HOLBCELLIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



H. salicifoh'a, natives of Indian moun- 

 tains, but thev are so far rare in gardens. 



HOLB(ELLIA.— //. lati folia is a beau- 

 tiful e\ergreen climbing shrub from the 

 Himalayas, hardy against walls in the 

 southern and the warm districts. The 

 foliage is thick with three or five leaflets of 

 a deep shining green. The flowers are a 

 deliciously fragrant dull purplish green, but 

 it does not bloom so freely out of doors as in 

 a cool conservatory. As it is of tall growth, 

 it must be planted against a high wall, 

 such as that of a house or stable. It is 

 known also as Staimtotiia latifolia. The 

 variety angitstifolia has smaller and more 

 numerous leaflets. 



HORDEUM.— Grasses, of which the 

 Barley is the most familiar type, few of 

 ornamental value except H. jubatitm 

 (Squirrel-tail Grass), which has long 

 feathery spikes. It grows in any soil in 

 open places, is easily raised as an 

 annual, and is one of the most distinct 

 dwarfer Grasses. Sow in autumn or 

 spring. 



HCRMINUM PYRENAICUM. — A 

 Pyrenean plant, forming dense tufts of 

 foliage and having purplish-blue flowers, 

 in spikes about 9 inches high, which 

 appear in July or August. It is hardy and 

 of easy culture, but is not a plant of much 

 effect from a garden point of view. 



'SLOY^\X.—H. japonica is a fine tufted 

 herbaceous plant i ft. to 16 in. high, with 

 silvery-white flowers early in summer in 

 a panicled cluster. In a rich soil it is 

 excellent for a shady border. Strong 

 clumps planted in autumn will flower in 

 the following spring. Where there are 

 forced plants to spare they may be planted 

 out when they have done blooming, but 

 will not make much show in the following 

 season. Much used indoors ; is seldom 

 good in the open garden, partly because 

 it does badly in heavy and poor soils. 

 Where it thrives and flowers well it would 

 be a graceful aid in the varied flower- 

 garden. Increased by division in autumn. 

 Japan. Syns.^ Spircea japotiica, Astilbc 

 baj'biita. 



HOTTONIA( Water Violet).— H.palus- 

 tris is a pretty British water-plant, which, 

 however, thrives better on soft mud-banks 

 than when submerged. The deep-cut 

 leaves form a dwarf deep-green tuft over 

 the mud, and from this tuft arise stems 

 bearing at intervals whorls of handsome 

 pale lilac or pink flowers. As water and 

 bog may be associated with the rock- 

 garden, this plant may with advantage 

 be grown at its margin in the water or 

 on a bank of wet soil. It grows from 

 9 in. to 2 ft. high, flowers in early 



summer, and is abundant in many parts 

 of England. 



HOUSTONIA {Bh(ets).~\ very pretty 

 little American plant, H. cccrulea forming 

 small, dense cushion-like tufts, and from 

 late spring to autumn bearing crowds of 



tiny slender stems, about 3 in. high. The 

 flowers are pale blue, changing to white. 

 There is also a white variety. It succeeds 

 best in peaty or sandy soil, in sheltered 

 shady nooks on well-drained parts of the 

 rock-garden. As it sometimes perishes 

 in winter, it is advisable to keep reserve 

 plants in pots. Propagated by careful 

 division in spring, or by seed. H. scrpyl- 

 lifolia and H. purpurea are allied species 

 and alike in stature and wants. 



HUME A. — A very graceful half-hardy 

 biennial, 3 to 8 ft. high, H. elegans having 

 large leaves with a strong balsamic odour, 

 and forming, when in flower, an elegant 

 feathery pyramid of reddish-brown blos- 

 soms. It is highly ornamental as a 

 back line to a long border, as a single 

 specimen to let into the lawn, as the 

 centre of a bed or vase, or in masses 

 with other elegant foliag-e plants. Ex- 

 cellent effects may be obtained by com- 

 bining it in masses or g-roups with other 

 good plants. For cutting, its light feathery 

 sprays are useful. The proper time to 

 sow seed is July or August, as plants 

 do not bloom the first year, and, if raised 

 before those months, get too large to 

 winter conveniently, often becoming 



