October 3, 1914 



HORTICULTUBE 



483 



Hardy Garden Pinks 



The American florist holds the record of world's lead- 

 ership in originating and growing the most perfect type 

 of Diantiuis, the gi'eenhoiise carnation of today. Of 

 late, we notice an ever-increasing popularity of hardy 

 garden ])ink-s, particularly of the old-time Dianthus 

 pluniariiis varieties, and tliey again begin to fill our gar- 

 den atmosphci-e with that sweet fragrance our ances- 

 tors used to love. Aside from the single and double 

 seedling plants in endless shades and tints conditions 

 are turning our interest in the direction of distinct varie- 

 ties. As such I mention Her Majesty, Diamond and 

 Snow in inire white; Elsie in bright rose with maroon 

 center; Juliette, white, laced crimson; Homer, rosy red 

 with dark center, and William Hooper fringed white 

 with purple lacings. Of comparatively low bushy gi'owth 

 their free flowering habit and diversity in colors gives 

 us a chance to employ them on borders, particularly in 

 cases where variety is desired. 



The choicest material in this class producing perfect 

 flowers in clear solid shades has been sent over to us from 

 Germany. I wish to call special attention to the novel- 

 ties : Bavaria, distinguished by a compact bushy growth 

 and its abundance of delicate rosy-lilac flowers ; Gloriosa 

 -in wonderful lilac mauve and Delicata producing large 

 blosso)ns of a very attractive pale silvery mauve of re- 

 markable lustre. For edging the straight border lines 

 of foiuial gardens they remain unexcelled. Approach- 

 ing the long even banks of those soft rosy-mauve flowers 

 we find very few Inirsted calyxes. The bursted calyx, as 

 the experienced of my readers know, is the weak point 

 of some of the older double varieties of Dianthus plum- 

 arius. Distinct shades of this type of hardy garden pinks 

 cannot be obtained by raising stock from seed. The con- 

 sequence is we have to propagate by cuttings. With the 

 importance of clear solid shades in first class floral gar- 

 den effects in mind, the craftsman familiar with the 

 practical part of growing the stock has the advantage. 

 A perfect line of the new hardy garden pinks Delicata 

 and Gloriosa in full flower is not only an object of rare 

 beauty, but will be booked on the credit page of the 

 grower or originator by his customer or employer. 



In conclusion 1 wish to say a few words in favor of 

 the diminutive class of mountain pinks. A low creep- 

 ing, sometimes dense cushion-like growth, ilui-ing May 



Phcto. by Courtesy n/ Henry A. Dretr^ Inc. 

 DlANTHNS DELTOIDES 



and June bedecked with legions of charming little blos- 

 soms, sweetly fragi-ant, are the characteristics they have 

 in connuon. As a rule designers of rock gardens 

 treasure them liighly. One of the prettiest in this class 

 is l)ianth\is dcltoidcs, depicted in the accomjianying 

 illustration. The blossoms of the original dcltoidcs are 

 carmine rose; the variety dcltoidcs albus appears in pure 

 white. Dianthus caesius, a species with glaucous foliage 

 and a great abundance of very attractive pink blossoms, 

 and Diautluis alpinus, in two distinct colors, red and 

 white, draw attention at a glance. Dianthus neglectus, 

 a compact growing species from the mountain regions 

 of Central Europe, adorned with carmine red flowers 

 and Dianthus fragrans, a very free pink idoomer hailing 

 from the high altitudes of the Caucasus, complete the list 

 of the best known rock garden pinks in cultivation. 



The rock garden in its advanced state offers the widest 

 scope for the enjoyment of the greatest variety in hardy 

 perennials. True, it is with us in America still in ite 

 infancy, but we may rest assured that sooner or later we 

 will be put to test, both as builders and as caretakers. 

 As liorticulturi^^ts we siioidd be the first to welcome the 

 revival ol" popular interest in hardy garden pinks. The 

 renewal nf our acquaintance with the both charming and 

 interesting Alpine class mean^ to prepare ourselves for 

 near exigencies. 



^^dudvojud S<r&La 



(i}en»\de. Pa. 



medicine to administer when business begins to wane, to 

 cut off ad\ertising at such a time would simply tend to 

 aggravate the tmuble. We have talked with many rep- 

 resentative nu'n in various liranches of the trade and 

 find a wide divergence of opinion as regards the out- 

 look for Ijusiness this season and the causes for its falling 

 off where such is the case. We are glad to find an almost 

 uniform conviction that the trouble abroad will eventu- 

 ally serve to lielp and not to injure our business here. 

 It is u]) to ourselves, largely, how soon this improvement 

 shall come. It is right at our doors and we can accel- 



lerate it gieatly iiy going out after it. The tendency 

 generally for .some time past has been to allow stocks to 

 become depleted so it is reasonable to expect some good 

 buying in the near future. Those dealers who keep 

 their offers persistently before the trade will get the 

 lion's share of this when it arrives. 



"Here's to advertising, youngest of the arts: 

 Born of noble parents, in the world's great marts; 

 Lubricating business, champion of success: 

 There's no substitution, for our craft — we guess." 



From "Poor Rirhard at Fordhook." 



