122 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



leaves may be seen in trios, whence spring three side branches, 

 surrounding the upright and central one. The habit of the 

 whole specimen is very rigid, with the exception of the flowers, 

 which are slightly nodding ; the tallest growths need no stakes, 

 and the species enjoys a happy immunity from insect pests, 

 probably by reason of its hispid character. As already stated, 

 as a garden subject this is one of the most useful ; it shows 

 grandly in front of evergreens, and associates well with lilies. 

 In borders of tall perennials, or in conspicuous but distant 

 situations, such as are visible from the doors or windows of the 

 house, or as isolated clumps, on or near the lawn, this fine Sun- 

 flower may be planted with satisfactory results ; in fact, it 

 cannot be planted wrong, provided it is kept away from small 

 subjects. In a cut state it is of such value that it cannot be 

 overpraised a branch with four fully blown flowers and others 

 nearly out, requires no assistance as a table decoration. Its 

 blooms have the quality of keeping clean, doubtless from the 

 smoothness of the florets. 



The cultural requirements are few. Any garden soil will do 

 for it, but if deeply dug and well enriched with stable manure, 

 so much the better ; it should have a fairly open situation ; it is 

 not only a Sunflower in name and form, but it enjoys sunshine. 

 It is self -propagating, and runs freely at the roots, immediately 

 under the surface ; the thick stolons form knobby crowns at their 

 extremities, out of and from under which the roots issue, going 

 straight and deep down, and so forming an independent plant. 



Flowering period, August and September. 



Hedera Conglomerata. 



CONGLOMERATE IVY; Nat. Ord. ARALIAC^. 

 I DO not introduce this as a flowering subject, but as a dwarf 

 ornamental shrub ; it differs so much from all other species and 

 varieties of Ivy, and is so beautiful withal, that I trust no further 

 apology is needed for giving it a place amongst decorative 

 plants and shrubs. I have not been able to learn its habitat or 

 origin ; its stunted tree-like shape, together with other pecu- 

 liarities, would indicate that it is a species ; be that as it may, it 

 has long had a place in English gardens, and yet it is seldom 

 met with it would be hard to explain why. On a bit of rock- 

 work I have grown a specimen for nearly five years, and it was 

 an old shrub when planted, yet it is not more than 2ft. in 

 diameter and 1ft. high. It is much admired, and many notes 

 have been taken of it. For rock work, it is one of the best dwarf 

 evergreen shrubs I know. 



It has very small leaves, densely arranged in flat or one-sided 

 wreaths. They seldom exceed lin. in diameter, and are of 

 various forms, as heart-shaped, sagittate, oval, tri-lobed, and so 



