342 



ANEMONE. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ANEMONE. 



of the Mediterranean are beginning to 

 glow with colour, we see the earliest 

 Windflowers in all their loveliness. 

 Those arid mountains that look so 

 barren have on their sunny sides car- 

 pets of Anemones in countless variety. 

 Later on the Star Anemone begins, and 

 troops in thousands over the terraces, 

 meadows, and fields of the same 

 regions. Climbing the mountains in 

 April, the Hepatica nestles in nooks all 

 over the bushy parts of the hills. 

 Farther east, while the common Ane- 

 mones are aflame along the Riviera 

 valleys and terraces, the blue Greek 

 Anemone is open on the hills of Greece ; 

 a little later the blue Apennine Ane- 

 mone blossoms. Meanwhile our Wood 

 Anemone adorns the woods throughout 

 the northern world, and here and there 

 through the brown grass on the chalk 

 hills comes the purple of the Pasque- 

 flower. The grass has grown tall 

 before the graceful alpine Windflower 

 flowers in all the natural meadows of 

 the Alps ; later on bloom the high 

 alpine Windflowers, which soon flower 

 and fruit, and are ready to sleep for 

 nine months in the snow. These are 

 but few examples of what is done for 

 the northern and temperate world by 

 these Windflowers, so precious for our 

 gardens also. 



A. ALPINA (Alpine Windflower). On 

 nearly every great mountain range in 

 northern climes, this is one of the hand- 

 somest plants, growing 15 inches to 

 2 feet high. Seed is the best way to 

 increase it. Sow this in November in a 

 rather moist, peaty bed out of doors, and 

 allow the seedlings to remain for two 

 years. When growth begins in spring trans- 

 plant to where they are to flower. Full 

 exposure, good drainage, and moisture in 

 summer are essential. 



A. ANGULOSA (Great Hepatica). Larger 

 than the Hepatica, with sky-blue flowers 

 as large as a crown-piece, and five-lobed 

 leaves. In rock gardens, or near them, 

 it will succeed in spaces between choice 

 dwarf shrubs in beds. Seed and division. 

 Transylvania. 



A. APENNINA (Apennine Windflower). 

 A blue, hardy, tuberous kind. This makes 

 pictures with Daffodils, and adds a new 

 charm to our spring. It is readily 

 increased by division, and grows about 

 4 inches to 9 inches in height. Besides a 

 white form there are others, not so impor- 

 tant, however, as the wild one. Italy. 



A. BLAND A (Blue Winter Windflower). 

 A lovely plant from the hills of Greece, 

 of a fine blue, and blooming in winter and 

 early spring. It should be grown in every 

 rock garden, planted on banks that catch 

 the early sun. It has irregular tuberous 



roots ; increased by division and seed, and 

 varies in size and colour. There are 

 white, rose, and pink varieties. Excellent 

 for naturalising in sandy ground. Sow 

 the seed in drills in the open as soon as 

 ripe. Greece, Asia Minor. 



The Blue Apennine Windflower. 



A. CORONARIA (Poppy Anemone). One 

 of the most admired flowers of our gardens 

 from earliest times. There are many 

 varieties, single and double. The single 

 sorts may be readily grown from seed 

 sown in the open air in April, and, being 

 varied in fine colour, they deserve to be 

 cultivated even more than many of the 

 doubles. The planting of the double 

 varieties may be made in autumn or in 

 spring, or at intervals all through the 

 winter, to secure a continuity of flowers ; 

 but the best bloom is secured by October 

 planting. The Poppy Anemone thrives 

 in warm loam, and the roots of the more 

 select kinds may be taken up when the 

 leaves die down. They are seldom worth 

 this trouble, as many fine varieties may 

 be grown from seed sown in June. Prick 

 out the plants in autumn ; they will flower 

 well in the following spring, so that the 

 plant is as easily raised as an annual. 

 Apart from the old florists' or double 

 Anemones and the single ones, there are 

 certain races of French origin of much 

 value, as the Caen Anemones. These are 

 raised from the same species, but are 

 more vigorous, and have larger flowers than 

 the older Dutch kinds. Of the Caen Ane- 

 mones there are both single and double 

 kinds, and the Chrysanthemum-flowered is 

 another fine double race, whilst ope may 

 also note the deep scarlet double form 

 Chapeau de Cardinal, and the double 

 Nice Anemones. The fine variety of the 

 Poppy Anemones leads to mixed collec- 

 tions being grown. While it is well to 

 plant mixtures now and then, it is better 

 to select and keep true some of the finer 

 forms in any desired colour. A fine scar- 



