one chosen; and 
as one strolls up and down the paths, one finds less showy, but probably equally desirable 
blends of the pastel shades. 
No sunny border seems complete without a few of these irises, and we are always glad 
to pick blooms, except of the rarer varieties, that visitors may study color combinations. 
If the customer is at a distance, we can suggest varieties that we have found pleasing, when 
planted together. A few hints: — use pale yellow with the light blues, lavenders, and pinks; 
try a dull “arty” gold with the dark reds, adding a flesh pink and a light yellow; use the strong 
yellows with dark blues; a creamy white with the red-purples and orchids; cream or ivory 
with brown; study the blends, and plant with them, those colors that will accentuate, not 
kill, their delicate tones. 
We try to keep our collection of these irises as interesting as any in New England, adding 
each year most of the new American introductions, and some of the foreign. This means that 
each year, a hundred or two of the older varieties must be discarded, or grown in very 
limited quantities. Come and enjoy the pageant with us! 
ABORA ( Hill '31) Dark red-violet, almost a self, of heavy, smooth texture. The falls are 
flaring; the beard white, tipped with burnt-sienna. 34". H.M., A.I.S. '30.$ 1.00 
ACROPOLIS ( Berry ’29) S. clear lavender-purple; F. deep, velvety, black-purple. Large 
bloom. 40".$ 1.00 
ACUSHLA {Thom. '31) Ashes of roses in color, with more rose than appears in some of these 
blends. The falls are washed with hyacinth-blue; center of flower is glowing gold. 32".. $ 2.50 
ADOBE {Wmsn. ’32) S. buff, shading darker at tips; F. Pompeian-red, shading to yellow 
margins. Brilliant beard. Free bloomer. Early. 32".$ 2.00 
AHWAHNEE {Essig ’31) Garden effect is a tawny blend. S. queerly mottled, flushed at edges, 
of lavender and brown; F. dahlia carmine, very heavily veined. A large flower, of heavy 
substance, with a long blooming period. 32".$ 0.65 
AIRY DREAM {Sturt. ’29) One of the most charming of the pink irises, somewhat lighter 
in tone than Susan Bliss. 36".$ 1.00 
ALCHEMY {Ware. ’32) An interesting yellow, of a deep tone. The flower is of heavy texture 
and fine form, on tall, well-branched stems.$ 7.50 
AL-LU-WEE {H. P. Sass ’32) A large flowered variegata, the S. yellow, the F. red. Stems 
tall and well-branched. 40".$ 3.00 
ALTA CALIFORNIA {M. M. ’31) A never-fading clear yellow, with faint bronze flush. Very 
tall, of excellent substance, superbly branched, this iris seems to have taken the country 
by storm. 46".$ 3.00 
ALTIORA {Bliss-Sturt. ’32) “A splendid light violet-blue of fine form and very large size.” 
54".$ 5.00 
AMBER WAVE {Murr. ’30) The flower is amber-yellow in tone, shot with pale olive-bronze, 
the falls having a slight violet flush. 38". C.M., ’30.$ 1.00 
14} 
L 
