174 ALPINES AND BOG-PLANTS 
seed, and out of a batch I raised a year or two ago I was 
horrified to find that half my cherished nurslings bore 
blossoms of a pallid, dirty pink, a hundred tones removed 
from the rich splendour of the normal palmata. As for 
the albino, it is beautiful of course, creamy and opulent. 
But there are many good white Spiraeas, and the white 
palmata is not as conspicuous among whites as the type 
is among the pinks. 
If palmata approaches nearer to gigantea in habit, 
lobata (or venusta) approaches nearer to ulmaria. Venusta 
is a Meadow-sweet of frail and slender growth, lacking 
the weed-like robustness and luxuriance of its kindred. 
Not that it is in any way capricious or difficult ; any cool 
soil will please it. But certainly it does not form masses, 
spread, seed, and increase like its relatives, always pre- 
serving a certain spindly, fragile look about its isolated 
stems. In flower, however, venusta dominates its race, 
and utterly eclipses all thought of rivalry. By the side 
of venusta the pinks of palmata and digitata become pale 
and dingy; for the foaming crown of venusta is of a 
violent dazzling carmine, richly brilliant and pure as the 
juice of red currants. I know no albino of venusta, nor 
desire to, the type being unsurpassable. 
Spiraea japonica heads another group of herbaceous 
Spiraeas which are all as easy as the Meadow-sweets, and 
very valuable for smaller, choicer corners of the damp 
garden. ‘These are dwarf in habit, and adapted for 
planting in isolated crowns and specimens, their plumed 
grace appearing to the best advantage so, at some com- 
manding point in the garden’s scheme. Japonica itself, 
the commonest of plants for forcing, is no less precious 
and beautiful for the open ground. It is imperturbably 
robust and hardy, requiring no attention from year to 
year. Each season reappear anew its lovely dark-green 
glossiness of fern-like foliage, and then the loose, 
el ae ce ae 
