GARDEN NOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17951, 1 December 1932, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES

BEARDED, OR FLAG, IRIS The bearded,iris of to-day is as different from the old German iris or flag iris us chalk is from cheese. For many years in 'England, new and magnificent varieties have been grown, and every year still further hybrids are coming on the market-. At last these improved irises have reached' New Zealand, and for several years have been grown with great success. Unfortunately, the price of most i s still rather high and many of tho newer ones cost several pounds. There is no need to start with tho new varieties as many of the cheaper ones are very little different from the most expensive. In the writer’s own collection of about 70 varieties they range from Is 6d to 10s 6d each, and some of the medium priced ones are quite as fine as the most expensive. Few plants are more suited to Gisborne conditions than the bearded and Japanese iris. The bearded iris requires no more water than nature provides, and the Japanese irises have finished flowering -before one is forbidden to use the hose.

It will be well, however, for the writer to dealt with the two sections separately, as their treatment is slightly different.

To grow bearded irises to perfection they must liaye a rich well-drained soil with plenty of lime in. it and full sun. Of course, they will grow in almost any soil except a greasy wet clay, but if they are. to be well grown, it is well to give a little care to the preparation of their bed so that they may have the conditions they like best. A rich, light, well-drained soil will need little preparation other than a dressing of lime. A poorer soil should be enriched with a good coating of well rotted animal manure as well as lime, and perhaps 3oz. of superphosphate per square yard. One often reads that bearded irises should not have animal manures, but the writer finds that in his poor soil they certainly respond wonderfully to a generous coating dug in before planting. Tiie best time to plant these irises is in December immediately after they have finished flowering. Planted at this time they start making their next season’s roots in their permanent quarters and are well grown, thoroughly established plants by the following October, when the first of them starts flowering.

Immediately this season’s crop of flowers has died tho rhizomes start to make the roots which will provide next season’s flowers, and if these are cut off or injured, as they assuredly would he if not planted till winter, the best cannot be expected in the way of blooms the following spring. Bearded irises are unsurpassed for grouping either in beds by themselves, or in groups in a sunny border. If the garden is large an iris garden could he made where nothing but irises would be grown, and such a garden is exceedingly beautiful for about two months in tho spring The beds should be small and tho varieties not too mixed. Good hold groups of one color are most effective. A good plan where money is a consideration is to purchase a small collection and grow them separately in tho flower border for a couple of years, by which lime they will have grown into considerable clumps, then dig and divide them, making bold groups of each color, either in a special iris garden with small beds and either grass or paved paths, or in the mixed flower border.

In the mixed border care must he taken not to overshadow them with later flowering plants. They must have full sun to ripen their rhizomes. These irises are surface rooting, and should not have their roots disturbed by spado digging. Keep the surface fine with a hoe or hand fork, hut on no account a spade. Never plant deeply. When established the rhizomes will comb to tire surface and send their roots down, leaving the rhizome fully exposed. They aro perfectly hardy and neither sun nor frost will injure them. If your bearded irises do not flower, dig and divide them in December, replanting the strongest plants from the outside edge- of the clump in freshly linred good soil in full sun and quite shallow, and you will bo almost certain of success the following spring. Few plants are more attractive in flower or more easily grown. The newer varieties are truly magnificent and of almost every color now, including several pinks and many yellows. In districts where the soil is heavy and wot, the beds .should he raised several inches above the general level of the surrounding ground and given a heavy dressing of lime before planting.

A cream viola with small green spots is growing in tho Mangatoki school garden, reports the Taranaki News. Such a viola has not been heard of before by horticulturists who have been asked to express an opinion. Tho plant is probably a, freak. An Ireland poppy, which is said to be unique, has been grown by Mrs. R. Wood, of the Stratford Hotel. The plant contains five blooms and every one of them is colored green. It was grown with several others and is the only one of them possessing the unusual feature mentioned.