November 25, 1911 



HORTICULTURE 



7*5 



Physostegias 



Physostegia, Byn. Dracocephaluni. 

 or — as the common name of 

 hardy herbaceous plant genus reads 

 — False Dragon-Head, is one of our 

 best tall-growing midsummer peren- 

 nials. Of erect slender growth, at- 

 taining a height of from l ' _• to 4 

 feet, it is an ideal border plant, 

 also well adapted for the wild 

 flower garden. The foliage, of ex- 

 traordinary substantiality, on thrif- 

 ty phmts shows a dark vivid green. 

 Best known in gardens botli here 

 and abroad is the original form 

 Physostegia virginica with its 

 white flowering descendant, P. vir- 

 giniana alba. Both flower d 

 duly and August, producing attrac- 

 tive terminal spikes of thick! 

 •Miii- of rosj lavendar or 

 white. Their value as effi 

 materia] Eor filling vases is La- 

 creased by their wonderful Is 

 quality. The flowers in the vase 

 shown on our illustration had been 

 cut neatly a week before the picture was taken and re- 

 mained fresh in appearance for several days thereafter. 

 In formal gardens and on (he mixed borders on lawns 

 and in park- physostegias should be planted rather 



closely BO a- fr the \ery Mart to form a thick mass 



of stalks. The roots of this perennial have to Bonn 

 extent a rambling habit of growth and for this reason 

 physostegias can be very easily propagated by divisions. 



Of more recent introductions I mention Physostegia 

 alba grandiflora representing a decided improvement 

 over the common white form, and a low growing variety 

 listed as nana compacts and said to he freely branching. 



The fact that the number of tall midsummer flower- 



PHYSOSTEOIA VIlloiNh \ 



ing species of ban!;. p< rennials is Limited places phy- 

 sostegias in rank with the aconitums, bi I anthuses and 

 phloxes. The\ should bj all means receive due consid- 

 eration in all cases where herbaceous plantations of 

 some extent are planned for they help to give the total 

 aspect variety when it. i- aeeded According to my ob- 

 servation an open -unn\ exposure is preferable in the 

 North while south of New York 1 bave found physos- 

 tegias thrive equally well in partly shady positions. 

 Care must be taken that the plant- receive sufficient 

 water during prolonged hot and dry weather. 



- w "" "i, ■::"""'■ ^vdhcuod ^<m^ 



New Chinese Plants in England 



It has occurred to the writer that a few remark- con 

 cerning the Chinese plants introduced by Mr. Wilson 

 and their behai ior in English gardens may be of interesl 

 to American readers as all the plants of this collection 

 were received from the \ Arboretum, Boston, 



Mass., through the gerierositj P ofeesor C. S. Sargent. 

 tor of that famous institution. 



To illustrate what has been aelne\ed w ith these plants 

 and the high estimation in which they are held in this 

 country we might refer -to the two groups 



which have been exhibited before the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society in two bu< — are, and on each occa- 

 sion the highest award of thi Society, namely a gold 

 medal. was given. It would be impossible here to speak 

 of the merits of each variety in such a rich and vi 

 collection but it is mi : tat nearly 

 • ioli "i them « ithstood I i sevi re winter of L910 

 withoi i | 

 there 



will prove absoluti and the United 



States i f proper attention tages. 



M;m\ of thi llection were trans 



planted in theii earl - ■ rowth and bai i aov. 



Sne -p < imi n S at ion might be made 



of Ailantus Vih nia, O 



sinensis, Eucommia air e hardj ree 



■ al of the now i is, E >rda G 



di— a magnifia at spe< tes— Viburnum rhytidophyllum— 



; , remarkable broad-leaved evergreen— and V. cylindri 

 nim. Cotoneaster, both evergreen and deciduous being 

 very promising, Lonicera tragophylla— a hand 

 climbing plant--and L. Maaekii. a line hush spe. 

 Many of the Ri i ; " '- B - |V: " ^ lll,lv - are 



very. handsome and nagnificeni sp i mi as. Many 



of the clin o splendid ded 



plants i B p mtana rub as and Wilsonii, 



tbe Vitis, \eiir dias, Schizandras, Aristoloi bias and 

 I Jus. Eydxangeas are numerous but H. Sargentii is 

 the mosl striking of all with remarkable foliage. 

 collection is particularly rich in beautiful new B 



rub- and also in tl ose whoBe Eo lighly 



in the fall. The Ruh ad othi 

 in the ■■ ' ; " '" :n " 



As t 1 



in the 



E, 11. W m, for the 

 i for 



and in ii. 

 peared 



/JZavzt /Jjp 



nham House. England. 



