S U N N Y S I DE GARDENS, NATICK, MASS. 
BRONZE MEDAL 
The Bronze Medal of the Massachusetts Horti¬ 
cultural Society was presented to L. Merton Gage, 
for his Sunnyside Gardens Collection of Irises, in 
Boston, June 8th, 1932. 
CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
Tall bearded Iris should never be planted in a 
location where water settles, and the melting snows 
of late winter form a coating of ice over the beds. 
If your garden is in a low place, build up the beds 
six or eight inches, and be sure that the drainage 
is adequate to allow water to go down through the 
soil freely. 
Do not plant too deep, but so that the rhizome 
is just below the surface. Spread out the roots 
and water the hole. Then draw the . earth around 
the rhizome and firm well, and do not water again 
unless there is a CQjitinued dry spell. 
If the soil is heavy and drainage is poor, white 
(coal) ashes will lighten it, and the clinkers may 
be placed in the bottom of the bed, about 18 inches 
down for drainage. Do not use the red ashes if 
white are obtainable. There is a lime element in 
the white ashes that is absent in the red, and this 
seems to be just the right chemical compound that 
is beneficial to many plants, Irises in particular. 
Use freely. Well-rotted manure may be safely 
used, if it does not come in contact with the 
rhizomes. 
There is no fixed rule as to how often Irises 
should be divided. Varieties that increase rapidly 
should be divided and reset every third year, some 
perhaps every second year, but Irises that increase 
slowly will sometimes do well for five years with¬ 
out being disturbed. 
Irises do not bloom well in too shady a location, 
as they require plenty of sunshine. A southern 
exposure is best, and do not plant them on the 
north or west side of a building. When replanting 
an old bed add a good portion of fresh soil taken 
from some place in the garden where irises have 
not grown before. Late planted irises sometimes 
do not have time to grow good anchorage roots to 
protect them against spring heaving caused by 
alternate thawing and freezing, and it is advisable 
to mound up these plants at the time of planting 
as is done by hilling up potatoes, or, at least, be¬ 
fore the ground freezes. Mulching or covering 
with boxes is also a good way to give them protec¬ 
tion against heaving, but if boxes are used, put a 
stone or brick under one side to give them ventila¬ 
tion. 
BORERS AND ROOT ROT 
Borers and root rot seem to be the important 
things that one has to contend with. I find that 
eternal vigilance will keep them both in check. 
Watch the foliage, beginning the first of July, or 
earlier in some sections, and where you see a leaf 
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