THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



OMPHALODES. 



71; 



one of the finest of those Evening Prim- 

 roses characterised by a low traihng 

 growth and large blossoms, which attain 

 their fullest expansion towards evening. 

 It has a fine effect in rich deep soil in the 

 rock-garden, where its trailing stems can 

 droop over the ledge of a block of 

 stone. The flowers, 2^ to 3^ in. across, 

 are pure white, changmg to a delicate 

 pink. 



CE. triloba is a handsome hardy annual 

 species, of dwarf growth, with large and 

 showy yellow blossoms. It is also called 

 CE. rhizocarpa. Other showy annuals are 



An Evening Primrose (CEnothera Lamarckiana). 



CE. sinuata and its variety maxima, CE. 

 macrantha, odorata, bistorta, Veitchiana, 

 and Drummondi. These are all worthy 

 of culture, requiring the treatment of 

 half-hardy annuals, and ordinary garden 

 soil. 



OLEARIA {Daisy Trees).— Vx&\\.y ever- 

 green bushes, natives of Australia and 

 New Zealand. The only drawback is 

 their not proving really hardy, except in 

 warm localities in the southern counties. 

 They may exist in other districts, but 



gardens are the worse not the better for 

 the presence of shrubs not really hardy 

 in them, or perhaps in a half-dead or 

 flowerless state, or requiring protection, 

 which has a tendency to make gardens 

 needlessly ugly for half the year. 



0. insignis. — The plant is dwarf, branched, 

 the branches as thick as the little finger ; the 

 leaves from 3 to 5 in. long, 2 in. broad, rounded 

 at the ends, thick and hard, shining green on 

 the upper surface. With this exception the 

 whole plant is covered with a thick, felt-like 

 coating of pale brownish tomentum. The 

 flowers are on erect peduncles, which are as 

 thick as a goose-quill and from 6 to 9 in. 

 long ; the flower-heads are a little over 2 in. 

 across ; remaining fresh on the plant for about 

 six weeks. This plant is one of the most inter- 

 esting and prettiest of the composites which are 

 found in New Zealand. It is a native of 

 Middle Island, where it is said to grow on the 

 driest rocks. 



0. Haasti. — This is pretty hardy in various 

 parts of England, growing to a large size in 

 the more favoured localities, and if planted in 

 groups it has a good effect when covered with 

 its Aster-like flowers, and even out of bloom 

 it is attractive. In New Zealand, where it is 

 found at altitudes of about 4,000 ft., it forms 

 a small shrubby tree. The flowers are very 

 numerous, in terminal corymbs, the ray florets 

 \ in. long, white, the disc yellow. The plants 

 usually bloom in August, and remain in perfec- 

 tion several weeks. Other kinds grown against 

 walls and on warm soils with some success are 

 ramulosa, ilicifolia, myrsinoides, nitida, macro- 

 donta, stellulata, Traversi, Gunniana, dentata, 

 argophylla, insignis. 



OMPHALODES {Navelwort).—Vrt\.\.y 

 dwarf rock or mountain plants belonging 

 to the Borage order. 



0. linifolia, a beautiful Portuguese 

 hardyannual,9to I2in. high, with glaucous- 

 green leaves and pure white flowers from 

 June to August ; it may be grown in 

 ordinary soil, the seeds sown in April or 

 'n September and October ; the plant 

 often sows itself 



0. Luciliae, a lovely rock-plant, with 

 flowers a pretty lilac-blue, and glaucous 

 grey foliage. It is hardy, and succeeds 

 in the rock-garden, but the soil must be 

 thoroughly drained, for though the plant 

 requires abundanceofwaterduringgrowth, 

 it suffers from stagnant moisture. To pro- 

 tect it against slugs, which are too fond of 

 it, strips of perforated zinc, about 3 in. 

 wide, bent so as to form rings round the 

 plants, are used. Division or by seeds. 

 It grows freely in some light soils, as in 

 Wheeler's nursery at Warminster. Asia 

 Minor. 



0. nitida is pretty, new to gardens, and 

 said to be as easy to grow as O, vernaj 

 with loose panicles of bhie flowers. 



