CYTISUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



DAHLIA. 



43* 



thickly cover the pendent shoots during 

 May and June. 



C. NIGRICANS (Summer-flowering Cyti- 

 sus). Of neat habit, with long slender 

 shoots reaching 6 feet or more when full 

 grown, hardy and thriving in dry warm 

 ground. The pale yellow flowers are 

 borne in long erect spikes of 9 inches at 

 the ends of the new growths ; it is easily 

 raised from seed. Two or three varieties 

 of this plant are grown in longispicatus, 

 with longer spikes of flower, and Carlieri, 

 with a long season of bloom and showing 

 flower-spikes and reddish seed-pods inter- 

 mingled. 



C. PURGANS (Auvergne Broom). A bush 

 of 2 or 3 feet, the flowers, in April and May, 

 yellow and fragrant, while the plant 

 retains its good habit longer than many 

 kinds. It is easily increased from seed or 

 cuttings under glass in August. A native 

 of the mountains of France, it is quite 

 hardy. 



C. PURPUREUS (Purple Cytisus). A 

 hardy plant from E. Europe, often grafted 

 standard high upon the Laburnum, and 

 in that way short lived ; it is better on 

 its own roots as a low spreading bush in 

 rock garden, its drooping shoots hung 

 with purple flowers from May onwards. 

 It is so readily increased from seed or 

 cuttings that there is no need for grafting. 

 There are several varieties. 



C. SCHIPKAENSIS (Schipka Cytisus). Of 

 low spreading habit, flowering in a long 

 succession from the end of June, the 

 yellowish-white flowers borne in clusters. 

 It is distinct, hardy, but a greatly over- 

 rated kind. 



C. SCOPARIUS (Common Broom). 

 Though a native wild plant, the Broom 

 sometimes surfers in severe winters, 

 especially when upon low valley bottoms ; 

 in this way is less hardy than the white 

 and early Brooms. There are several 

 varieties of the Common Broom, the finest 

 is Andre's Broom (C. Andreanus), in which 

 the lower petals are richly shaded with 

 crimson or bronze colour. When grafted 

 it never lives long, often disappearing 

 suddenly ; but on its own roots it is as 

 indifferent to adverse conditions as any 

 of the Brooms, fine mature plants reaching 

 a height of 12 feet or more, fully branched, 

 and of great beauty when in flower. The 

 most effective way to grow the Broom in 

 country places is to throw it out of hand 

 on any waste spots, such as railway banks, 

 newly-formed fences, bare patches in 

 woodland. 



C. VERSICOLOR (Many-coloured Cytisus). 

 A peculiar plant, hybrid of purpureus 

 and hirsutus, in growth and outline like 

 the Purple Cytisus. Its leaves and shoots 

 are, however, thickly pubescent, and its 

 flowers, appearing in May, pass from 

 creamy- white to rose and lilac, the several 

 stages showing in the same cluster. 



Though not a new plant, this hybrid is 

 uncommon and distinct. 



The many forms of Laburnum, including 

 the peculiar graft-hybrid once known as 

 Cytisus Adami, are now classed by them- 

 selves in a separate group. 



Daboecia. See ERICA. 



DACRYDIUM (Huon Pine). -A tree 

 of the Pine order of exquisite grace, 

 but not hardy in Britain except in 

 the Cornish and Devon gardens, and 

 others of the south of England and 

 Ireland. There are two species, D. 

 Franklini (Huon Pine) and D. cupres- 

 sinum (New Zealand Cypress), a com- 

 mon New Zealand tree attaining nearly 

 100 feet in height. 



DACTYLIS (Cocksfoot). The varie- 

 gated forms of this native grass are 

 attractive to those concerned much 

 with bedding-out, D. glomerata varie- 

 gata being one of the most useful of 

 edging plants, and easily increased by 

 division in autumn or spring, thriving 

 in almost any soil. 



DAHLIA. Distinct groups of Dah- 

 lias present a fine effect, if the colours 

 are well chosen, and many good effects 

 are spoilt by mixing up tall and dwarf 

 bushy kinds indiscriminately. 



" CACTUS" DAHLIAS. These origin- 

 ated from D. Juarezi, which was 

 introduced from Mexico about 1879, 

 and they retain the characteristic 

 shape of that species, the petals 

 twisted, so to say, and reminding one 

 of those of some of the Cacti. The 

 earlier Cactus Dahlias had one fault 

 hiding the flowers amongst the leaves ; 

 but this is to a large extent changed, 

 so that we have now a beautiful race 

 of garden plants for summer and 

 autumn, with flowers of bold form 

 and charming and varied colours. A 

 new group is formed by the single 

 Cactus kinds. The flowers are quite 

 single, about as large as those of a 

 good single Dahlia of the ordinary 

 type, and with twisted petals. 



The following are good garden varie- 

 ties : Amos Perry, Avoca, Clarisse, 

 Duchess of Sutherland, Eclaire, Erecta, 

 Glare of the Garden, Hon. Mrs Greville, 

 Mauve Queen, Mrs J. H. Usmar, 

 Juarezi, Primrose Queen, Sweet Briar, 

 White Ensign. 



COLLERETTE DAHLIAS. A compara- 

 tively new section of virtually single- 

 flowered varieties which is well suited 

 to the garden, and rapidly becom- 

 ing popular. Good sorts are Argyll, 

 Bonfire, Black Watch, Cormorant, 



