For May, 1921 



585 



Departments of Foreign Exchange and Book Reviews 



MODERN MICHAELMAS DAISIES 



Perennial Asters, when rightly placed, may be reckoned among 

 the most precious of autumn-Howering plants. Although they are 

 quite old inhabitants of English gardens it is only within the 

 past decade that any great improvements have been made in the 

 race. The limited range of colors which existed in nurseries 

 some quarter of a century ago is quite familiar to those who were 

 then lovers of this beautiful family. Words are inadequate to 

 portray sufficiently the marvellous innovations of modern horti- 

 culture : purples in every shade, soft lavenders, blues of every 

 hue and wonderful pinks. These are what we now look for in 

 an up-to-date collection. 



In the Aiiidhis section alone there is quite a host of beautiful 

 varieties. Readers of the Georgics will remember the description 

 that Virgil gives to this old Italian Starwort. It remains for 

 the modern poet to immortalize its worthy descendants. King 

 George is one of those, and is meeting with rapid recognition. 

 The immense flowers are of a bright bluish-purple, while the 

 golden disc in the center renders its appearance still more striking. 

 The plant grows to a height of 2 feet, and the flowers are freely 

 borne throughout September. Then in the Xovi Bclgii section 

 I would specially name Feltham Blue and Perry's Pink as being 

 unique as regards color of flowers. Brightest and Best is another 

 of the family which is making a name for itself. The plant grows 

 5 feet high and produces lovely panicles of rosy-purple flowers. 

 Nancy Perry is a worthy descendant of alpinus, having large 

 lavender-colored flowers with three rows of ray florets. The 

 cricoidcs group furnishes us with some very fine kinds. To name 

 only two, we have Enchantress, which bears dainty sprays of 

 pale pink blossoms, and Delight, the flowers of which open up 

 white and pass to a delicate pink. 



The proper value of Michaelmas Daisies is best appreciated 

 when they are grown in bold groups of one color. It is impossible 

 to judge of the merits of the various kinds when seen growing 

 in the beds at nurseries. The finest shades are sometimes killed 

 by unsuitable associates. When selecting positions in the garde.i 

 for planting Michaelmas Daisies the best effects are produced by 

 space and perspective. By allowing sufficient space round eacii 

 group there are no obtrusive colors to spoil the true value of any 

 selected shade, while the value of distance is too obvious to 

 dwell upon. Of course, many desirable features may be formed 

 by the introduction of quiet harmonies or pleasing contrasts, and 

 in the case of Asters there are great possibilities. I have seen 

 very pleasing eff^ects by growing soiue of the bright purple kinds 

 in association with red-hot pokers, while a mass of the same 

 color against a dull red brick wall always gives a telling effect. 

 The purples and whites or blues and whites also make very at- 

 tractive groups. 



They will thrive in most garden soils, but, like many perennials, 

 they pay for generous treatment in the way of manure and deep 

 soil cultivation. — Gardening lUustrutcd. 



GAILLARDIAS 



Wherever the very showy Gaillardias are once grown they are 

 always grown, for by experience their several distinctly good 

 points quickly reveal themselves. They are, for instance, prac- 

 tically weatherproof. Under the hottest sun, when, maybe, other 

 plants are apparently lifeless, or thereabouts, Gaillardias are in 

 perfectly happy mood, raising tlieir brilliant heads of color well 

 up on straight, stiff stems, as though oblivious to such things as 

 variations of temperature. Heavy rains seem to affect them 

 just as little. 



Few flowers can equal them as cut blooms, and on this ac- 

 count they are favorites for home decoration purposes. They 

 need, of course, to be gathered youn.g, i.e., before the ring of 

 petals has become quite flat. As exhibition subjects, too, they 

 are invaluable, and if given reasonable time soon recover after a 

 journey. The plants possess, however, one eccentricity, esi)ecially 

 those more than a season old. They sometimes thro'w up quite 

 good and healthy ground growths, but without flower-spikes. 

 In order, therefore, to obviate such a disappointment occurring, 

 as well as to mcreasc one's stock of plants, any clumps that may 

 not have flowered should be lifted in August, dividing out the 

 rootlets into light soil a few inches apart. Growths emerging 

 from flowering plants may, of course, be treated similarly, ft is 

 well to mark the spot, because frequentlv the leaves die quite 

 away; but this should not be taken as a sign that the roots arc 

 dead. In due time they will spring up. Apart from a dressing 



of some insecticide, snot or lime, no further attention will be 

 necessary until removal in Spring to more permanent quarters 

 in the border, either singlv or in clumps of three or four the 

 latter giving a bold effect.— ^T/ir Garden. 



