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JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ November 20, 187S. 



lu my next paper I hope to make some remarks upon shelter 

 and soil. — Thomas Eecoeh. 



WINTER FLOWEE GARDENING.— No. 4. 



Of plants with Tariegated or coloured foUage we have a 

 goodly number, all very fine and appropriate. The first on 

 my list shall be 



Thymus rulriaris variegatus. — The old garden Thyme with 

 the leaves white-variegated. It may be cut into any form re- 

 quired, and this for our purpose should be done when the 

 plants are removed from the beds in spring, so that by autumn 

 they may be stiff, compact, and well furnished with young 

 shoots. Slips put-iu in April make nice plants by autumn. 

 It forms a fine margin to a bed or border, and is one of those 

 subjects which may remain as a permanent edging with close 

 pinching during the summer, and cutting-in after it has been 

 used for winter and spring gardening. It likes dry soil, sandy 

 rather than clayey. 



Thymus lanugiiiosus. — Very neat and compact in growth, 

 forming little round-headed bushes 4 to 6 inches high, and as 

 much in diameter. The shoots early in spring are variegated 

 with yellow. It is one of the finest of haidy edging plants. 



Thymus citriodorus aurco-marginatus. — Of dwarf very close 

 growth, completely covering the ground with neat fohage 

 finely variegated with yellow. It only grows to a height of 

 3 or 4 inches, and for carpeting and as an edging has no equal. 



The Thymes thrive best in light loamy soil well drained, 

 especially in winter, and move so well in autumn and spring 

 that they cannot be too highly recommended. They are in- 

 creased readily by slips in spring, allowing the plants a space 

 which they will fill by autumn. 



Bcllis aucuhirfolia. — This, the Aucuba-leaved Daisy, is beau- 

 tiful in autumn, winter, and spring, as its leaves are blotched 

 with yellow. It is one of the finest of edging plants. Its 

 flowers, produced in April and May, are of a fine red colour, 

 and the plant is then very attractive. It succeeds best in a 

 rather light soil in winter, and in summer does best in a 

 border shaded from strong sun and kept moist. Increased by 

 offsets or division after flowering, when removed from the beds 

 to make way for theh' summer occupants. 



Salvia qfficiiiaUs aiirfa. — This is the old garden Sago effec- 

 tively variegated with yellow, and compact plants of about 

 9 inches to a foot high are very ornamental. Such are secured 

 by putting-in slips, as in the case of the common Sage, in 

 spring, and shortening irregularities of growth as they occur 

 during the summer. It does best in rather light open soil. 



Auhrictia purinirca raricgata. — The leaves are broadly mar- 

 gined with white. This is a variegated form of Aubrietia pur- 

 purea, and, like it, has pale or lavender-blue flowers in spring. 

 It is one of the finest and neatest of all edging plants, and to 

 succeed, should have a gravelly soil well drained, otherwise it is 

 not quite hardy, but in a well-drained light soil it is perfectly so. 

 It is increased by divisions, with or without roots, put in up to 

 the growing point in October, or in spring in a shady border. 

 These will make fine plants by the foUowing autumn. 



Arahis alpiiia varirgata. — Very free-growing, and one of 

 the best yellow-variegated plants we possess, growing to a 

 height of only a few inches, and being of very compact growth, 

 therefore suitable for edgings and tracery-work. It is increased 

 by divisions or slips of the side shoots in October, planted 

 in sandy soil in a shady border. If the slips be put-iu up to 

 the leaves every one will root and form a fine plant by the 

 following autumn. 



Arahis alhida varicgata argeniea. — This is very similar to 

 the preceding, but with white variegation, free in growth, and 

 fine for edgings or tracery-work. Both kinds flower iu AprU 

 and May, and form fine margins, lines, or masses of white. 



Arahis lucida varicgata. — A dwarf-growing, glossy-leaved, 

 yollow-variegated plant, which, when it succeeds well, is 

 one of the most effective of edging plants. It is increased by 

 division. It does not, however, succeed in all soils, and seems 

 to do best iu light moderately rich soil on a dry subsoil. 

 Where it thrives it is a gem. 



Santoliiia incana. — This is of neat compact growth, the 

 small grey or silvery foliage thickly set and covering the 

 branches. It does not exceed 3 or 4 inches in height, and 

 forms a neat margin or carpet of hoary whiteness. It prefers 

 a light well-drained soil, and is propagated by cuttings iu 

 spring or autumn in a shady place. 



Srnrcio aryenteus. — A silvery-leaved rosette-liko plant, intro- 

 duced by the Messrs. Backhouse, of York. It only grows to 



a height of 4 inches, and is almost as white as a Ceutaurea. 

