Growing Scotch Heather In American Gardens 



By William Anderson, Mass. 



The accompanying- illustrations shciw the Scotch 

 Heather, Calluna vuloaris growing on the estate of 

 Mr. Bayard Thayer, Lancaster, Mass. Over 45,000 

 plants of Heather have been jilanted on this estate, 

 and are doing well. With the e.\cei)tit)n of about 3,000, 

 which were raised from seed, thev have all been propa- 

 gated from cuttings, and i)hinted in their present lo- 

 cation under the directii-ju (jf the 

 last five years. 



1 leather is ni it 



tlieir 

 writer 



witlnn the 



lillicuh to grow in the I'nited .States, 



SCOTCH 1IE.\THER PLANTED IN POSITION EXPOSED TO SUN 

 .\ND NORTHWEST WINDS. 



and when ]ilanted in fairly moist soil will stand the 

 lull .-.un. .\ situation should, however, be selected 

 where protection is afturded from sweeping winds in 

 February and March. 



Fig. 1 shows Calluna vulgaris, C. vulgaris allia, and 

 .\lba var Hammondi planted on a Jiillside in the full 

 sun, and exposed to sweeping northwest winds. The 

 tops were killed back some last Winter, but started 

 u]) again in early Spring, and was in full bloom when 

 |ihotographs were taken, September 6. These plants 

 liave been growing in their [jresent location for four 

 years. For the first two years the ground was kept 

 cultivated between the plants, but the growth became 

 so thick that this w'as discontinued, and since then 

 thousands of seedlings are beginning to appear under 

 and between the older plants. 



Fig. 2 shows a planting put in two years later and 



in a more sheltered location, and which has come 

 through the last two severe winters in good condi- 

 tion. 



Fig. 3 shows Calluna vulgaris in an entirely differ- 

 ent and more favoraijie location. It is used as an edg- 

 ing and undergrowth for a bed of Hybrid Rhododen- 

 drons. Where the Rhododendrons stand clear of each 

 other it ;dlows room for the use of the Heather un- 

 derneath, and used in this way is very effective. 'I'he 

 plants shown m the picture are growing in moist, rich 

 soil, well protected from cold winds in Wmter, and from 

 the midday smi in Sinnmer, and it seems to suit tlu-ni 

 admirably. The cuttings from which these plants were 

 grown were put in November 1, 191.^, and ])lanted in 

 their present location last spring, or just eighteen 

 mcjnths later. Although a good manv varieties have 

 been tried here, only the three following named kinds 

 have proved to be hardy, C. vulgaris, the common pur- 

 ple Heather; C. \'ulgaris alba and Alba Hammondi. 



While we have raised the plants from cuttings and 

 seeds I prefer the cuttings ; they are more econinnical 

 to handle than the seedlings, and give less trouble. 

 Cuttings about two inches long should be taken early 

 in November, and |)ut in ])ans in sharp sand, and if 

 kept in a temperature of 45 degs. to 50 (legs., and 

 kept fairly moist, they will callous nicely dnrin.u; the 

 Winter, and begin to make root aljout March 1. 

 About the middle of IMav the rooted cuttings can be 



SCOTCH iii;.\riii';R it.antki) in siii:i /iKRKi) i'osition. 



W'ILLI.\M .\Nl)ERSON IS SEEN IN THE 1-JEI,I>. 



