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GARDEN'S ERS' CHROMCLE 



Foreign Exchange Department 



BERBERIS XER\OSA.— This charming little shrub, a native 

 of Western North America, belongs to the Mahonia group, having 

 beautiful pinnate leaves, each often from twelve inches to sixteen 

 inches in length, and of a coppery-purple color. The flowers 

 appear in racemes about eight inches long, and are rich yellow, 

 the unopened buds orange, and very beautiful as they rise from 

 among the coppery leaves. It is a sun lover, and as it rarely 

 exceeds eighteen niches in height forms an excellent subject for 

 placing in the foreground of choice-flowering shrubs, or even 

 on the large rock garden, where its distinct features attract atten- 

 tion at all seasons of the year. — Gardening Illiislralcd. 



THE FOAM FLOWER (TIARELLA COJtDIFOLIA).— 

 This pretty North American plant is aptly named the Foam 

 Flower, for when growing in bold masses the creamy-white blos- 

 soms, when seen in the near distance, seem to suggest the foam 

 or spray of a turbulent sea. It is so generous a bloomer when in 

 a favorable situation that it is (|uitc one of the most valuable 



iCmtrtcsy of Cardciiiitg Illustrated) 



The Foam Flouvr 



of all showy rock plants, especially where striking effects are the 

 desideratum. The foliage, too, is elegant in outline, while the 

 bronze coloration with which it is splashed forms with the flowers 

 one of those pleasing contrasts which Nature so often creates on 

 the same plant, .\lthough this plant was introduced into this 

 country nearly two hundred years ago, it has not become so 

 common in gardens as one might well have expected. Yet it is one 

 of the easiest subjects to manage, and is as hardy as a Primrose. 

 Any ordinary deeply-dug garden soil and a sunny situation are 

 all the plants need. It is quite readily increased by division, and 

 in order to get the best results it is advisable to lift and divide the 

 plants every two or three years. March is a good time to plant. 

 Besides growing the Foatn Flower in the rockery it is a good 

 Spring-flowering carpeter for growing among Spring bulbs, or it 

 may be employed as an edging plant to the perennial border. — 

 Gardcnin!" Illuslraled. 



ONOCLE.A SENSiniLIS.— Among the many good, hardy, 

 garden Ferns native of North .America, Onoclea sensibilis, the 

 Sensitive Fern, must be considered one of the most desirable. 

 This species is quite hardy and will succeed in any cool soil con- 

 taining humus, in shade or partial sunshine. It is, however, not 

 very particular, and in most gardens will cover a considerable 

 space, sending out underground rhizomes from which ascend the 

 elegant fronds to a height of about one foot. In the Spring these 

 are a most delicate, almost transparent, green, which eventually 

 changes to a pure, soft emerald green which is an uncommon 

 shade among Ferns. Towards .Autumn these fronds become a 

 warm golden buff before dying. 



O. sensibilis txrlongs to the group known as "Flowering" Ferns, 

 and it makes an admirable companion in the woodland for hardy 

 Cyclamens, Spring bulbs. Orchis maculata. <). foliosa and other 

 similar subjects. — Gardeners' Chnmiele (British). 



A RARE AND BEAUTIFUL SHRUR.-As long ago as 1780 

 that beautiful shrub, Fothergilla major, was introduced into Eng- 

 land. It appears to have been entirely lost sight of by the end 

 of the eighteenth century, both here and in the Uniti-<1 States, and 

 was not seen again until a few years ago, when it was re-dis- 

 covere<i on the .Mlcghany Mountains of \irginia and brought once 

 more under cultivation. It is a deciduous shrub, ultimately six 

 feet to eight feet high, erect in its branching, but forming a shapely 



bush. The leaves are roundish, three inches to four inches long, 

 dark glossy green above and greyish white beneath. 



-At the time of flowering the twigs are leafless or only just 

 bursting. The flowers are very curious in having no petals, their 

 beauty being due eiuiroly to the densely clustered stamens, which 

 arc pinkish white with yellow anthers and three-quarters of an 

 inch long. The ([uaint brush-like tufts are composed of numerous 

 flowers, but are smaller than may frequently be seen. They are 

 sometimes cylindrical and two inches long. 



The shrub is very hardy, a good grower and easily increased by 

 cuttings. It is difticult to account for its disappearance from 

 gardens one hundred years ago. for they were not then so 

 embarrassed with riches in the way of hardy trees and shrubs 

 as we are today. — The Garden. 



