Tritoma in is useful for the wild garden or shrubberies, as it seeds itself and 

 the Wild needs no care. 



Garden Tritomas Kniphofia should be largely grown in the 



borders for colour through August and September, or in large 

 masses on the lawn or in the wild garden. They can be 

 allowed really prominent positions as they are magnificent when 

 in flower, and are never ugly or untidy, and in Winter one is 

 glad of their dark green tufts. Coming from a hot climate they 

 are not always quite hardy in severe weather, but in the south 

 of England they ought to be safe and should grow well in 

 good loam or sandy soil with an annual top-dressing of manure. 

 In Spring and Summer they like plenty of water, with good 

 drainage. They should be increased by division in the Spring, 

 but it is better not to disturb the old plants more than is 

 necessary. There are a number of varieties, and many new 

 hybrids ; some flower quite early in the year, but the most 

 worth growing are the later Summer and Autumn ones. Such 

 kinds as grandis, nobilis, or longiscarpa are all particularly hand- 

 some; many of the hybrids Obelisk, Pfitzeri, or Ophir, for 

 instance have fine yellow and orange spikes of flowers seven 

 feet high. The sketch is done from a group of the common 

 " red hotpokers " growing in our wild garden. They revel 

 in the open position in the sun and rear their strong vivid 

 spikes to the sky, burning like torches. Their colour is a 

 wonderful blending of yellow, rose, and orange-scarlet, with 

 a mysterious bloom thrown over all these brilliant shades. 

 They grew very slowly to start with, but are fine clumps 

 now, though the individual spikes are not as fine as those in 

 the borders. There are many strong growing plants which 

 might well be grouped with them ; the big blue Globe Thistle, 

 124 



