156 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



comes in summer, they flower through the autumn, varying, like 

 the Tea Rose, according to the weather, but interesting always 

 up to the end of September. We should also name the 

 Hollyhock, which is, however, so liable to accident from disease, 

 and those who care for it will do well to use seedling plants. 

 Seedsmen are now saving seed of different colours which come 

 fairly true. 



A handsome group of vigorous perennials for the autumn are the 

 Polygonums. Some of the large kinds, such as the Japanese and 

 Indian, are not showy, but massed picturesquely on margins of a 

 wide lawn, and on pieces of stiff soil which are useless in any garden 

 sense, are effective for many weeks in autumn, as the flower is pretty, 

 and the foliage of one kind is often fine in colour. I have three kinds 

 of them massed together, growing like great weeds, namely, P. 

 cuspidatum, sachalinense, and complexum, and a very soft and good 

 effect they gave together in a rough hollow where no garden plants 

 less vigorous than these would have grown. 



Thus we have a noble array before coming to some old flowers 

 of autumn, the Meadow Saffrons or " autumn Crocuses," many of 

 the common kind of which fleck the meadows in 

 Autumn Crocus, autumn. There are other kinds, too, which of 

 recent years have been added in greater numbers 

 to our gardens, some of them pretty, and the double kinds prettier 

 than most double flowers. As they grow naturally in meadows, in 

 turf is a delightful way to have them in gardens, though new 

 and rare kinds should be grown in nursery beds until they are plenti- 

 ful. They are not difficult to grow, and should often be placed 

 in moist grassy places. 



The true autumn Crocuses are very little seen in gardens, 

 but are most delicate and lovely in colour. Coming for the most 

 part from sunny lands, they do best in light soils; but some, like 

 C. speciosus, grow in any soil, and all are worth growing. Among 

 the best is C. nudiflorus, naturalised in Britain, in colour one of 

 the most lovely flowers. To get little pictures from such plants 

 we must have them happy in grass or among dwarf plants, and 

 on sunny banks and grassy corners of the lawn or pleasure ground. 



In mid-October they have often taken away large areas of bedding 

 plants in the London parks ; while, at the same time, there are many 

 lovely hardy flowers in perfect bloom. No doubt severe frosts may 

 destroy any kind of flower soon, but for those who live in the country in 

 the autumn it is something to have bright colours and beautiful plants 

 about them late, and these are afforded as well by the Starworts and 

 other hardy plants in October, as the fairest flowers that come in 

 June. When we have a severe September about London, many 