PYRETHRUMS 



The value of these flowers in the garden during Summer and 

 Autumn cannot be over-stated. Since some of our healthy plant 

 specialists took them in hand, and commenced crossing and 

 selecting the best obtainable, some very beautiful varieties have 

 been raised. In the Pyrethrums we have both single and double 

 forms, and they are exceedinglv popular, though I must confess 

 to a partiality for those with single blossoms, the beautiful glow- 

 ing crimson-scarlet James Kelway being an ideal flower of this 

 section. Apart from their use in the herbaceous border, I think 

 these modern Pyrethrums might well be grown in large lawn 

 beds, one variety massed in a bed. I have seen this attempted on 

 one or two occasions, and although the work was only done in a 

 half-hearted manner, the effect was excellent. As already stated, 

 there are now so many beautiful varieties to select from that 

 quite a good color-scheme of beds might be worked out on the 

 lines laid down by Miss Jekyll in her book, "Colour in the Flower 

 Garden.' Xor must we overlook the value of Pyrethrums as cut 

 flowers. Their slender, graceful stems are ideal for arranging 

 m vases and large bowls, and they last quite a long time in water. 

 I his is where the.y score over the more statelv Delphiniums, which 

 so soon drop their exquisite spurred flowers' when cut. 



Pyrethrums can be induced to flower again in the Autumn and 

 ?■%■ ^'V necessary to bring about this desirable end is not very 

 difficult or irksome. Before seed has had an opportunitv of form- 

 ing, they must be cut down quite close to the ground, leaving the 

 natural basal foliage of the plants intact. After lightlv stirrin" 

 the soil around the plants place a 2 in.-thick layer of manure 

 around them. If this work is carried out immediatelv after the 

 first flowering, practically all the Pyrethrums will give us their 

 beautiful and pleasing flowers again in September.— r/!<? Garden. 



SWEET-SCENTED FOLIAGe1n"tHE GREENHOUSE 



Plants with scented foliage are alwavs admired, and those who 

 appreciate the old-fashioned nosegay like a few cut spravs of 

 some sweet-smelling subject added to it. Among greenhouse 

 plants suitable for this purpose are the 



Scented-leaved Pel.\rgonium.s, at one time extensively grown 

 then very much neglected, but now coming into favor again' 

 A prominent leature of the scented-leaved Pelargoniums is the 

 great variety in the fragrance of the different kinds, \mong the 

 perfumes represented is a Lemon-like fragrance, while the dis- 

 tinct-looking Pelargonium tomcntosum would, from its smell be 

 at once taken for a Peppermint. Another plant remarkable 'for 

 Its scented foliage is the 



Lemox-scexted Verbena (Aloysla or Lifpia eitriodora) In 

 the favored parts of the country this will survive the Winter out 

 of doors, but. generally speaking, it must be re.garded more as a 

 greenhouse than a hardy shrub. Large specimens grown in tubs 

 are very usetul for terraces or siiuilar positions during the Sum- 

 mer months. Complaints are sometimes made of a ditficultv in 

 striking cuttings of the Lemon-scented Verbena, and tliis is "cer- 

 tainly the case if the cuttings are formed of the firm, ripened 

 siioots. If however, the young, soft shoots are taken in early 

 Spring, and dibbled into pots of sandy soil, without allowing them 

 to fla.g, they root readily if they are put into a close propagating 

 case with a gentle heat : indeed, under conditions suitable fo? 

 i-iichsias. Heliotropes, and other soft-wooded plants The 



Myrtle (.Wyrtus communis) is also admired for its fragrant 

 eaves, in addition to which it is a valuable evergreen shrub, quite 

 hardy in mild districts The pure white, sweet-scented lilossoms 

 are also a very valuable asset. Like the Lemon-scented Verbena 

 large plants in tubs are also valuable in maiiv wavs Another 

 plant With a delicious Citron-like fragrance is ' 



ErcALvpTr.s citrioiiora.-As is well known, the various species 

 ot hncalyptn.< produce two quite distinct types of foliage, and in 

 the case of this kind n is the young leaves, which are rough and 

 hairy, that pos.scss this pertumc in such a marked manner The 

 same remark also applies to the ordinary Blue Gum {EuealvMus 

 globulus), whose large, hrm-textured leaves have but little o"f the 

 s_ccnt common to the foliage borne by young plants. The scent of 

 hucalyptus globulus is appreciated by some, but, on the other 

 hand many do not care for it. It is different, however, with 

 /:. citrwdora, the fragrance of which is generally liked These 



