JOUENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



tliemselves. 



HAEDY PEKENNIALS. 



^'c:»SI/^, OW tbat garden flowers of tliis interesting 

 class find a place in the schedules of the 

 leading horticultural societies, they will be 

 brought more prominently before the pub- 

 he, and theu- merits as (Ustinct decorative 

 subjects wiU be more widely known and 

 more highly appreciated. Some of the spe- 

 cies, such as those of the Phlox, Pentstemon, 

 and Delphinium, the varieties of which are 

 so numerous and varied, have classes to 

 The delicate beauty and exquisite perfume 

 of the Phlox, as well as the high standard of perfection 

 to which it has attained, entitle it to be placed in the 

 fi'ont rank as a Horists' flower. It is also imlispensable 

 in the mixed herbaceous border. 



A border devoted almost exclusively to herbaceous 

 plants ought to be formed in every garden. I have seen 

 borders of this description formed in almost eveiy class 

 of soil — hght, medium, and heavy loams. A shallow 

 gravelly soil is the worst, as some of the species root 

 deeply, and those which do not will succeed better in 

 a deep loam with some holding power. I had to form 

 an herbaceous border on a piece of ground where the soU 

 was very hght, and the gravel cropping up in places to 

 within 6 inches of the sm^face. The fii'st operation in 

 this instance was to throw back the siuface mould, so as 

 to expose the gi-avel, which was removed to a uniform 

 depth of 2 feet. The gravel was replaced with rather 

 heavy loam and a portion of well-decayed maniu'e. 

 "Whatever may be its depth, the soil ought to be well 

 trcnched-up and some decayed manure incorporated with 

 it. Hea^'y loam wiU be much benefited by the addition 

 of a liberal proportion of leaf mould ; veiy light sandy 

 loam by that of some of a heavy nature. The border 

 should be ih-aiucd if necessary, as stagnant water is highly 

 injmious to most of the more tender subjects, and many 

 of them would die-off in winter. 



The position of the liorder is also important, and the 

 best, as far as I have had expei'ience, is one not too much 

 exposed to the sun, and wliich is sheltei-ed from the west. 

 A border in front of a south wall fully exposed to the sun 

 is, I think, the worst. 



The border having been prepared, the planting must 

 now be taken into consideration. Veiy dwarf subjects 

 should be arranged in the front rows, gradually rising in 

 height towards the back. Let us take the first and second 

 lines ; we shall find many species ranging in height when 

 in flower from an inch or two to a foot, as the Primula, 

 Sedum, Saxifraga, Sempervivum, Myosotis, Lithosper- 

 mum, -Vubrietia, Arabis, many of the dwarf Campanulas, 

 and the dwarf Phloxes. The Saxifi-ages have always 

 been favourites with me, and after an extended acquaint- 

 ance they become even more interesting. S. oppositifolia 

 produces its pretty piu-ple flowers on stems an inch or 

 two high early in AprU. S. csespitosa, creamy wliite, 

 and S. hypuoides, white — the dense moss-hke habit of 

 these dwarf flowering species affords a pleasing contrast 

 Ko. 566.— Vol- XXn, New Series. 



to kinds of a taller habit ; the flowers are produced in 

 May. The common Meadow Saxifrage, S. gi'anulata, 

 and its double variety, cannot be omitted fi'om the most 

 select collection. S. Cymbalaria forms a dense mass of 

 golden flowers, and is of dwarf habit ; S. ceratophyUa has- 

 handsome snow-white flowers ; S. uinbrosa, though com- 

 mon, is one of the most elegant ; and of the tall speciee 

 may be named S. Cotyledon and S. longifolia, which are 

 very handsome, and the snow-wliite inflorescence i& 

 thrown up to the height of 2 feet. Scores of other handsome 

 species and varieties may be named, all worthy of a place. 



The Sedums are another family comprising verj- nu- 

 merous and interesting species. The common Stonecrop, 

 S. acre and S. acre variegatum, form dense masses, and in 

 the normal fonn the golden flowers, freely produced on 

 stems an inch or two high, are very pretty. The varie- 

 gated form is very valuable for spring bedding. The 

 dwarf species are vei-y numerous. 



Of taller-growing species I wiU name Sedum Sieboldi 

 and a form of it with the fohage handsomely variegated... 

 also S. Fabaria, recently noticed in these columns as a 

 useful bedding plant ; the flowers, rose and piu-ple, are 

 produced late in autumn. This is the taUest-growing 

 speeies. Semjiendvums are also an interesting feature 

 in the front rows. 



The different species of Primula cannot be omitted. 

 Primula acaulis, the common Primrose, desei'vetUy 

 heads the Ust ; all the varieties should find a place in the 

 herbaceous border. The different colours (of which both 

 single and the double varieties can be obtained) are 

 yellow, wliite, lilac, rose, crimson, and purple. The 

 double varieties are the most difficult to grow, and in- 

 experienced cultivators fi'equently lose them. They re- 

 qmre good deep loam, and ought not to suffer fi-om want 

 of water in simimer ; indeed this is a fi"equent cause of 

 failure. The plants are also smothered by othei'S which 

 are in full growth, and the crowns have not a good chance 

 to ripen. Of Primula Amicula, the hardiest varieties are 

 excellent border plants, and should be gi'own for the 

 distinct colours of tlie flowers, which are also highly 

 fragi'ant. P. cortusoides is a pretty border plant of small 

 size, and succeeds admu'ably in sheltered positions. It 

 makes an excellent bed for the spring garden. I h.icl 

 round a small bed a row of it which withstood a very 

 severe winter, and formed a perfect mass of pm'phsh 

 Idac flowers, which are borne on rather long slender 

 stalks well above the fohage. It flowers in April. P.fari- 

 uosa and P. scotica are very interesting and pretty plants, 

 natives of Britain. The " queen of Primroses," P. ja- 

 ponica, and its varieties will be a new and higlfly oraa-. 

 mental featm-e for our borders. Its handsome pyramidal 

 spOies are very distinct and ornamental. 



The different species of Gentians, with then' distinct 

 and striking funnel and bell-shaped flowers, are liighly de- 

 shable for cultivation in the herbaceous border. Gentiana 

 acaulis, a lovely species, fails in many places. I think 

 a common cause of failure is the want of moistm-e at the 

 roots. I plant it in deep soU, and mix a good portion of 

 gravel amongst the loam. G. verna is a very free-bloom- 

 No. 1238.- Vol. XLVII., Old Serles. 



