204 THE FLORier. 



double flowers, which are very desirable things. One with bright 

 yellow button-hke blossoms is probably a variety of Ranunculus 

 acris; this grows about two feet high, and is in the height of its 

 beauty in June. Another having very pretty white flowers is rather 

 dwarfer in habit; this by some botanists is referred to R. aconiti- 

 folius. Allied to these is Caltha palustris, a marsh -plant with large 

 yellow flowers, of which a double variety, very suitable for moist 

 places, is sometimes seen in gaidens. 



The common Columbine is well known, and some of its varieties 

 are equal in beauty to many flowers of far greater pretensions ; but 

 all are eclipsed by the handsome blue and white Aquilegia glandu- 

 losa, a species which ought to be in every flower-garden. As a spu- 

 rious sort is sometimes substituted, it may be as well to intimate that 

 the true kind has been advertised in the Gardeners' Chronicle. 



In the genus Campanula there are so many fine things that it 

 is difficult to make a selection. Among the most desirable, how- 

 ever, will be found Persicifolia, of which there are double and single 

 varieties, both with white and with blue flowers ; the double white 

 Throatwort (C. trachilium), and the double white Glomerata, all of 

 which grow from two to three feet high. Taller kinds are Grandis 

 (blue), Lactiflora (milky white), and Pyramidalis (both vvhite and 

 blue varieties) ; and of very dw^arf sorts there are Pulla (dark blue), 

 Pumila (both blue and white), Garganica (blue), and Fragihs (blue). 

 A biennial species called the Canterbury Bell (C. medium) is also 

 very ornamental. Seeds of this sown about midsummer w^ill furnish 

 flowering plants for the following season, and amongst them there 

 will probalDly be diff'erent shades of blue as well as white flowers. 

 C. nobilis will be grown as a novelty rather than for eff'ect, its large 

 pendulous purplish flowers being too dull to be showy. Wahlen- 

 bergia (formerly Cainpcmvla) grandiflora is a beautiful thing, but very 

 scarce ; and Symphiandra pendula, another campanulaceous plant, 

 with white blossoms and a dwarf, drooping habit, deserves cultivation. 



Pentstemons are all pretty, but unfortunately the best of them 

 are the most tender. Scouleri, Venustus, Glandulosus, Ovatus, and 

 Speciosus, have handsome blue flowers, especially the latter, which, 

 how^ever, is so delicate, that, to have it in perfection, seedling plants 

 should be grown in pots through the winter, and turned out in spring; 

 treated thus, it makes a splendid bed. Campanulatus and Atropur- 

 pureus differ chiefly in the colour of their dull purple flowers, the 

 latter being the darkest. Digitalis is more robust, growing upwards 

 of three feet high in good soil, and has white flowers. 



Hesperis matronalis (the Rocket) has two double varieties, one 

 with white, and the other with purple flowers, which ought to be 

 cultivated extensively, especially the white one. Being short-lived 

 plants, a young stock must be kept up by putting in cuttings about 

 midsummer, after the bloom is over. 



Hedysarum coronarium (the French Honeysuckle) is one of the 

 most showy of papilionaceous plants, its deep-red flowers being pro- 

 duced in profusion in June and July. It is a biennial ; therefore seed 

 must be sown ever}' year. 



