DAPHNE. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



DAPHNE. 



435 



D. BLAGAYANA (King's Garland Flower). 

 A dwarf alpine shrub, 3 to 8 inches high, 

 of straggling growth, the leaves forming 

 rosette-like tufts at the tips of the 

 branches, encircling dense clusters of 

 fragrant, creamy-white flowers, blooming 

 in spring and thriving in the rock garden. 

 It is vigorous and free if planted in well- 

 drained loam calcareous for preference 

 and leaf-soil, and likes best a rather cool 

 spot. Increased by layers. Layering, in 

 the strict sense, is not necessary. Pegging 

 down the shoots of the previous season's 

 growth, or weighting them down to the 

 soil by placing stones upon the branches, 

 is ample. If this is indulged in annually, 

 new root activity and increased vigour 

 are continuously promoted. The species 

 is so choice and fragrant as to be worthy 

 our best endeavours to make it a success. 



D. CNEORUM (Garland Flower). A 

 dwarf spreading shrub, from 6 inches to 



Garland Flower (Daphne Cneorum). 



10 inches high, and bearing rosy-lilac 

 flowers, and so sweet that where much 

 grown the air often seems charged with 

 their fragrance. It is a native of most of 

 the great mountain chains of Europe, and 

 is one of the best plants for the rock 

 garden, thriving in peaty and very sandy 

 soils ; in stiff soils often fails ; is usually 

 increased by layers. 



D. COLLINA (Box - leaved Garland 

 Flower). The leaves of this much re- 

 semble in shape and size those of the 

 Balearic Box, the upper surface of a 

 dark glossy green. The flowers are in 

 close groups, and of a light lilac or pinkish 

 colour, the tubes rather broad and densely 

 coated with silky white hairs. It forms 

 a low, dense, evergreen shrub, the branches 

 of which always take an upright direction 

 and form a level head, covered with 

 flowers from February to May. S. 

 Europe. D. Neapolitana is a variety of 

 it. 



D. DAUPHINI. Flowering as it does 

 .during the depth of winter, the blossoms 



of this pretty and interesting Daphne are 

 much appreciated. It has been long 

 known, but is even now decidedly uncom- 

 mon. It is said to be the result of a cross 

 between the S. European D. sericea and 

 D. odora. Outdoors D. odora can only be 

 grown in especially favoured parts of the 

 country, while the hybrid is also somewhat 

 tender, and in the London district must 

 be looked upon as a greenhouse plant 

 rather than a hardy shrub. The blossoms 

 are purplish in the bud, but more of a 

 lilac tint when fully expanded. They 

 have to a great extent the fragrance of 

 D. odora. 



D. EDGWORTHIA CHRYSANTHA (Golden 

 Daphne). A very distinct plant of China 

 and Japan, flowering in midwinter. Is 

 closely related to the Daphnes, is very 

 interesting in structure of the flower, and 

 has a delicate fragrance. Our midwinter 

 climate invites us to take it into the house, 

 where it will help to prove that there is no 

 dearth of flowers in winter, even for those 

 who have no hot-house. The English 

 name I here propose for it for the first 

 time is as above. It seems quite hardy 

 here, but may require a wall in the north. 



D. FIONIANA (Fion's Garland Flower). 

 A compact shrub, the heads of bloom are 

 in clusters, five fragrant flowers in each, 

 of a pale lilac colour, the tubes densely 

 covered externally with short silvery hairs. 

 This shrub flowers from March to May, 

 and is hardy about London. 



D. GENKWA (Lilac Garland Flower) is 

 a summer-leafing shrub of from 2 to 3 feet 

 in height, with downy branches, and 

 fragrant violet-coloured flowers thickly 

 set on the leafless branches in early spring. 

 There appears to be several varieties of 

 D. Genkwa, some with much larger 

 flowers than others, and some of a darker 

 shade of purple. It is not quite hardy 

 in cold districts. Syn. D. Fortunei. 



D. HOUTTEIANA (Van Houttes Meze- 

 reon). This forms a robust spreading 

 bush, 3 or 4 feet high, with all the leaves 

 collected on the young branches, while 

 the old ones are naked. It is distinct, 

 hardy, flowering in the spring before the 

 leaves appear, and is said to be a hybrid 

 between Mezereon and the Spurge Laurel. 

 Its leaves are from 3 to 3^ inches long, 

 purple on the upper side when fully 

 developed, and when quite young and in 

 the bud state, of a dark purple colour. 

 The flowers are small, dark purple, quite 

 smooth, and are borne along the shoots 

 of the previous year before the young 

 leaves appear. 



D. MEZEREUM (Mezereon). A wild 

 plant in English woods, is a charming 

 and fragrant bush, and the earliest to 

 flower, often in February. Where the 

 shrubby rock garden is carried out, nothing 

 is more lovely for its adorning than a 

 group of this. Though quite hardy, it is 

 slow, and not so pretty on some cold soils. 



