596 CENOTHERA. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



OLEARIA. 



CE. FRUTICOSA (Sundrops). This and 

 its varieties are amongst the finest of 

 hardy perennials, i to 3 feet high, with 

 showy yellow blossoms. There are about 

 half a dozen distinct varieties, the best 

 being linearis, or, as it is usually called, 

 riparia, about i feet high, bearing an 

 abundance of yellow blossoms. It is 

 always prudent to lift a few or strike a 

 potful of cuttings in case of accident, 

 though in spring the old plants may be 

 divided to any extent. Given sandy 

 loam, these plants thrive in borders or in 

 the margins of shrubberies. N. America. 



An Evening Primrose (CEnothera Lamarckiana). 



CE. GLAUCA. A handsome N. American 

 species similar to fruticosa. It is of sub- 

 shrubby growth, becomes bushy, and 

 bears yellow flowers. The variety Fraseri 

 is a still finer plant, and where an attrac- 

 tive mass of yellow is desired through the 

 summer there are few hardy plants of 

 easy cultivation so effective. In a large 

 rock garden a few plants here and there 

 give good colour, and the plants bloom 

 long. 



(E. MARGINATA. A dwarf plant with 

 flowers in May, 4 to 5 inches across, from 

 white gradually changing to a delicate 

 rose ; as evening approaches, coming well 



above the jagged leaves, retaining their 

 beauty all night, and emitting a Magnolia- 

 like odour. It is a hardy perennial, and 

 is increased by suckers from the roots and 

 by cuttings, which root readily. It is 

 excellent for the rock garden and for bor- 

 ders. CE. trichocalyx, a similar species, 

 but probably only an annual, is a beautiful 

 plant well worth growing. 



CE. MISSOURIENSIS (Prairie Evening 

 Primrose). A precious herbaceous plant 

 from N. America, with prostrate downy 

 stems and clear yellow flowers, sometimes 

 5 inches in diameter, and borne freely. 

 There is no more valuable border flower, 

 and when well placed in the rock garden 

 it is effective, especially if the luxuriant 

 shoots are allowed to hang down. I plant 

 it as an undergrowth to a tea-rose. As a 

 border plant it does not grow so freely in 

 cold clayey soils as in warm soils. The 

 blooms open best in the evening. 



(E. ROSEA (Rosy Evening Primrose). 

 There are several forms of this name quite 

 worthless, but there is also a very beau- 

 tiful perennial rosy form, which seems to 

 show that the plant may vary a good deal 

 in its native country. The one I have 

 found so useful is less than i foot high 

 and of easy propagation and culture in 

 ordinary soil. 



CE. SPECIOSA A handsome plant, with 

 many large flowers, at first white, changing 

 to a delicate rose. The plant is erect and 

 its stems almost shrubby, 14 to 18 inches 

 high. A true perennial, valuable for 

 borders, or the rougher parts of the rock 

 garden in good loam. It is a native of 

 N. America, and is increased by division, 

 cuttings, or seeds, but does not seed freely 

 in this country. Its variety, rosea, is also 

 to be recommended. 



CE. TARAXACIFOLIA (Chilian Evening 

 Primrose). One of the finest, of a low 

 trailing growth and large blossoms, which 

 attain their full size towards evening. It 

 has a fine effect in rich deep soil in the 

 rock garden, where its trailing stems can 

 droop over the ledge of a block of stone. 

 The flowers, 2^ to 3^ inches across, are 

 pure white, changing to a delicate pink. 



CE. TRILOBA. A handsome hardy annual 

 species, dwarf, with large and showy 

 yellow blossoms. Other showy annuals 

 are CE. sinuata and its variety maxima, 

 (E macrantha, odorata, bistorta, Veitchiana, 

 and Dvummondi. These are all worthy of 

 culture, requiring the treatment of half- 

 hardy annuals, and ordinary garden soil. 



OLEARIA (Daisy Trees] .Pretty 

 evergreen bushes, natives of Australia 

 and New Zealand. Their only fault 

 is in not proving really hardy, ex- 

 cept in warm localities in the south- 

 ern counties. They may exist in 

 other districts, but gardens are none 



