78fi 



HORTICULTURE 



December 5, 1914 



Arenaria 



Courti-ny o/ JIftiry A. Drtt f 

 ArE.VABIA MONTANA 



Belonging to the order Car3'opliyllaeae the genus 

 Arenaria comprises a remarkable number of handsome 

 garden species of highly ornamental merit. In the 

 main, being hardy herbaceous inhabitants of the high 

 altitudes of European mountain regions, their character- 

 istics consist of a low creeping growth and a wonderful 

 resistance of the dense verdure of a diminutive foliage. 

 All the cultivated kinds have been, for the principal 

 part, inmates of the rock gardens. Today the advanced 

 class of American garden lovers more and more realizes 

 that the only op]Kjrtunity for enjoyment of a host of 

 extremely attractive hardy flowering perennials is the 

 rockery and to a lesser extent the drj'-wall. Not the 

 customary stone heap on the open lawn or in the shade 

 of a tree-grove but the rock garden ascending along a 

 natural slope or an embankment; the rockery in rugged 

 but nevertheless artistic construction by its irregular 

 pockets and nooks, by its boulder-strewn declivities, 

 serving as a fitting receptacle for a wonderful variety 

 in rich beautiful colors and interesting forms of orna- 

 mental plant life. Not the rock garden of Japanese 

 make with Oriental stone idols and foreign inscriptions, 

 with a vegetation restricted to the native plants of the 

 land of its name, but the American rockery, built by 

 ourselves as the sanctuary of the plant lover in which he 

 may, without the least restriction, cultivate and enjoy 

 a wealth of blossoms of fairest hues regardless of their 

 nativity. Experience in this field soon reveals the fact 

 that self-interest, self-action and the exercise of individ- 

 uality on the part of owners is the best guarantee for 

 success. For this reason it becomes at present part of 

 our business to ciystalize interest and kindle the enthu- 

 siasm in this direction among our garden owners. 



Of the ,\renarias in cultivation the variety grandi- 

 flora is covered with snow-white blossoms during May 

 and June. Arenaria Rosani, syn. A. graminifolia, mid- 

 summer-flowering, is distinguished by hirsute foliage; 

 likewise appear the dark-green leaflets of A. rotundifolia 

 highly attractive. Wlien in flower they are buried un- 

 der a cover of white. The blossoms of A. rupestris re- 

 mind us of those of Gypsophila repens. A. caespitosa 

 resembles a vivid green carpet bedecked in spring with 

 legions of small white flowers. The best of all the sand- 

 worts, however, is Arenaria montana. Our illustration 

 shows a single specimen in full bloom. This variety 

 with its abundance of large white flowers is a gem for 



the rock garden and proves invaluable for the dry-wall. 

 Arenarias require full sun and prefer a light sandy 

 soil. Bewai'e of excessive moisture, particularly during 

 winter. Protect by a light leaf covering. Propagation 

 is mostly done by division. 



GUnside, Pa. -SccAxX^ SiMyU 



Caryopteris Mastacanthus 



Caryopteris Mastacanthus, the Blue Spiraea, a member 

 of the family VerbenacejE, was introduced into this 

 country from Europe w'here it was first disseminated by 

 Messrs. Veitch. In Japan it is said to grow on the 

 borders of old fields and on the summits of mountains. 

 Tlie plant belongs, however, to China where it was dis- 

 covered by Robert Fortune many years ago. 



Although more in the nature of an hei'baceous peren- 

 nial the Blue Spira:'a is really a sub-shrub, and it should 

 have a trial everywhere. It is a much branched shrub 

 resembling the Ceanothus in look. One of its greatest 

 attributes is the- fact that it blooms so late in the season, 

 flowering profusely during September and until heavy 

 frosts, wlien otlier plants are beginning to look "seedy." 

 Its flowers are borne in large clusters in the axils of the 

 leaves and althougli individually small the corymbs are 

 sufficiently large and abundant to be conspicuous. The 

 flowers are of a lilac-blue shade, a color hard to find on 

 other plants at this season of the year. The inflorescence 

 is slightly fragrant. The leaves are of a good green 

 above and lioary white beneath. When bruised they 

 give off a strong aromatic odor. 



Caryopteris lias a reputation of not being any too 

 hardy in the neighborhood of Boston, but with slight 

 protection in ordinary winters it will survive in this 

 latitude. Even if one has to go to the trouble of lift- 

 ing the plants and storing them in a pit every winter 

 they are well worth the trouble, for their character is so 

 distinct and striking. As far south as Philadelphia it 

 has been known to kill back but this is not to be feared 

 as the flowers appear on the present season's growth and 

 the killing back merely acts as a severe pruning and 

 tends to make the plant more bushy and, of course, 

 makes more flowers the following autumn. If it is 

 feared that the stock will not survive the winter it pays 

 to take in the young plants or only a few of the collec- 

 tion, for as it is easily propagated, a new collection can 

 be quickly produced. If plants are brought in they 

 should be wintered in a cool frame or cool storage pit. 



This plant is easily propagated by cuttings, by 

 division or by seed, and thrives in any good garden soil. 

 It requires plenty of water during the summer, but 

 when in flower it succeeds without any water what- 

 ever. Instances have been cited where there was no 

 water applied to the plant during a drought of nine 

 weeks in August and September, and still it came into 

 bloom and the flowers were as beautiful as if the plant 

 had received its full complement of moisture. 



The shrub attains the height of three to four feet and 

 is of spreading habit. For use where its color is needed 

 in the shrub border or in selected places in the garden 

 it will be found very valuable. It is sometimes surpris- 

 ing that a shrub of this character is so often overlooked 

 when a planting scheme is being made out. 



^JCMaA % 



^^_^ 



Jamaica Plain, Mass. 



