The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-31
IRIS, THE COMING FLOWER.
by ROBERT s. sTURTEvANT.


were as they edged the brick paved
path to grandmother's hospitable door,
fiamboyant as they waved from the
stone roofs of Normandy or cast their
shadows on the colorful walls of
sunny Italy, and now in all the colors
of Iris, the goddess of the rainbow,
they may blend int own tiny bit
of pleasure garth. Our elders had but
little choice of color, the pale pearl
of Florentina, the common blue, the
cherry red and yellow. or the lavender
OF tall spiked pallida, but we, we may
choose from many. Would you like a
touch of velvet bronze with amber
tints against that ecru wall, a spread
OF lavender with flaming peoples and
snowy bridal wreath. old rose and
white, soft yellow, vivid claret or pur-
pie Of any shade? Such are the possi-
bilities among the modern iris, plants
that will grow in any garden, flowers
that will suit any position out of
doors in garden or shrubbery, or with
in against backgrounds of gold or
| buckram.
Only recently have hybridists turned
their attention TO the bearded iris:
only within a decade have the results
become we'll known and now the game
Is on. Producers vie one with another:
we'll over 100 new varieties have en-
tered our catalogues, and many are
right worthy OF a place 1t is a field
where any one may try his hand and
Where the least successful will add 10
the garden picture, the gardeners 10Y.
Many tell me of the shortness of the
booming season, but for me from
earliest May until late June there is
not a mere succession of color. but a
brilliant pageant that may dominate
nc garden. while later yet We have
the Japanese and their moisture low
ing kindred.
First come the dwarf pumilss and
their hybrids In cream and yellow in
all the imaginable hues of blue and
req purple. l use them as edgings in
me garden proper. as long drifts in
''.e "otuer or on the slope OF the rock
garden. I plant them with flaming
tulips, with the yellow of gold dust"
'Alyssum saxatile). with the lavender
OF mat phloX" (P subulata lilacina)
,, or even by the red bronzed sprouts of
peonies, and nothing will show q finer
| mass OF color.
| Ihen come their intermediate breth-
rem taller, even larger, and as full OF
| possibilities. With these the big Oar
win tulips predominant. Here is
| Dorothea, pearl with a deepening OF
ouII lavender cloud tones through the
| centre close by a clump of Rosalind's
| scarlet cups, here pale yellow near the
oeep toned kochii. or the salmony
cara Butt with the purity of Inge-
eorg; the combinations are endless
Jumps In every shade of pink and rose
and scarlet and iris in white and
cream, pale yellow. and tints and tones
OF lavender. But all this variety is as
nothing to the range of color and
! markings among the tall bearded iris
'oi late May and early June. the most
iainniar ana the finest OF all the splen-
oerful family for our gardens.
White we think of always as the
great harmonizer and the cool white
OF Mrs. Horace Darwin, an extensive
variety, is ideal. The more upstapd-
ing lnnocenza is fine and among tho
newer varieties, Athene, La Neige and
the pure White knight may be added
III the larger garden. For close effect
the plicatas are usually more stately
the white ground variously pencilled
irilled or fringed with a shade IF
lavender that is often reflected in the
inner segments of the flower. Nine
CheTeau is found in many an old gar
cen ana Is typical of tho darker forms
put | Ike better Ma Nile with more
whlte relieved by as deep a blue. Are
thusa' Anna Farr. Jeanne dare. Fairy.
al various prices. are etched with the
most delicate of tints. Mrs. G.. Reuthe
Is or another type, the whole surface
yelled by fine network of blue laver-
der veins while Parislana with deem
purple reticulations looks a purple self
from short distance.
So recently that they are still oui,e
costly have come plicatas of cream and
yellow tone, pencilled. peppered, sanded.
however you wish to express il, with
deeper marks OF sulphur blended la
Vender or bronze. Mercedes. Onnoris.
Nine. de Chobaut, bancroft. the dingy
Mary Garden, or even the deem yellow
or Montezuma may be so classed.
Leaving these we come 10 the true
hi colors with white. yellow or lavender
standards as We call the erect. uppcr
petals OF the flower The amoends.
those with white standards are few in
number, Victorine, PRIMER. the IA Her
Thorbecke with velvety falls, Rhein
Nike OF finer growth but less rich ef-
feet and Anne Leslie with dahlia car
mine falls are good representatives.
Those with yellow standards are
often called variegatas and are infinite
in number, though, as yet, few show
good size and height. To me Iris King
is loveliest with its clouded and gold
standards and the velvet OF its gold
bordered falls. Fro, Medallion, Lor-
elei, Katrinka, Mithras have a clearer
yellow with the velvet; Gajus and
Prestige are dark vcined on a light
ground; Ossian and Princess Victoria
Luise are curlously repelling or at
tracing as ones taste may run with
their pink and yellow contrast; while
Nibelungen. Whiffenpoof, Goliath or
Tangiers are so blended and dulled
IA.- a.