662 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



up with water. In fountain-basins and 

 clear, still waters, where the plant is 

 fully exposed to the sun, it flowers freely 

 during summer, but it will not survive 

 out-of-doors in winter, except in the 

 mildest districts, and unless placed at 

 least 18 in. below the surface. Plants 

 put out of a warm aquatic house in May 

 soon begin to grow in the open air in 

 tanks well exposed to the sun. Division. 

 Butomacete. 



LINARIA ( Toadflax).— K\\ interesting 

 family, which includes some beautiful 

 garden annuals and perennials, \arying 

 from dwarf alpines to tall coarse plants. 



L. alpina {Alpine Toadflax) forms 

 dense, spreading, dwarf, and silvery tufts, 

 covered with bluish-violet and intense 

 orange flowers. It is usually biennial ; but 

 in favourable spots, Isoth wild and culti- 

 vated, becomes perennial. It sows itself 

 freely, being one of the most charming sub- 

 jects that we can allow to "go wild" in 

 sandy, gritty, and rather moist earth, or in 

 chinks in the rock-garden. In moist dis- 

 tricts it will establish itself even in gravel 

 walks, is readily increased from seed, which 

 should be sown in early spring in cold 

 frames, or in the places where it is to remain 

 out-of-doors. It is found on moraines and 

 in the debris of the Alps and Pyrenees. 



Linaria antirrhinifolia. 



L. antirrhinifolia.— This elegant little 

 rock plant forms a very neat spreading 

 mass about 2 feet across and about 6 to 8 

 inches high and has the advantage of not 



spreading so rapidly as some of its con- 

 geners, and its bright purple flowers are 

 produced incessantly during the summer 

 and autumn. The plant is of the easiest 

 possible culture, and can be highly re- 

 commended for the rock-garden. 



L. cymbalaria [Ivy-leaved Toadflax) 

 often drapes walls in a graceful way, and 

 is grown by cottagers as a window plant, 

 a common name for it being " Mother of 

 Thousands." A moist half-shady place 

 best suits it, and the white variety is even 

 prettier than the species. 



L. dalmatica is a handsome plant, 

 3 to 5 ft. high, much branched, and in 

 summer has a profusion of large showy 

 sulphur-yellow blossoms. It thrives best 

 in warm places in light well-drained soil, 

 and when once established can be eradi- 

 cated with difficulty. L. genistasfolia, 

 which also has yellow flowers, is similar 

 but inferior. 



L. macedonica is a new and distinct 

 plant, from 2 to 3 ft. high, and throwing 

 up shoots from the base. It differs from 

 L. dalmatica in its broader leaves, and is 

 quite hardy. 



L. purpurea is a pretty kind with 

 spikes of purple flowers, and one oc- 

 casionally sees it on old walls, as it 

 thrives well in dry spots. 



L. triornithophora is a beautiful plant 

 when well grown, i to i^ ft. high, and 

 with large purple long-spurred flowers in 

 whorls of three. It is rather delicate, 

 and, though perennial, should be raised 

 yearly from seed. L. triphylla is similar. 



L. vulgaris {Common Toadflax). — This 

 is well known, and is very pretty as one 

 sees it growingin wild or neglected gardens, 

 but is also a good garden plant. The 

 British variety Peloria is a handsome 

 Toadflax, flowering freely after mid- 

 summer in a warm sunny border, and is 

 effective in a mass. 



A few other perennial Linarias that 

 may be mentioned are L. hepaticaefolia 

 (Hepatica-leaved Toadflax), from Corsica, 

 which is nearly always in flower in sum- 

 mer and autumn ; L. saxatilis, with dark 

 brown and yellow flowers ; and L.anticaria, 

 a good rock-plant, forming little tufts and 

 sowing itself freely. The finely-veined 

 flowers are dull white tinged with lilac. 



Annual Toadflaxes. — Some of the 

 annual species are among our prettiest 

 border flowers, growing about i ft. high, 

 and very effective in broad masses. Seed 

 should be sown in ordinary garden soil 

 in early spring, and the seedlings will 

 flower in July and August. The best 

 are L. reticulata, with small purple flow- 

 ers ; the variety aureo-purpurea being a 



