October 10, 1903. 
THE QARDENIHQ world. 
817 
Notes on the Illustrations in this Issue. 
Iris aurea. 
The flowers of this splendid Iris are of a bright or golden- 
yellow, produced two or three from a. spathe, and 2^ in. or 
3 in. long. The falls have. an oblong blade about 1 in. broad, 
and as long asi the claw. The standards are shorter, lessi than 
l in. broad, while the arms of the style are 1^ in. to 11 in. 
long. The species belongs to the sub-gen.usi Apogon, or beard¬ 
less Irises', and has. a short, thick oblique rhizome. The sword¬ 
shaped leaves are 2 ft. long or more, while the stems are 3 ft. 
to 3./ ft., and bear several small leaves. It was introduced to 
cultivation by the botanist Royle, from the Western Himalayas, 
and flowers in the neighbourhood of London about the end of 
June and beginning of July. It seems to have come to this 
country from Germany, where it must have erroneously been 
considered to be native. It reached this country 
in 1826, was figured in the “ Botanical Register,” 
t. 59, and was described by Dr. Lindley. 
It is a splendid Iris, for cultivation in the open 
border, where it will succeed admirably, pro¬ 
vided the soil is rich and fairly moist. For this 
latter re’.son it is well adapted for cultivation 
on the banks of ponds, lakes and streams, where 
it may be utilised to. excellent advantage a.s a 
water-side plant to beautify the edge of the pond 
and take off the bare appearance which is all 
too. frequent in the case of ornamental water. 
Our illustration shows, some grasses in con¬ 
nection with it, intended to indicate its suita¬ 
bility for the water garden in company with 
those and other tall-growing subjects. The 
photograph ‘represents this Iris as grown by 
Messrs. Barr and Sons, King Street, Covent 
Garden. 
Saxifraga coclilearis. 
The leaves of this crustaceous Saxifraga are 
spathulate, leathery, 1 in. long, mere or less 
according to the vigour with which the plants 
are grown. They are arranged in small tufts or 
rosettes, and these in course of time form dense 
patches of varying outline, according to’ the 
nature of the. ground they occupy and the free¬ 
dom they have to extend laterally. Where 
planted on rockwork amongst stones the out¬ 
line of the patches will be determined by the 
presence of the stones, as shown in the accom¬ 
panying illustration taken in the rockery at Kew 
last June. 
The flower-stems are very slender, about. 6 in. 
to 10 in. long, according to their vigour, and 
form a branching or pa.nicled cyme of relatively 
large white flowers. The form of these flowers 
shows that the plant is fairly closely allied to 
8. lingulata, under - which it was at one time 
included, but is now regarded as a true species. 
In any case, it is one of the neatest and prettiest, as well a.s 
free flowering, of the crustaceous Saxifragas. It. is perfectly 
at home on the rockery, and no collection, of any pretensions 
should be without, this beautiful species. It. is a native of the 
maritime Alps of South Europe, and was introduced in. 1883. 
There is a variety of the specie® named S. coehlearis minor, 
which is not merely a starved form, but makes little rosettes 
approaching those of S. valdensis in their diminutiveness. The 
rosettes of the type may be very small if densely crowded and 
starved, but. their time nature can, very quickly be determined 
by planting a few rosettes with plenty of room. 
A Unique Garden Vase. 
Carpet bedding in its time has assumed various strange 
forms, but we do not remember to have seen it in the form 
shown in the accompaiying illustration of a structure elevated 
in the form of a vase, and planted with the usual carpet bedding 
plants, arranged so. as to give a pictorial illustration of an 
animal. The base of the vase is a circular bed elevated in 
convex form, and in the centre of this a structure representing 
an ornamental vase has been built up to the height of 9 ft. 
A framework of iron, was surrounded by a network of wire, and 
in this, were placed two. cartloads of soil. The design formed 
upon one side' of this represents the Belgian Lion, and 4,000 
of the usual carpet bedding plants were employed in canying 
out the device. 
The gardener who made this unique design was brought over 
from Belgium for the purpose. He was well accustomed to 
this kind of work, as he had been at one time employed by the 
King of the Belgians. This peculiar and unique form of carpet 
bedding was laid out in the villa, garden at Almcndbury, Eltham 
Iris aurea : flowers golden yellow. 
Road, Lee. The photograph was taken by Mr.. Thankfull 
Sturdee, 16, Bolden Street., St. John’s, Kent. 
Lilium rubel.um. 
The nearest affinity of this beautiful and dwarf Lily is with 
L. japonic-urn, of which it would seem to be a miniature form. 
The broad, rather thinly scattered five'-nerved leaves and funnel- 
shaped flowers evidently show a relationship with L. japonicum, 
best known in gardens, perhaps, under the name of L. Krameri. 
The flowers are produced two-or three together, perhaps more, 
upon strong-growing plants, on stems varying from 9 in. to 
15 in. high. When grown in a. greenhouse or cold frame it 
would come into bloom in May, but out of doors June is the 
more usual time for its flowering. 
It should be planted in rather light, well-drained soil, con¬ 
sisting of loam, leaf-mould and sand. A little peat would 
