1879.] DECORATIVE GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 217 



for rockwork, and for the front lines of shrubbery borders. They open 

 their flowers in April and May. 



Gentiana acaulis. — The Gentianella is a very familiar plant to most 

 readers, and is one of the most beautiful of spring flowers. G. verna, 

 with its flowers appearing in April, is one of the choicest gems of 

 spring. It is a tiny plant, by no means easy to cultivate, except in 

 deep, cool, moist, rich loam ; but wherever it will succeed, it should 

 have a place. The flowers are a deep gentian blue. 



Phlox canadensis. — This grows to the height of about 1 foot. The 

 flowers are purplish-lilac, in compact panicles : they are very profuse, and 

 open in April and May. P. frondosa is a neat, compact, trailing plant 

 with pink-coloured flowers. P. reptans flowers in April and May, the 

 flowers being large, numerous, and reddish-purple. P. setacea is a 

 pale pink-flowered sort, the flowers of which appear about the same 

 time as the above ; and there is a pretty white-flowered variety of it 

 named nivalis. P. subulata, also with pink flowers, and P. Nelsonii, a 

 very fine white-flowered sort, are also valuable spring flowers. 



Myosotis dissitiflora and M. sylvatica are beautiful spring-flower- 

 ing Forget-me-nots which are largely used in spring-bedding, and which 

 are indispensable. 



Omphalodes verna — having the flowers of a Forget-me-not both in 

 regard of form and colour, but quite distinct leaves and habit of growth 

 — is very beautiful throughout March and April. 



Physochlaina grandiflora and P. orientalis— the former with pale 

 yellow, the latter with deep purple flowers — are both excellent plants, 

 growing about 1 foot high. Both flower in April and May. 



Wm. Sutherland. 



Craigleith Nursery, Edinburgh. 



NOTES ON DECORATIVE GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



THE FUCHSIA. 



The Fuchsia, like the Pelargonium, may be called everybody's flower. 

 Cottagers of every degree who have any love for flowers always endea- 

 vour to have a Fuchsia or two. We have seen them in cottagers' win- 

 dows grown in all kinds of substitutes for flower-pots — old tea-pots, 

 jam-pots, jugs, and preserved-meat tins. Sometimes the growers were 

 rewarded with a few flowers, but very often had to be content with a 

 few sickly-looking leaves. On the other hand, we have seen specimens 

 grown and flowered in cottage windows that would have done no 

 discredit to gardeners having every means of growing them at their 

 command. Unless large specimen plants are wanted, it is not desir- 

 able to retain many old plants over the winter, at least for the 