 Particularly fine in autumn for margins or lines. 



Antcnnaria tomentosa. — Very dwarf — only an inch or so high, 

 very dense in foliage, and as silvery as a Ceutaurea. It is the 

 best of the very dwarf white carpeting and edging plants. 

 It requires light sandy soil well drained. 



Alyssum saxatile variegatum. — A cream-yellow variegated 

 Alyssum, of vigorous habit, with lanceolate leaves, and by 

 pinching-out the fore shoots it forms a dense close growth 

 suitable for a bed, having in spring bright golden yellow flowers. 

 It likes a light open soil, and is increased by cuttings inserted 

 in spring in sand in a shady border. 



Cfrastium tonientosum. — White or silvery edging plant, too 

 well known to need comment. 



Stachys lanata. — Large, woolly, sUvery leaves ; of very close 

 growth, and fine for groundwork, broad lines, or margins. 

 Very effective throughout the winter. 



Sempervivum californicum. — This, from its green leaves 

 with dark brown points and rosette-like habit, is very distinct 

 and effective for edgings and lines. Eequires well-drained soil. 



Sa.rifraga longifolia. — Dark green leaves edged with white, 

 having a silvery appearance, the foliage disposed in rosettes. It 

 is, undoubtedly, the finest and most graceful of all the Saxifrages. 



Saxifraga jwctinata. — Small silvery or frosted leaves, in 

 rosettes ; very dense. Very effective for margins. 



Cineraria maritima. — Silvery foliage. Too well known to 

 need comment. In well-drained soil this is very effective is 

 autumn and throughout the winter. 



Pgretiirum Golden Feather. — Golden foliage, as everybody 

 knows, and in dry soUs and sheltered spots it is effective 

 throughout the winter, but iu wet soils and exposed positions 

 this is not the case. 



It will have been observed that the plants named have 

 yellow-variegated or silvery foliage, or white-variegated leaves. 

 We must have colour. Unfortunately there are few plants 

 with red foliage. Those I know are 



Ajuga reptans purpurea, with dark purple-bronze foliage, 

 gi-owing only a few inches high, and which, in contrast with 

 the yellow-foUaged or variegated plants, has a fine effect. 



Deet, with its metallic bronzy-purple leaves is never so fine 

 as in autumn. Dell's Crimson is the best, having many syno- 

 nyms, as Dwarf Waterloo, Perfection of Beets, Osborn's Red, 

 Dickson's Improved Black-leaved, Belvoir Castle. It is of 

 dwarf leafy growtli, the leaves bronzed purple or red, wavy, 

 and arching over, like those of DracoBuas, until they reach the 

 ground. The height is about 9 inches to a foot. Sutton's 

 Dark lied is of rather taller growth, as good in colour, and 

 as suitable for decorative purposes. Beet should be sown in 

 drills in May, and thinned-out to a foot apart, and in moving 

 in autumn care should be taken not to break the leaves, 

 planting so that the root may be covered. In the winter Beet 

 may justly claim to occupy the place of Iresine, and coming 

 in at a time when there is nothing in the way of flowers, its 

 use in flower gardens does not give it the character of a subject 

 out of place. We cannot have any effective display without 

 it during the late autumn and winter months. 



Variegated Kale is one of those subjects I would not admit 

 under any circumstances to the flower garden, but we are 

 under the same necessity with it as Beet — viz., we have no 

 other subject that will give us the colour we need for contrast 

 in winter. The kinds, as everyone knows, have finely-frilled 

 leaves tinted or variegated with various hues of colour, but 

 those with purple or rose, or nearer to red, will best meet our 

 requirements. The perennial Variegated is probably the hardi- 

 est and least culinary-like. Sow in AprU, prick-out in poor 

 soil when the plants can well be handled, and before they 

 become crowded plant-out in only moderately rich soU, and 

 at a good distance, so that they may not be drawn-up weak. 

 Take up with balls in autumn, planting so that only the head 

 may be above ground, or they may only be planted as deeply 

 as to give the height required. 



Chilian Beet. — This, from giving us deep waxy orange to 

 polished crimson in the broad midribs of the leaves, must have 

 a place, and requires the same treatment as Dell's Crimson. 



It is only in autumn that the Beets and Kales attain their 

 greatest beauty, being heightened in colour by the approach 

 of frost. — G. Abbey. 



ROSE PRESIDENT THIERS. 



Just a word in defence of Kose President Thiers. I saw it 

 grand at its raiser's, M. Lachai'me's, at Lyons, and can perhap 



