592 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



GLADIOLUS. 



different plant. A native of Mount 

 Olympus. D. K. 



GTLIA. Hardy Californian annuals, 

 i to 2 ft. 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-bloom- 

 ing, and in April for summer and autumn 

 blooming ; and the soil should be light and 

 rich ; the blossoms are useful for bouquets 

 or vases, and last for some time in water. 

 The best are G. achillecefolia major (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. 

 A mixed packet of seed will give a fine 

 variety of colours. They may occasionally 

 be made of graceful use as carpet plants, 

 or used effectively among annuals. 



GILLENIA. G. trifoliata is a Spiraea- 

 like plant with numerous erect slender 

 stems, about 2 ft. high, and branching in 

 the upper part into a loose panicle of white 

 flowers. Distinct and graceful ; is of value 

 for the garden, growing in peat or free 

 loamy soil, and may be given a place in 

 the shrubbery or in the wild garden. 

 North America. Division. 



Gr. 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 chance to be an extra 

 amount of moisture and a little shade from 

 mid-day sun. 



Ginkgo. See SALISBURIA. 



GLADIOLUS (6w<7?Y/Zz/j). Beautiful 

 bulbs, for the most part natives of S. Africa. 

 Every species introduced is of ornamental 

 value, is easily grown, and is suitable for 

 many garden uses. The chief charm of 

 the Gladiolus is derived from the beautiful 

 hybrid varieties now in cultivation. G. 

 gandavensis and brenchleyensis are the 

 principal kinds from which these hybrids 

 come, and are by far the most important 

 class, though the earlier-flowering kinds 

 (descendants of G. ramosus, Colvillei, 

 trimaculatus, and others) are valuable for 

 early summer-flowering. The gandavensis 

 section suffers from cold autumn rains, 

 and the bulbs must be lifted in autumn. 



In growing Gladioli it is necessary to 

 prepare soil where they will be most 

 effective. They are happy in clumps be- 

 tween Dahlias, Phloxes, Roses, and sub- 

 jects of a somewhat similar character, and 

 are very effective in clumps alternating 

 with Tritomas, and also when associated 

 with masses of Cannas ; while they are 

 suitable for intermixing with American 

 plants, whose dark foliage shows off rich 



flowers to good advantage. The position 

 should be marked out in the autumn or 

 winter, and a few spadefuls of manure 

 should be dug in. As a rule, the space 

 of each clump should be 18 in. in 

 diameter, and the soil should be turned 

 up to a depth of 18 to 24 in. March and 

 April are the best months for planting, as 

 Gladioli planted then are at their best 

 during August and the early part of 

 September. A succession of planting is 

 desirable to secure a late bloom. Those 

 who desire their gardens to be beautiful 

 late in the autumn should not fail to 

 employ the Gladiolus largely, as it is 

 the handsomest of late-blooming garden 

 plants and its spikes are seen to great 



Gladiolus : The Bride. 



advantage about the time of heavy 

 autumn rains. When spikes of extra fine 

 bloom are required it is necessary to give 

 special treatment, and an open situation 

 is of the utmost importance. A deep loamy 

 soil, not too heavy, is the most suitable 

 for spikes for exhibition, but very satis- 

 factory results even may be obtained 

 by deep digging and liberal manuring 

 in soils of an uncongenial character. Early 

 in autumn the soil should be liberally 

 dressed with manure from an old hotbed. 

 After it is spread regularly over the surface, 

 trench the soil up to a depth of 2 ft., and 

 leave the surface as rough as possible, so 



