SISYRINCHIUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SKIMMIA. 



863 



anicni is a vigorous native biennial, five 

 feet or more in height, worth growing 

 among fine-fohaged plants. Its large 

 leaves are cut and undulated, and tipped 

 and margined with scattered spines ; 

 they are bright glistening green, and 

 variegated with broad white veins. The 

 Milk Thistle is easily raised from seed, 

 and thrives in almost any well-drained 

 soil. The foliage is more vigorous if 

 the flower-stems are pinched off as soon 

 as they appear. A few plants raised 

 in the garden and planted out in rough 

 and somewhat bare places or banks, will 

 soon establish themselves. 6". cburneiim 

 is much like the above, but with spines 

 like ivory. Svn C\'irflnim_ 



shrubs from Japan, distinct, compact, and 

 charming for peat beds or large rock- 

 gardens. 



The only ones worth cultivating are S. 

 japonica and S. Fortuiiei. There has been 

 much confusion between these plants, 

 that universally known in gardens as 6". 

 japonica not being Japanese at all, but 

 a native of China, its proper name being 

 Skimmia Foriiaiei. It is much dwarfer 

 and does well as a pot-plant for window 

 decoration, because of the greater freedom 

 with which it bears its handsome red 

 berries. Unlike 5. Fortu7tei, the true 

 Japanese plant is dioecious, and both sexes 

 have received specific names, S.fras^rans 

 being simply the male of the true S.jap- 



Skimmia fragrans. 



SISYEINCHIUM(56?//;/-/7^7£^^r).--Iri- 

 daceous plants from North-West America, 

 of which only one species is worth grow- 

 ing, namely S. grandijioj-iiin, a beautiful 

 perennial with narrow, Grass-like leaves 

 that blooms in early spring. The flowers, 

 borne on slender stems 6 to 12 in. high, 

 are bell-shaped and drooping, more like 

 a Campanula than an Iris, and rich purple 

 in colour, which becomes a transparent 

 white in the variety album. No garden 

 should be without them for they soon 

 spread into pretty colonies. They are 

 charming for the rock-garden or borders, 

 but like best a light peaty soil or sandy 

 loam. Division. 



SKIMMIA.— Beautiful dwarf evergreen 



ojiica. When S. japonica first flowered 

 in this country it was under the name S. 

 oblata. That name has been transferred' 

 to it, and the one called S. japonica in 

 gardens is now called 6". For/unei. The 

 Skimmias thrive as well in strong clay as 

 in poor sandy soil and peat, doing best 

 in partial shade and never growing fast 

 at any time. S. japonica is one of the 

 very best town Evergreens we possess. 

 Other forms of it are 6". Fot'cniani, S. 

 Rogersi, S. oblata ovata, S. o. Vei/chi, and 

 S. fragrantissima. To produce well- 

 berried plants, put the two se.xes near to- 

 each other. Of 5. Fortiinei (the S. 

 japonica of gardens) S. rubella is a seed- 

 ling form. S. For-tunei argcntca is a 



