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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



inexpressibly vulgar, is decidedly beautiful when used in 

 the right situation. I have noticed several times during 

 the year a clump of privet bushes in which the green 

 and golden leaved kinds are intermixed. Whether the 

 two forms were planted together or whether some of 

 the branches of the golden leaved form have reverted to 

 type was not determined. These bushes have attained a 

 height of from eight to ten feet and it so happens that 

 the golden leaved branches prevail at the top. When 

 seen from a distance one is given the impression of a 

 flowering shrub of some hitherto undescribed species. 

 The illusion is lost, of course, on closer approach and 

 the effect is not so pleasing, but in many gardens there 

 are situations not subject to close insjiection, that could 

 be considerably brightened up by the note of color con- 

 tributed by this rather conmionplace shrulj. It has one 

 advantage not possessed by flowering shrubs, namely, 

 that of performing its color giving function throughout 

 the major part of the year. 



An instance of the use of a shrub with colored leaves 

 in connection with flowering herbaceous plants was to 

 be seen in the Royal Gardens, Kew, ten or more years 

 ago. In this case a large group, many yards across,' of a 

 yellow leaved form of Elderberry was' used as a back- 

 ground for a bed containing orange colored Kniphotias. 

 This combination was designedly made with the inten- 

 tion that it should be telling from distant points of view. 

 The result was certainly magnificent and aroused wide- 

 spread comment. 



A form of Dicrvilla tlorida known in gardens as D. 

 Sicboldii alhd-inarginata is a fine example of variegation 

 and has the additional merit of also being a flowering 

 shrul) of no mean value. The well-known variegated 

 form (It the (Jsier Dogwood, Cornus alba, var. Spccthii 

 is extremely effective when space can he found to mass 

 it in a large group. 



The colored forms of the Conifers are for some reason 

 or other seldom satisfactory. There is one, however, that 

 usuallx- excites interest and is burdened with the name 

 Jmnpcrus cliiucnsis f^rocitiiibcns albo-varicgata. This, 

 as Us name implies, ih a jirostrate growing form and the 

 variegation consists of scattered branch tips of a delicate 

 ivory yellow. 



1 hat elusive element known as "taste" must alwavs 

 enter into the use of variegated shrubs in gardens, lender 

 some conditions, as for instance, in naturalistic planta- 

 tions, they must be rigidly barred, but in some circum- 

 stances their judicious use is a decided advantage. Those 

 forms where the color is indeterminate should be avoid- 

 ed. This applies especially to the vellows, for, miless the 

 colormg IS clear and distinct the onlv impressi<in that 

 one receives is that of .-m unliealthv i)laiit. 



The Polygouaccv: is a i)lant family tliat we usually 

 look upon as havmg but little value hofticulturally True 

 It furnishes us with buckwheat for griddle cakes and 

 rhubarb as a corrective in case too many of them are in- 

 gested, but to supply nialcrial suitable 'for garden orna- 

 ment the Knotweeds ,ire usuallv considered'of not much 

 accoum. The fine .ai-pearance of Poh'^onnm oricntalc 

 when m bloom during .Sejitember and part of October 

 acted as a reminder that here was one S])ecies at least 

 worthv ot the gardener's attention. Further reflection 

 brought to mind many others that are deserviii" of cul- 

 tivation and finally the conclusion was reached'that the 

 tamily did not consist entirelv'of unprepossessing weeds 

 ■UKl ,-1 lew plants of economic and medicinal importance 

 l.onculah' has long been known as a ganlen plant in 

 this country— long enough to b;,ve become semi-natural- 



ized in some places. It is a native of India and Loudon 

 says "The seeds were fir.st sent to Europe by Tourne- 

 forte who saw it growing in the garden of the monks 

 of the three churches near Mount Ararat. They culti- 

 v;ite this plant there not only for the beauty of its flowers, 

 but for its medicinal C|ualities. * * =•"' ' 



It is a strong growing annual which in good soil niav 

 attain a height of from six to eight feet. It has Imld, 

 l)ale green, heart-shaped leaves and in September ])ro- 

 duces quantities of dark pink blossoms arranged in the 

 -lender cyhndrical spikes characteristic of many of this 

 genus. It can be used to good eft'ect at the back of the 

 herbaceous border or naturalized in a semi-wild part of 

 the grounds. The graceful panicles of bloom could ])rob- 

 ;il)ly be used in arrangements of cut-flowers — if they last 

 in water, and they have the appearance of being capable 

 of it. '1 he approved common name is "Prince's Feather" 

 but it is also known by the pleasing but cumbersome title 

 f>f "Kiss me over the garden gate." This is almost as 

 bad as some of the examples of scientific terminology of 

 which complaint is made and is on ;i par with another 

 gem of plant nomenclature — namely. "\\'elcome-home- 

 busband-be-you-ever-so-drunk." The latter name is the 

 vernacular for some unfortunate plant or other and. it is 

 believed, is used in Maine. The writer is curious to know 

 its scientific appellation I 



-Many gardeners, amateur and professional, have 

 cursed the day when they introduced one or other of the 

 strong growing perennial Polygonums to the garden. 

 .Many, attracted no doubt by the bold, and handsome 

 foliage and vigorous growth, ten to twelve feet high, of 

 P. S'jclialniicusc ha\e planted it, but have wished they 

 hadn't when they found in a year or so that it flourished 

 far beyond their expectations with growths shooting up, 

 anywhere and everywhere, yards bevond. the point of 

 original planting. ISlot all of the strong growers have 

 so bad a reputation however, and P. Sicboldii, or ciispi- 

 datitui. as it is sometimes called, can be used to good ef- 

 fect. 1)ut it, too, should only be planted in such a situa- 

 tion where it is possible to curb its tendencv to ramble. 

 Ibis species attains a height of about five' feet and is 

 beautiful when covered with its abundantlv produced 

 white flowers. 



1 here are :i few Polygonums hailing from the 

 Himalayan region, where they grow at altitudes ran.g- 

 nig from 9,0iJ0-H,00U feet, that are used with telling ef- 

 fect m rock gardens in England. Thev are comparatTvely 

 dwarf, more or less prostrate in fact, with good foliage 

 aiKl striking flowers. Coming from this altitude they 

 ought to be hardy as far north as Philadelphia, at any 

 rate, but so far as I have been able to discover they are 

 not cultivated in this countr\'. Amon,gst the most de- 

 sirable ones in this group are P. affiitc. >. Bnnionis. and 

 P. vaccinifoHnii). 



I he climbing P. Baldshuaniciiin i one could wish it 

 had a more euphonious specific name) is well known and 

 widely planted. F'ew climbers surpass it when seen at 

 lis be-t covered with panicles of white or pink flowers. 

 Il remains attractive over a long period as the calvces 

 n-tam their pink coloring long after the ]>etals have 

 tormed. 1 he seeds are attractive to birds and sparrows 

 and are much m evidence when they are ripe. 



There is one climbing member'of this family that is 

 said to be much used in the south, which should 'be orown 

 to a much greater extent in the greenhouses of the north 

 I his is Autigoiiuni Icptopus which rejoices in the rather 

 misleading name of ".Mountain Rose." When its pendent 

 racemes of pink blossoms are seen for the first time one 

 is teinpted to say it is a climbing Begonia so much do 

 the flowers resemble, onlv superficallv it is true those of 

 certain types of Begonia. 



