862 SILENE. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SILYBUM. 



(S. maritima fl.-pl.} of this British plant is 

 noteworthy, not only for its white flowers like 

 those of a small double Pink, but for its dense 

 spreading sea-green carpet of leaves, pleasing 

 on the margins of raised borders, or hanging 

 over the faces of stones in the rougher parts of 

 the rock-garden. The flowers appear in June, 

 and those of the double variety rarely rise 

 more than a couple of inches above the leaves 

 which form a tuft about 2 in. deep. There is 

 a pretty rose-coloured form, less rambling than 

 the parent, 



S. pendula. There are many garden forms 

 of this fine biennial, notably compacta, compacta 

 alba Bonnetti, ruberrima, and variegata, all 

 improvements on the original. There are 

 double-flowered forms of all these variations, 

 which last longer in flower than the single 

 kinds, and also many named selections such 

 as Triumph, Snow King, Elfride, Venus, and 

 Empress of India. These compacta varieties 

 are mostly used for spring-bedding, and form 

 compact rounded tufts about 4 in. high. 

 The other forms are 6 to 12 in. high. To 

 obtain the finest plants for spring-flowering, 

 seed should be sown in the reserve garden in 

 autumn, and afterwards transplanted to 

 permanent beds. Flowers appear from May 

 to August according to the season of sowing. 

 Italy and Sicily. 



S. pennsylvanica. The wild Pink of 

 America is a dwarf and handsome plant, 

 forming dense patches, with clusters of six or 

 eight purplish-rose flowers, about I in. across, 

 and standing 4 to 7 in. high from April to 

 June. It thrives in light sandy soil, but is 

 not fastidious, coming from sandy, gravelly 

 places in many parts of N. America. It will 

 occasionally flower the first year from seed, 

 but mostly not till the second season, and 

 may also be readily increased by cuttings. 



S. Fumilio. A beautiful species, like our 

 Cushion Pink in its dwarf firm tufts of shining 

 green leaves, though these are a little more 

 fleshy and not so spiny. The rose-coloured 

 flowers are also much larger, handsomer, and 

 taller, though scarcely more than i in. above 

 the flat mass of leaves, so that the whole plant 

 is seldom more than 3 in. high. It thrives in 

 rock-gardens as well as the Cushion Pink, and 

 should be planted in. deep sandy loam on a 

 well-drained and thoroughly-exposed spot, 

 sufficiently moist in summer, facing the south. 

 Place a few stones round the neck of the 

 young plant to keep it firm and to hold 

 moisture. Once it begins to spread, it will 

 take care of itself. There is a white variety 

 which is not cultivated. Tyrol. 



S. Saxifraga is a little tufted plant of 4 to 6 

 in. with narrow pointed leaves, and flowers 

 white above and red beneath, borne singly on 

 long stems, or a few together on the same 

 stem. This is not a showy plant, but good for 

 covering the ground beneath taller things, as 

 it prefers a little shade in the light and sandy- 

 soils in which it thrives best. Easily increased 

 by seed or division, autumn seedlings being 

 wintered in cold frames in the north. 



S. Schafta. A spreading hardy plant from 

 the Caucasus forming very neat tufts, 4 to 6 in. 

 high, covered with large purplish-rose flowers. 

 As it flowers late (from July to September, or 

 later), it should not be used where early bloom 

 is sought, but in summer is exceedingly useful 

 for edgings, or for the front of the mixed 

 border. It grows, however, in the rock- 

 garden in almost any position. Seed, or 

 division of established tufts. 



S. virginica (Fire Pink}. A brilliant 

 perennial, with flowers of the brightest 

 scarlet, 2 in. across, and sometimes more. 

 The somewhat slender stalks lie flat on the 

 soil and the flowers are borne a few inches 

 above it. The Fire Pink succeeds in a well- 

 drained rock-garden ; but requires careful 

 attention, particularly in winter, as at that 

 season excessive moisture is hurtful. It comes 

 from open woods in America, from New York 

 southwards, flowering from June to August. 

 The best plants are obtained from seed, as it 

 does not bear division well. S. rupestris, a 

 sparkling-looking white species, little more 

 than 3 in. high when in bloom, is rather like 

 a dwarf S. alpestris, but better worthy of a 

 place. It is, however, a little particular as to 

 soil, thriving best in rocky debris, and refusing 

 to grow where there is much lime. S. stellata is 

 a graceful plant from American woods, with 

 starry white flowers deeply fringed at the 

 edges, on stems of 18 in. high. S. Zawadski, 

 a neat Austrian species with white flowers in 

 spring, needs the same treatment as for 

 S. Schafta. 



SILPHIUM (Rosin Plant}. Stout 

 NorthAmerican Sunflower-like perennials, 

 of stately habit, and among those which 

 suggested the idea of the " wild garden " 

 to me. There they are at home among 

 the most vigorous growers, as they thrive 

 and flower freely on the worst clay soils. 

 S. laciniatum is a vigorous perennial with 

 a stout stem, often 8 ft. in height, and 

 fine yellow-coloured flowers, on droop- 

 ing heads, which have the peculiarity 

 of facing the east. S. perfoliatum (Cup 

 Plant) is 4 to 8 ft. in height, and has 

 broad yellow leaves 6 to 15 in. long and 

 flower-heads about 2 in. across. S. tere- 

 binthinaceum (Prairie Dock) has stems 

 4 to 10 ft. high, panicled at the summit, 

 and bearing many small heads of light 

 yellow flowers. A variety (pinnatifiduni\ 

 has leaves deeply cut or pinnatifid. S. 

 terebinthinaceum has a strong turpentine 

 odour. Other species are S. trifoliatum 

 S. integrifolium, S. ternatum, and S. 

 albiflorum, in which the flowers are 

 creamy-white and nearly 4 in. across. If 

 planted in numbers in bold masses, these 

 plants produce a stately effect in the wild 

 garden, especially in autumn, but to do 

 well they need an open and sunny space. 



SILYBUM (Milk Thistle}.- S. mart- 



