

ACHILLEA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ACHILLEA. 



327 



kinds, and plants so increased are not 

 worth planting. In such a noble 

 family of trees, often fine in form and 

 colour, the planting of variegated kinds 

 is a mistake. 



Among the less planted kinds are 

 carpinifolium, circinatum, Davidii, 

 griseum, Heldreichii, insigne, Laetum, 

 Lobellii, macrophyllum, Myaboyii 

 nikcense, opalus, saccharum, and Vol- 

 zemi, worthy of a place where there is 

 space to spare. 



ACHILLEA (Milfoil, Yarrow}. 

 Hardy herbaceous and alpine plants 

 spread through Northern Asia, S. 

 Europe, and Asia Minor, varying in 

 height from 2 inches to 4 feet, their 

 flowers being pale lemon, yellow, and 

 white, but rarely pink or rose. They 

 thrive in most soils, and, with the 

 exception of the dwarfer mountain 

 species, increase rapidly. Some of the 

 large kinds are fine plants for groups, 

 as A. Eupatorium. The alpine kinds 

 are for the rock garden, or margins of 

 choice borders. 



The best of the larger kinds are 

 excellent for large groups in mixed 

 borders, and also in shrubberies ; 

 among the best being A. Eupatorium, 

 A. Filipendula, A. millefolium 

 roseum (a rose-coloured variety of a 

 native plant), and A. Ptarmica (the 

 Sneezewort), the double variety being 

 one of the best perennials. 



The dwarfer species come in for 

 groups for the rock garden or the mar- 

 gins of rock borders, and, occasionally, 

 as edging plants, most of them growing 

 freely and being easy of increase ; but 

 some of the higher alpine kinds are 

 not very enduring in our open winters. 

 The dwarf kinds are the most precious 

 for the flower garden, and these are 

 described by Mr E. H. Jenkins in 

 Gardening Illustrated : 



A. AGERATIFOLIA. As Anthemis Aizoon 

 this was one of the many silvery-leaved 

 plants tried in the " carpet-bedding " 

 gardening forty odd years ago. It had no 

 possible chance, however, against the 

 sward-like Antennaria tomentosa. As a 

 rock-gardening subject, it is at once good 

 and choice, the narrow, silvery foliage and 

 glistening white flower-heads rendering 

 it at once distinct. A Grecian species, 

 4 inches to 6 inches high. Likes well- 

 drained, sandy loam. 



A. ARGENTEA. It is one of the gems of 

 the silvery set, the short, bluntly ter- 

 minated leaves, minutely pinnate, with 

 pretty rosettes, above which, to 4 inches 

 or so high, rise the pure white flower-heads. 



Habit very neat and compact. Asia 

 Minor. 



A. CLAVENN^E. The pronouncedly 

 forked and jagged leaves of this silvery- 

 leaved kind separate it from all. Six 

 inches or 8 inches high, free and vigorous 

 in growth, and of striking whiteness, it is 

 a plant for all. Both stems and leaves are 

 endowed with a felt-like covering of silky 

 hairs. Flower-heads white in a corymbose 

 cyme. Common on calcareous rocks, 

 E. Alps, etc. . 



A. GRIESBACHI. This distinct and good 

 sort is of garden origin, the deeply-notched 

 leafage being of a hoary- grey or glaucous 

 tone, the flowers pure white and freely 

 produced in corymbs 6 inches to 9 inches 

 high. 



A. HOLOSERICEA. A good silvery-leaved 

 sort of a neat, erect habit of growth, whose 

 6-inch long leaves approximate to the 

 common Milfoil in outline. The leaflets 

 are usually five-parted. Flowers golden- 

 yellow. Greece. 



A. HUTERI. A silvery species of tufted 

 habit, and with distinctly notched leaves, 

 growing 6 inches or more high. A good 

 carpeter of the soil. Flower-heads white, 

 Switzerland. 



A. JABORNEGGI. A pretty and interest- 

 ing hybrid between A. Clavennce and A. 

 moschata, of compact habit, with hoary 

 foliage, and rather large, pure white 

 flower-heads. A free-growing sort worthy 

 of inclusion in any collection. 



A. KELLERERI. Of hybrid origin, and 

 certainly one of the indispensables of the 

 race, though by no means common. In 

 established examples the linear leaves are 

 6 inches to 9 inches long, tapering to a 

 point, and about J inch broad. Leaflets 

 minute, isolated, and usually obscurely 

 three-lobed at their extremities. Flower- 

 heads white. Quite a gem among silvery- 

 leaved sorts of the first rank, and an ideal 

 subject for the rock garden. 



A. OBRISTI. A species having small, 

 hoary, grey leafage in tufts, the white 

 flower-heads attaining about 6 inches high. 

 It is not one of the most distinct, attrac- 

 tive, or vigorous. Europe. 



A. RUPESTRIS. An Italian species with 

 evergreen, and usually entire leaves, 

 though in free growth they are frequently 

 toothed at their extremities. The pure 

 white flowers, which are freely produced 

 at 4 inches to 6 inches high, contrast 

 sharply with the foliage. An excellent 

 rock-garden subject, preferring a good bed 

 of sandy loam. 



A. SERBICA. A tufted species of free 

 growth, having short, narrow, finely-pin- 

 nate, more or less silvery, leaves, and a 

 wealth of pure white flowers. An excellent 

 rock or wall plant. So placed, the plant 

 is usually very free flowering. On level 



