May 27, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
439 
photograph taken in the nursery of Messrs. T. S. Ware, Ltd., 
Feltham, Middlesex, during the second week of March, aftei 
llie plant had been in bloom sometime, and had been exhibited 
at a meeting of the R.H.S. during the previous month. 
A fibrous loam and about one-third of leaf-mould, with a 
liberal admixture of silver sand, would make a suitable com¬ 
post for this beautiful Iris. The best effect is produced in 
pots of some size, but 24-size pots would be sufficient for 
several crowns, and this when in bloom would make a sufficient 
adornment for any conservatory in the early months of the 
year. It could also be flowered in pots of smaller size 
dependent on the number of crowns to the plant. 
A Fine Group of Wallflowers. 
Wallflowers are amongst the oldest of cultivated subjects, 
and are still as popular amongst the masses, if, indeed, they 
are not more widely cultivated than ever. Thomson, the poet, 
in his " Seasons,” speaks of the iron-brown Wallflowers which 
were probably the most common in his day. The wild W all- 
flower is yellow, but at what period the additional colour 
first appeared does not seem to be recorded. Neither of these 
two colours, however, can now cover the varied hues in the 
Wallflower, for we have colours ranging from the palest lemon 
hue to apricot and golden-yellow, and from iron-brown or 
velvety-brown to purple, crimson, and blood-red. It still 
remains, however, to produce a white Wallflower, and we fear 
it is as difficult an accomplishment as a white or truly yellow 
Clivia. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 
9th inst., a splendid group of Wallflowers was staged on 
the floor of the hall at Vincent Square by Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons, Reading, who have been so instrumental in encouraging 
improvement in this homely flower during recent years. Their 
collection was not complete, however, although fairly repre¬ 
sentative of that grown ‘at Reading. Along the front of 
the group were two dwarf varieties, named Dwarf Redder, 
the one having bright yellow or golden-yellow flowers, and the 
other rich velvety-brown flowers. The essential features of 
these two varieties were their dwarf and' compact habit, so 
that they might be used as edgings to beds, or as occupants of 
smaller beds. They would also prove highly suitable for such 
gardens as devoted special attention to spring bedding, as 
dwarf plants can be used to advantage in many cases where 
tall-growing varieties would be inadmissible. 
One of the most striking varieties of Wallflower is that 
named Faerie Queene, which lias large, well-formed blooms of 
a clear yellow when they first expand, but fading to pale lemon. 
The variety, indeed, strongly recalls Cheiranthus alpinus and 
C. ochroleucus at a short distance away. It is a tall grower, 
however, and if planted in the centre of a bed, or as a second 
line to a border of Wallflowers, it shows off its peculiar beauty 
at a considerable distance. Indeed, we think any shade of 
yellow is more effective than brown or crimson at a distance, 
and as the afternoon fades into twilight these yellow flowers 
show up even more effectively than before, especially bj r con¬ 
trast to the darker kinds with which they may be surrounded. 
Having seen Faerie Queene grown in quantity, we can speak 
with some confidence as to its conspicuous character and 
beauty in the spring garden. 
Equally distinct in its way is Eastern Queen, which has 
flowers of a pleasing apricot colour deepening to rosy-pink, or 
consisting of a mixture of these colours as seen in the mass, 
because there are always flowers of different ages, not only on 
the same plant, but on each branch. It is also a distinct and 
conspicuous colour, on account of the light shades of the 
flowers, but its special features have most effect and interest 
by contrast with some of the better known colours. 
lellow varieties should always be .grown in the spring 
garden, and besides the dwarf varieties above mentioned, two 
others were shown in the group. One of these was Cloth of 
Gold, with large bright or golden-yellow flowers, produced in 
great abundance. Distinct, and handsome as this is, there 
are no doubt many growers who would admire Sutton’s Giant, 
whicn exhibits a variety of colours in the strain, but that 
which most took our fancy was one with bright golden-yellow 
flowers of immense size as Wallflowers go. 
One of the darkest varieties was Rlood Red, which might 
be described as a very intense shade of crimson-red. More 
like the old-fashioned type was Harbinger, with large velvety- 
brown, or iron-brown, flowers, but the variety is characterised 
by precocious flowering, although it still continues to keep 
company with the later and larger types. 
We may remind readers that Earliest of All is still more 
precocious than Harbinger. Indeed, it would be difficult to 
say whether it was remarkably early or remarkably late, as 
it usually commences flowering in the autumn, and may con- 
r 
[Photo. Maclaren and Sons 
Anoiganthus breviflorus. See p. 433 
tinue to do so, more or less, all winter, according to the nature 
of the weather. It. shows a tendency towards perpetual bloom¬ 
ing, and this is a feature that might be developed by further 
selection of those seedlings which show a tendency to prolong 
the display. This is the variety that might be selected for 
pot work during the winter months, on account of the ease 
with which it may be had in bloom. For this purpose it should 
be grown in pots in cold frames, and transferred to the 
conservatory as required to keep up a display when 
flowers generally are scarce, during the first two months of 
the year. Readers, we think, will have no difficulty in select^ 
ing the most handsome varieties of the above for their own 
purposes, but where spring gardening is used extensively 
variety is always a desideratum. 
