February 7, 1903. 
the gardening world 
lio 
THE ROCK GARDEN. 
Iris Tauri 
The above early-flowering Iris comes into the same group 
as I. persica, which served as the first coloured plate in the 
“ Botanical Magazine.” Beautiful as I. persica is, it may be 
described as a charming though pale, washy flower compared 
with I. steuophylla (I. persica Heldreichi) and I. Tauri, also 
occasionally described as a form of I. persica. 
In its own particular line I. Tauri varies considerably in 
colour, and also in the size of the flower, according to the 
conditions under which it is grown. If cultivated in pots, the 
flowers are smaller than if the bulbs are planted in good fibrous 
loam in the open air, so that encouragement is given to lovers 
of hardy flowers to find suitable situations for it in the open 
air, and to make up some fresh soil for it to replace the natural 
material if in. any way unsuitable. This is what has. been 
done in front of a lov r wall at the northern end of the herbaceous 
ground at Kew, where it faces the south. As the flowers came 
into bloom a sheet of glass was fixed over the flowers, the 
sides being open. The flowers measured over 4 in. across last 
week, and the variety was one of the finest we have seen. So 
vigorous were the plants under these conditions that two of 
them had their parts in fours instead of threes, giving the 
flowers a singular quadrangular appearance like a Maltese 
cross. This we can only attribute to 1 excessive vigour. The 
lesson and example might well be followed by every lover of 
hardy flowers situated in districts where the winter is equable 
and open, with an absence of snow. 
Those who have- a rockery offering the convenience and 
shelter necessary to protect the flowers during our fickle and 
uncertain winter could certainly find no more interesting and 
beautiful flowers for open-air culture at this period of the 
year. The foot of a large stone or rocky bank facing the south 
or any other point except north, north-east, or north-west. Good 
soil and a pane of glass to keep off rain and snow will do the 
rest. 
Bulbous. Irises are equally amenable to pot culture, though 
the flowers may not be quite so large as when planted 
out, unless the pots are excessively large, which could scarcely 
be an advantage at this early period of the year. The advan¬ 
tage of pot culture is that the plants can be protected in 
frames, in the greenhouse, or in a specially-constructed alpine 
house, where no further protection is necessaiy, nor fire-heat 
in any form. They may also be made to furnish variety in the 
cool conservatory while in bloom, and afterwards relegated to 
the herbaceous department for the rest of the year. I. Tauri 
certainly makes a charming pot plant. 
The flowers are stemless, the long tube of the corolla emanat¬ 
ing from the sheaths surmounting the bulbs, which are 
furnished with fleshy roots that serve as a storehouse of 
moisture during summer, or till the foliage dies away and the 
plants assume the resting period. The falls constitute the most 
striking and ornamental part of the flower, the apex being of 
a rich, velvety, blackish-violet, with a narrow orange ridge 
running down upon the claw. On either-side of this the claw 
is ornamented with white lines. The standards are spreading, 
more or less declining with an ovate, crenate, or often nearly 
entire blade and a fluted handle or claw. Like the large crests 
of the stigmas, the standards are of a dark violet-purple. The 
channelled light green leaves are not very far advanced during 
die flowering period, though they do form a: rosette or setting 
mom which the flowers emanate. 
Our illustration was taken from a pot of bulbs exhibited by 
Messrs. Barr A Sons, King Street, Covent Garden, at the Drill 
Hall, on the 27th ult. The flowers or some of them were not 
fully expanded at the‘time, otherwise the figure shows the 
true character and habit of the plant when in bloom. The 
species is a native of Asia Minor. 
READERS AND ADVERTISERS are requested 
to note that the address of THE GARDENING 
WORLD is now 37 and 38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Perennials with Silvery Foliage. 
Like those plants mentioned in my previous notes, the fol¬ 
lowing varieties are very ornamental in or out of flower, on 
account of their foliage alone, especially so when they are 
grouped with suitable neighbours for effective contrast. 
Achillea aegyptiaca is a very conspicuous variety, with 
silvery Fern-like leaves, and, like most of the Yarrows, has 
flat yellow heads of flowers on stalks 15 in. in height, and does 
best when planted in a sunny, warm jrosition on either the 
border or rockwork. A. Clavennae is dwarfer and more com¬ 
pact, growing about 9 in., has white leaves and flowers, and 
is not at all particular as to soil or situation. Still more com¬ 
pact is A. umbellata, which grows about 4 in. in height, with 
silvery foliage and small white flowers; all three are easily 
increased by cuttings or division. 
Of Antennaria tomentosa one can hardly say too much in its 
praise, it is so accommodating and serviceable for edging and 
carpeting purposes. Its dwarf prostrate silvery foliage forms 
Iris Tauri. 
dense sheets of rare beauty wherever planted ; not being in 
the least particular as to soil or situations further enhances its 
value. A. dioica minor (also 1 known as Gnaphalium minimum) 
or Lesser Cudweed, is, in its way, a neat little alpine with 
grayish foliage, but unless planted in a well-drained position 
is apt to decay in winter. 
Antliemis Aizoon is a charming rock plant, with neat, silvery 
foliage and white Daisy-like flowers, about 3 in. high, in dense 
tufts, when grown in sandy soil, which seems to suit it best. 
Cerastium tomentosum, the well-known Snow in Summer, 
need only be mentioned, as I can hardly fancy there is a 
garden without it. C. Biebersteinii is much coarser and 
stronger growing, but is also useful for rougher places, such as 
sloping banks, old tree stumps, etc. 
Helichrysum arenarium is a lovely little downy-leaved plant, 
with golden-yellow flowers which last, a very long time when 
cut and dried, and are greatly prized for immortelles, vase 
decoration, etc. To grow it successfully it must have a well- 
drained, warm position wherever planted. Another much- 
prized plant is (the Edelweiss) Leontopodium alpinum, of 
which many and varied are the stories which have been told 
