GEUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. GLADIOLUS. 



485 



GEUM. Dwarf handsome perennial 

 herbs, G. montanum being one of the 

 best of the dwarf kinds for the rock 

 garden, and very beautiful when well 

 established in early spring. It has a 

 compact habit, the leaves lying close 

 on the ground, the erect stems of 

 solitary clear yellow flowers being 

 abundant. It likes plenty of mois- 

 ture. G. reptans is also a pretty rock 

 plant, differing from G. montanum in 

 its finely-cut leaves, large flowers, and 

 in producing stolons, which are absent 

 in G. montanum. There is a variety, 

 however, of the latter which is by 

 far the most ornamental plant of 

 the European kinds. It is of a very 

 vigorous habit, with large, fine leaves, 

 and bears freely deep yellow flowers 

 on each stem. This form has been 

 cultivated in the Liverpool Botanic 

 Garden for over twenty years, and is 

 said to be of garden origin. 



G. CHILOENSE. -G. chiloense grandiflorum 

 is one of the best single-flowered forms in 

 the group. A native of Chiloe, introduced 

 to cultivation somewhere about 1826, it 

 is a magnificent border plant, its dazzling 

 scarlet flowers and bold habit making it 

 a favourite with all who love brilliant 

 patches in their mixed borders. The 

 double-flowered form of this seems to be 

 a more general favourite, the blooms last- 

 ing longer, though I think they lack the 

 elegance of those of the simpler form. 

 The variety Mrs J. Bradshaw is an im- 

 provement on the old double. They begin 

 to expand soon after May, and continue 

 until October. 



G. CHILOENSE VAR. MINIATUM. This 



plant, figured in The Garden in 1890, is 

 said to have originated in the nursery of 

 Robert Parker at Tooting, and was named 

 by him G. miniatum. Another plant 

 known as the Altrincham variety, or 

 G. hybridum, was raised about the same 

 time, but, unless in the flowers being 

 brighter, I see no difference. But there 

 can be no question as to the value of this 

 plant, its robust constitution standing it 

 in good stead in almost every kind of soil. 

 It flowers from April until the end of July, 

 and when doing well often attains a height 

 of from 2 to 3 feet. 



G. COCCINEUM is a rare and entirely 

 different plant. A native of Mount 

 Olympus. 



G. HELDREICHI MAGNIFICUM. Splendid 

 in colour as any orange flower, I like this 

 for Heldreich's sake as well as its own, as 

 I once spent a few pleasant days with him 

 near Athens in the time of Windflowers 

 that clothe the fields there. 



GILIA. Hardy Californian annuals, 

 i to 2 feet high, and bearing for a long 

 time a succession of blossoms either 



blue, white, lavender, or rose-coloured. 

 Seed may be sown in autumn for spring 

 blooming, and in April for summer and 

 autumn blooming ; and the soil should 

 be light and rich. The best are G. 

 achillecB folia (blue), G. a. alba (white), 

 G. capitata (lavender), G. tricolor 

 (white and purple), G. rosea splendens 

 (rose), G. nivalis (white), G. liniflora, 

 G. dianthoides, and G. laciniata. They 

 may occasionally be made of graceful 

 use as carpet plants. 



G. CORONOPIFOLIA. A brilliant (scarlet) 

 biennial from the south-eastern states of 

 America ; it is an old plant, and sometimes 

 used as a flower garden plant. It should 

 be raised early in the year, as sown late it 

 only flowers the following year. 



GILLENIA. G. trifoliata is a 

 Spiraea-like plant with numerous erect 

 slender stems, about 2 feet high, and 

 branching in the upper part into a 

 loose panicle of white flowers. Dis- 

 tinct and graceful ; is of value for the 

 garden, growing in free loamy soil, and 

 may be given a place in the shrubbery 

 or in the wild garden. N. America. 

 Division. 



G. STIPULACEA. This is a rather taller 

 plant, and not quite so compact in habit, 

 but it is graceful, and no more charming 

 plant could be introduced to parts of the 

 garden where there is an extra amount of 

 moisture and a little shade from mid-day 

 sun. 



Gingko. See SALISBURIA. 



GLADIOLUS (Sword Lily}. Beau- 

 tiful bulbous plants, the best kinds 

 natives of S. Africa. Every species 

 introduced is of value, is easily grown, 

 and is suitable for many garden uses, 

 but the charm of the Gladiolus is 

 derived from the beautiful hybrid 

 varieties. G. gandavensis and brench- 

 leyensis are the principal kinds from 

 which these hybrids come, and are by 

 far the most important class. The 

 gandavensis section suffers from cold 

 autumn rains, and the bulbs must be 

 lifted in autumn. 



They are happy in clumps between 

 Dahlias, Phloxes, Roses, and subjects 

 of a somewhat similar character, and 

 are very effective in clumps alternating 

 with Tritomas, and also when associ- 

 ated with masses of Cannas ; while 

 they are suitable for intermixing with 

 American plants whose dark foliage 

 shows off rich flowers to good advan- 

 tage. The position should be marked 

 out and prepared in the autumn or 

 winter. March and April are the best 

 months for planting Gladioli ; they are 



