NJ;vv YCRt 

 BUTAMCAl. 



|iiii!iiiNiiiiii;iiiii:iiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiM 



I GARDENERS' CHRONICLE | 



I (OF AMERICA) | 



I Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture I 



I Vol. XXVII 



iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 



iiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiii;iiiii!iiiL! 



OCTOBER, 19 23 No 10 | 



<iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ iiiiii:iiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii 



Things and Thoughts of the Garden 



WILLIAM N. CRAIG 



A 



AlC)N(i the iimst valuahlc of hardy herhaccous 

 perennials in the Bower garden in Fall are the 

 Japanese Anemones. It is true that in some 

 seasons we do not get our full measure of value from 

 them on account of early frosts, so it is always well 

 to give them a fairly sheltered location. While they 

 look well in clumps in a mixed perennial border, they 

 are much more impressive if planted in front of ever- 

 greens in large hold masses. There are a number of 

 named varieties all of which are very pretty, but if 

 restricted to but one it would be A. japonica alba, the 

 single white form. In my estimation this is incom- 

 ]«irably the best either in the garden or for cutting; 

 the semi-double Whirlwind of more recent introduc- 

 tion is handsome but not equal to the older variety. 

 There are several good pink or lavender forms and 

 of these none of the more recent introductions are 

 superior to Queen Charlotte of a pleasing La France 

 shade of color. Fall is not a good time to plant these 

 Anemones, as plants from pots in Spring are the more 

 dependable. \\'hile it is perfectly true that the)- will 

 thrive in full sunshine, they succeed even better 

 when they are in partial shade, and protected from 

 high winds. The ground for Japanese Anemones 

 should be liberally manured and ileeply spaded for the 

 best results, which means plants 5 or 6 feet in height. 

 Many amateurs fail to winter these lovely peren- 

 nials successfully. While with the bulk of hard}- per- 

 ennials it is best to wait until the ground is hard 

 frozen before a])plying any \\ inter nudch, in the case 

 of Anemones it is best to give a liberal covering of 

 lea\es in order to exclude frost from the roots as 

 mucli as possible. .\ common practice is to place a 

 covering of rotten m.innre on jicrennial beds just ere 

 Winter sets in. With .\nemones. this is better de- 

 ferred until the mulch is removed in Spring. There 

 are some sections where it is rarely possible to get 

 any flowers before killing frosts arrive, and there the 

 culture of some plants in large pots, which can be 

 ])lunged during the hot months, or better still in tubs, 

 will ensure a fine disi)lay. drown thus and well 

 watere<l and fed the Japanese .\nemones are splendid 

 for use in the conservatory or on piazzas and jiorches 

 which are not too exposed. The propagation of 

 Anemones is simple; the thicker roots can be cut in 

 short lengths and placed in a sand bench in a green- 

 house, or a little later in the season, a cold frame 

 can be utilized for llicni. These will produce ])lants 

 in abundance. 



It seems strange that practically no one in Ameri- 

 ca has taken up the hybridization of those beautiful 

 hardy flowers, the Michaelmas Daisies or Autumnal 

 Asters. With the Solidagos they make a truly en- 

 chanting display each late Summer and Fall. They 

 are so abundant and common that the average ama- 

 teur has rather neglected and even despised them, and 

 planted in their stead subjects both less reliable and 

 beautiful. In our native forms there is an infinite 

 range of forms and colorings and many of these are 

 so much improved by cultivation as to be almost un- 

 recognizable. It has remained for a number of hardy 

 plant specialists abroad, particular! v in Fngland, to 

 improve the hardy Asters by selection and hybridiz- 

 ation, and the bulk of our fine garden varieties have 

 come from there. We cannot all have s]u-cial borders 

 devoted to their culture such as are to be found at 

 .Milenham Court. Mr. X'icary Gibbs' beautiful and 

 well-kept estate in Hertfordshire, England, whence 

 have come many fine new varieties, but we can at 

 least give them more attention than in the past. 

 Their hardiness is unquestioned and late varieties will 

 show uj) charmingly when frosts have s])oiled such 

 ])lants as .Anemones, Kniphofias, Dahlias, Gladioli, and 

 other I'all blooming subjects. Manv are excellent in 

 the wild garden, but spaces should be fotmd for a 

 good nuiuber in the perennial border or hardy garden. 

 If wanted purely for cutting, one or two rows may 

 be advantageously placed in the kitchen garden. For 

 those who have hitherto neglected these lovely plants 

 1 would suggest buying a few good varieties now, 

 such as I'erry's Pink, Dainty, White Queen, Climax, 

 White Climax. Glory of Colwall. To]) Sawyer, Felt- 

 ham r.lue, l.il Fardcll, I'erry's Blue, Perry's White 

 and St. ligu in. I would also suggest buying a packet 

 of a good strain of seed; sowing these in Spring and 

 planting out in rows in the reserve garden will give 

 a surprising range of forms and colorings and some 

 of the very best can be retained for use in the garden 

 borders and others naturalized in the wild garden, if 



vou have one. 



* * * 



Hardy Asters are rarely seen in pots, yet they make 

 very desirable plants in the ,\utumn when flowering 

 l)Iants are scarce, h'or two or three years I grew 

 them in this way and they proved verv accejitable 

 for decorative ]iurposes. .Seeds were sown in March 

 under glass, seedlings were pricked off and later 

 potted into 3-inch pots, and later to 5-inch ones, the 



245 



