WHEELER CROFT JAPANESE IRIS 
A TYPICAL WHEELER CROFT SEEDLING 
Japanese Iris are at home in informal gardens and also they lend themselves 
to the most rigid and clear-cut formal gardens and bestow upon them form, 
charm, a most delicate and enchanting beauty, an exqnisiteness of texture, and a 
beauty that is gorgeous and imperious. The large flowers carried well above the 
foliage, on long stiff stems that never need support, have a commanding air wher¬ 
ever they grow. 
The colors run from the most lovely white to innumerable tones of lavender, 
blue and violet; from delicate mauve grey to mauve, rose, claret, royal purple; 
from palest orchids to lovely pinks; from palest blues, amethysts, Alice blues to 
that deep dark purple with the blue black sheen upon it. And, too, others with 
veinings, splashings, borders of contrasting colors, bringing to the garden a 
beauty peculiar and individual unto themselves; gorgeous and richly colored, 
stately, strong, yet with a fragile and delicate loveliness. 
These are native to the marshes. They like plenty of water, very rich acid 
soil, sunshine, good drainage, and leaf mold. Aluminum sulphate, about a table¬ 
spoon to a medium sized clump, will aid bloom. I use a heavy mulch of rotted 
leaves and find it very satisfactory. 
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