62 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



Its flowers are produced when 2ft. to 6ft. high. They are of 

 a fine glistening blue colour, lin. to l|in. across, and in the way 

 of a dandelion flower, but stalkless individually, being disposed 

 in ones, twos, and threes, somewhat distantly in the axils of the 

 leaves, and all over the numerous and straggling branches. The 

 leaves are rough, of a dingy green colour, and variously shaped, 

 Gerarde's description being as follows: "Wilde Succori hath 

 long leaues, somewhat snipt about the edges like the leaues of 

 sow thistle, with a stalke growing to the height of two cubits, 

 which is deuided towarde the top into many braunches. The 

 flowers grow at the top blewe of colour ; the roote is tough and 

 woodie, with many strings fastened thereto." 



I find this plant not only enjoys a half shady place, but if it 

 is so placed that its quick growing branches can mix with those 

 of other subjects in a trellis or other supports, its coarser parts 

 will not only be partially hidden, but the rich coloured flowers 

 will show to advantage. I may mention that mine is mixed with 

 Yirginian creeper on wires, and the effect may easily be imagined. 

 It will do in any kind of garden soil, but if deeply dug and well 

 manured the flowers are vastly improved. Propagated by seed or 

 division of the stout tap roots. 



Flowering period, August to September. 



Clethra AInifoIia. 



ALDER-LEAVED CLETHRA; Nat. Ord. ERICACEAE. 

 A HARDY deciduous shrub, and mentioned in connection with 

 herbaceous perennials because of its rich flowers and dwarf 

 habit. It is a native of North America, having been grown in 

 this country for 150 years ; it is not so often met with as it 

 ought to be, though much esteemed. It becomes very productive 

 of flowers when only 2ft. high, but grows somewhat taller 

 when well established ; it is more valuable than common from 

 its floriferousness during late summer to the end of the season. 



Let me at once state that its winning point is the delicious 

 scent of its pure white flowers ; it is very powerful, and like that 

 of the lilac and alder combined ; the racemes are 2in. or Sin. 

 long, and compactly formed of short-stalked flowers less than 

 ^in. across ; they are of good substance, and in form resemble 

 the lilac flower minus the tube; the flower stems are somewhat 

 woody, and foliaged to the base of the spike or raceme. The 

 leaves are of varying sizes, oval, lance-shaped, and short-stalked, 

 distinctly veined and slightly wrinkled, sharp but finely toothed, 

 of a dark shining green colour on the upper and a greyish-green 

 on the under side. The whole shrub is somewhat rough to the 

 touch ; the habit is bushy and branching, increasing in size from 

 suckers ; the numerous twiggy side shoots of the previous year's 

 growth produce the flowers. 



