IRISH GARDENING 



37 



Some Good Herbaceous Plants. 



Aconitum Wilsoni, introduced some years ago 

 from China, is a very handsome Monkshood. It 

 begins to Mower towards the end of August and 

 continues well into September. The flowers, 

 which are pale violet blue in colour, are very 

 welcome at a season when there is often a super- 

 abundance of yellow flowers. When well grown 

 it will reach close on six feet in height. 



Aster Amellus varieties are now very popular 

 with growers of hardy herbaceous plants, and 

 some of the more recent forms rank among the 

 best of autumn flowers. 



Aster Amellus Beaute Parfaite is a charming 

 variety producing abundance of deep violet 

 flowers with yellow centres, which only serve to 

 enhance the beauty of the ray florets. 



A. Amellus Fleuve Bleu produces large hand- 

 some flowers of clear lavender blue, and is by 

 many who have seen a mass in flower considered 

 the best of its class. 



Aster Amellus preziosa also bears large 

 flowers, but of a deep blue shade, very effective 

 in the mass. 



A. Amellus roseus majus is a very lovely rosy 

 pink form well worth growing in clumps for its 

 colour, which is wonderfully effective in autumn. 

 All the Asters of the Amellus section are 

 useful garden plants, being good alike for 

 border and for cutting. 



Among tall late flowering Asters, two varieties 

 of outstanding merit are Beauty of Colwal and 

 Climax. The former is unique in being the first 

 double Michaelmas Daisy, and bears profusely 

 flowers of a charming shade of lavender blue, 

 while the latter bears very large single, clear 

 blue flowers on long shoots. Both varieties will 

 reach five feet in height with decent cultivation, 

 and form striking objects in the autumn border. 

 Delphinium Capri is one of the most beautiful 

 of the newer varieties, and it is no easy matter 

 to pick out the best now that there is such a 

 multitude of handsome varieties to choose from. 

 The plant under notice is a good grower, pro- 

 ducing branching stems which are furnished in 

 season with lovely sky blue flowers, most effec- 

 tive in the herbaceous border. 



Delphinium Moerheimi has the distinction of 

 being the best white tall growing variety at 

 present in general cultivation. It is still quite 

 new, free flowering, and will certainly be largely 

 planted in a few years when better known. 



For those who like dwarf er varieties of 

 continuous flowering nature what is often 

 called the Belladonna set can be highly recom- 

 mended. It comprises such varieties as Bella- 

 donna, sky blue ; Belladonna semi plena, sky 

 blue, with a faint trace of rosy colour in the 

 centre ; Mrs. J. S. Brunton, sky blue, with a 



white eye ; and Mrs. Thompson, which is rather 

 taller, but has lovely pale blue flowers with 

 brown centres. 



Geum " Mrs. Bradshaw " is a first rate plant 

 for massing in the front of the border. The 

 flowers are large, freely produced, and being of 

 a rich crimson colour are very effective. 

 Although comparatively new it is now cheap 

 enough to be within reach of all hardy flower 

 lovers. 



Helianthus " Miss Willmott " is by many 

 considered the best of the perennial Sunflowers. 

 The flower heads are borne on long straight 

 stalks, and are of good size without having too 

 much centre, which is a failing with some of the 

 species. It is a highly effective border plant 

 and one of the best for cutting. 



Helenium " Gartensonne " is a new variety of 

 the old autumn flowering " Sneeze-weed.'' The 

 handsome flowers are a fine clear yellow colour, 

 larger than those of the old variety, making 

 this a very effective border plant. 



Helenium Riverton Beauty, another new 

 " Sneeze- weed," has yellow flower heads, the 

 outer florets suffused with brown. It forms a 

 good group, the suffusion of brown adding 

 warmth to the yellow. 



Helenium Riverton Gem — like the last, an 

 American introduction — is perhaps the most 

 effective of the lot. It is a sturdy grower, 

 producing fine flowers which ultimately become 

 reddish bronze — a colour the value of which is 

 only thoroughly realised by those who have to 

 maintain an effective display of herbaceous 

 plants throughout as long a season as possible. 

 Lupinus "" Moerheimi " is an improved form 

 of L. polyphyllus roseus and a most effective 

 early summer flower. The flowers, which are 

 produced in dense spikes, are rosy pink, and 

 remain in beauty for a considerable time. 



Potentilla " Gibson's Scarlet," for the front 

 of the border or for the rock garden, will certainly 

 rank among the most brilliant of summer 

 flowers. Though of prostrate habit the flowers 

 are so freely produced as to create quite an 

 effect at a considerable distance. The colour is 

 rich scarlet. 



Pyrethrum " Queen Mary," which has very 

 justly received an award of merit, is one of 

 the best varieties at present in cultivation. It 

 is a double variety bearing beautiful large rose- 

 coloured flowers, effective in the border and 

 splendid for cutting. 



Rudbeckia " Herbstonne," a very fine new 

 variety of the " Cone- flower," will soon prove 

 indispensable for the hardy flower border. 

 Reaching a height of six feet when well grown, 

 it forms a very effective mass towards the back 

 of the border. The flowers are large, of a clear 

 vellow colour. 