THE HEUCHERAS.— These lovely hardy plants, the name of 

 which, by the way, is correctly pronounced Hoikera. have rapidly 

 won tlieir way to the front rank among dwarf border perennials. 

 Not that they are by any means new. for many species are old 

 inliabitants of our gardens ; but the hybridist has been very busy 

 among them, and the intro<luction of these new forms has given 

 tlie whole genus a great impetus which has brought the older as 

 well as the newer forms into striking prominence. .And. indeed, 

 the plant is ideal from every point of view, the tall, elegantly' 

 feathered flower-spikes in contrast with the compact tufts of 

 foliage proving especially happy. Great as the plant is when in 

 flower, a high meed of praise must be accorded to the .Autumn and 

 Winter effects of the foliage, for many then take on lovely red 

 and rctidish brown hues that persist until the new leaves push 

 out in Spring and cover them. 



A very important point in the culture of all species and varieties 

 is frequent division. The plants throw out offsets freely, but 

 as they do so the stems are pushing higher and higher out of 

 the ground, leaving a longer and longer length of bare stem so 

 that the only way is to break them up into single crowns and 

 replant to the lowest leaves. If this is done in September or 

 early Spring, the plants very soon push out an abundance of 

 roots and they flower splendidly the first year. In addition to 

 their use in the rock garden and border, they are ideal plants for 

 edging, though where used in this wav as well as in the border, 

 great care must be taken that the soil is well drained. 



In addition to their light and graceful habit in the garden, they 

 are really beautiful when the cloud-like sprays are cut and used 

 as table or other decorations. This brings ts mind that by .grow- 

 ing a few plants in pots and bringing into the cool greenhouse 

 early in the year, an early and especially valuable display may 

 he obtained, for not only do these flower profusely for several 

 weeks, but ihey can be turned into the open air again as soon 

 as flowering is over and forced regularly every year. — The Garden. 



THE GARLAND FLOWER (DAPHNE CNEORUM).— 

 This is one of the best of the evergreen Daphnes, and, unlike the 

 majority, is of prostrate habit, which renders it valuable for the 

 rock .garden and the edges of be<ls of other shrubs. When this 

 edging happens to run alon.aside a path tlie effect of a line of this 

 dwarf shrub in bloom is very fine. The abundance of deliciously 

 fragrant flowers produced by healtliy plants is such that scarcely 

 any of the leaves are visible. 



The flowers are produced in dense terminal clusters about the 

 middle of .April, lasting in beauty all through May, and of a rich 

 rose-pink color. It thrives in a good and well-drained loamy 

 soil, which should not. iiowever. be allowed to become dust dry 

 at any time of the year. It is to be feared that many of the failures 

 one hears of in cultivating this plant on rock gardens are often 

 the result of dryness at the root during tlie Summer. This shrub 

 enjoys all the sunshine we can give it. but this niust be accom- 

 panied by a cool root run. It flowers freely and its propa.gation 

 is of the simplest. — Gardenin.:; lUnslrated. 



Till-: S.ALPTGLOSSIS— One of the most charming of our 

 hardy annuals— the Salpiglossis— appears to be losing favor as it 

 is ra'relv seen grown to any extent today. In the avera.ge garden 

 one seldom meets with it, and in houses where once it was prized 

 as a pot plant it is a stranger. It is curious that a flower so beauti- 

 ful in its vcinings and so lavish in its output should be neglected. 

 .As we all know who grow it, it is a lover of the sun and is never 

 seen to greater advantage out of doors than when located in a 

 south aspect. In the wav of culture it needs no more than what 

 is usually accorded to Petunias, a light sandy loam suiting it to 

 perfection. It is as a plant for greenhouse and conserv;ilorv decora- 

 lion, however, that one is able to appreciate it the most, and for 

 grouping purposes it is worthy of greater attention. — The Garden. 



F.L.TtAGNUS ARGENTE.A.— This is one of the most strikin.g 

 of the Oleasters, with silverv leaves, and the only species native of 

 North .America It crows from six to twelve feel high, and has 

 slender branches, spreading bv means of underground suckers. 

 which appear from around its base as in others of this ornamental 

 genus. The narrow, tubular, drooping flowers, silvery outside and 

 yellow within, are deliciously fragrant and pleasing, as they mingle 

 with the silvery-gray leaves in May. .At this season a group of 



