THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



FREMONTIA. 



577 



account of its flowering early in spring, its 

 feathery tufts of fragrant white flowers ap- 

 pearing before the leaves, which resemble 

 those of the common Alder. Suitable for 

 a moist peat border or the low part of the 

 rock-garden. 



FRAGARIA {Stnuvberry). — The 

 Strawberry is much more useful in the 

 fruit garden than in the flower garden, yet 

 some kinds are pretty in the rock-garden. 

 The wild Strawberry is pretty on banks, 

 and on old mossy garden walls where 

 lit establishes itself. F. monophylla is a 

 beautiful rock-garden plant, with large 

 white flowers. The Indian strawberry, F. 

 i?2dica, is a pretty trailer, bearing many 

 red berries and flowering late. All are of 

 the easiest culture in any not too wet soil, 

 and of facile increase by division. 



FRANCOA {Maideti's Wreath). — 

 Chilian plants of the Saxifrage family, 

 somewhat tender, and best for dry shel- 

 tered positions on warm borders in light 

 loam. They are good for cutting, as the 

 long branching stems i8 in. to 2 ft. high 

 "bear many white or pink blossoms on 

 stalks. F. rainosa, bearing white or pink 

 •flowers, and having a short stem, differs 

 from F. appoidiculata, which is stemless, 

 and has flowers deeper in colour than the 

 others. F. sonchifolia has also a short 

 stem, but its leaves are sessile and not 

 stalked, and its flowers are rose-coloured. 

 They are often grown as window plants, 

 .and are best as such where they do not 

 thrive in the open air. 



FRANKENIA L^VIS {Sea Heath). 

 —A very small Evergreen plant with 

 •crowded leaves like a Heath, common in 

 marshes by the sea in many parts of 

 Europe and on the east coast of England. 

 Best for the rock-garden in ordinary soil 

 among very dwarf herbs, but mainly of 

 botanical interest. 



FRAXINUS {Ash). Trees of some 

 distinction and value for their timber ; 

 natives of cold and northern regions, and 

 one of them our precious native Ash. 

 Important as the foreign trees of this 

 race are our native kind is so much better 

 known to us, and so fine, that we cannot 

 be surprised at the neglect of the other 

 kinds. The British Ash is a variable tree, 

 and its varieties are more valuable than 

 those of many other trees, the best of 

 them not depending on mere variegation, 

 but sometimes on habit, as in the pendu- 

 lous variety, so well known, and used for 

 bowers and on lawns. There is a form of 

 this with yellow shoots, and certain kinds 

 with singular leaves — mere monstrosities 

 without value, for this fine tree has not 

 ■escaped the variegation hunter. There 



is a variety oi F. Lentiscifolia., a native of 

 Asia Minor, which is pendulous in habit. 

 The Ash is never more beautiful than 

 when fully exposed in the cool and 



northern parts of the country, and in 

 Ireland and Scotland. America is rich 

 in species, and in past times, before the 

 conifers mania arose, they were planted 

 but of late very little attention has been 

 given to them, and few of these reach 

 the size and fine form of our native Ash, 

 at least as we know them. 



Occasionally very picturesque effects 

 arise from grafting the Weeping Ash on a 

 very tall stem of the ordinary kind, of 

 which there is a good example at Elvas- 

 ton. 



F. ormis is the celebrated Manna Ash, 

 a native of the East and Mediterranean 

 regions, which has several varieties. It 

 is an effective and hardy tree in England, 

 and even in London gardens is vigorous 

 and handsome. It is grafted on the 

 Common Ash, so what it would be if on 

 its own roots we have no knowledge. Its 

 place is among the larger flowering trees. 

 Syn. Or/iiis. 



FREMONTIA {F. califomica). — A 

 handsome Californian shrub, not hardy 

 enough for the open air without pro- 

 tection. It has large yellow bowl-shaped 

 flowers, 2 in. or more across, the deep 

 green leaves being lobed. In favourable 

 places it reaches 10 or 12 ft. in height, and 

 flowers in early summer. It succeeds best 

 against a north, west, or east wall, a 

 southern exposure being usually too hot 

 and dry, but even in the southern counties 

 it perishes in severe winters. 



P P 



