See New TB Image Gallery

*
  

1921, The Oncocyclus Irises by Arnott

The Garden p.309, June 18m 1921

CORRESPONDENCE

THE ONCOCYCLUS IRISES.

IT would be interesting and perhaps useful to many if some of those who are endeavouring to cultivate the wonderfully fascinating Oncocyclus Irises would give us short details of their successes or failures and the conditions under which they were obtained. It is now many years since the Writer first essayed these weird-looking (in many cases) yet fascinating Irises. At that time the late Rev. H. Ewbank and a few others were engaged in attempting them, and the writer had a good deal of correspondence with Mr. Ewbank and various other growers regarding them. The experience of those days was not very-satisfying, although a fleeting success with some was secured by the writer by planting them in shallow soil, with some lime mixed with it, on a nearly flat outhouse roof in full sun. and by covering the roof bed with a light during the autumn and early winter months so as to give the plants a complete rest. Some, but not many, flowers rewarded one for a year or two, but a prolonged absence from home owing to the death of a near relative led to the plants being neglected by the one in charge, and the experiment was not repeated as other and more amenable subjects offered.

Yet it is not possible, after having flowered such wonderful Irises as iberica, Gatesii and the like, to forget them or fail to have a longing desire to try them again, even though Mr Dykes does not give one much encouragement in his works on the Iris, — S. Arnott.

For more information on historic Irises visit the Historic Iris Preservation Society at

-- BobPries - 2014-10-07
Topic revision: r2 - 20 Dec 2018, BobPries
This site is powered by FoswikiCopyright © by the contributing authors. All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors.
Ideas, requests, problems regarding Iris Wiki? Send feedback