4IO ACER. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ACIPHYLLA. 



northern regions, often of the highest value 

 in pleasure-ground planting, some of the 

 species breaking into a great number of 

 varieties. Among the best are the Silver 

 Maple (A. eriocarpum), naturally a very 

 beautiful tree, though we get from it 

 variegated and other forms which are not 

 of much value, except the cut-leaved one. 

 The Norway Maple (A. platanoides), a 

 beautiful tree, has many varieties, the 

 purple ones being effective. The common 

 Sycamore Maple (A. Pseudo-platanus) 

 has also a number of variegated and 

 other varieties, though none of them 

 better than the natural tree ; it is doubtful 

 if there is any finer tree than this when 

 old. The sycamore walk in the Bishop's 

 Garden, at Chichester, and the trees near 

 Knole House, remind us of its fine quali- 

 ties for avenues or groups ; and it is the 

 best of forest trees to face the sea, as it 



Acer circinatum. 



does in Anglesey and many other places. 

 Our Native Maple (A. campestre), is 

 also a pretty tree, seldom planted in 

 gardens, but of which fine trees may be 

 seen at Mereworth in Kent and many 

 other places. The variegated forms are 

 usually tree rubbish. The Virginian or 

 Red Maple (A. rubrum) is a beautiful 

 tree, as is also the Sugar Maple (A. sac- 

 charinum) and the Colchic Maple (A. 

 laetum). The Japanese Maples are inter- 

 esting and beautiful, but not quite hardy 

 and robust, except in the most favoured 

 districts. Moreover, the fine varieties 

 are often grafted, which makes them still 

 less able to endure severe weather. A. 

 Negundo is the kind which has given us 

 the much overplanted variegated Maple 

 so common in gardens. A. Ginnala is 

 worth mentioning as a low tree almost a 

 shrub whose leaves die off a rich red in 

 colour. The North American and Euro- 

 pean species are hardy as forest trees and 

 thrive in almost any soil, but the Southern 



American kinds and Japanese Maples 

 want warmer soils and positions to thrive 

 in our climate. The variegated varieties 

 in this family are too many, and our 

 nurserymen insist upon sending out many 

 forms which, however attractive they may 

 appear to them in the hand, planted out 

 soon give a poor and even harmful effect. 



The known and cultivated species are the following : 

 Acer campestre, Europe ; caudatum, N. India ; cir- 

 cinattim, California ; cissifolium, Japan ; carpini- 

 folium, Japan ; cratcegifolium, Japan ; creticum, Asia 

 Minor ; diabolicuin, Japan ; distylutn, Japan ; erio- 

 carpum, N. America ; glabrum, N. America ; grandi- 

 dentatum, N. America ; Heldreichi, E Europe ; 

 heterophyllum, E. Europe ; hyrcanum, Caucasus ; 

 insigne, Persia: japoniciti, Japan; Lobeli, S. Italy; 

 macrophylliim, California ; micranthnm, Japan ; 

 monspessnlanum, S. Europe ; Negundo, N. America ; 

 nikoense, Japan ; opulifoliuin, Europe ; palmatnm, 

 Japan ; pectinatum, N. India ; pennsylvanicum, N. 

 America; pictum, Japan; platanoides, N. Europe; 

 Pseudoplatanns, Europe, Asia ; rubrum, N. America ; 

 rufinerve, Japan \saccharinum, N. America ; Sieboldi- 

 anunt, Japan; sikkimense , N. India; spicatum, N. 

 America ; tataricum, E. Europe ; Volxemi, Caucasus. 



ACHILLEA (Milfoil, Ycirrowj. - 

 Hardy herbaceous and Alpine plants 

 spread through Northern Asia, S. Europe, 

 and Asia Minor, varying in height from 

 2 in. to 4 ft., their flowers being pale 

 lemon, yellow, and white, but rarely pink 

 or rose. They grow freely in most garden 

 soils, and, with the exception of the 

 dwarfer mountain species, increase rapidly. 

 Some of the large kinds are fine plants 

 for groups, as A. Eupatorinm. The alpine 

 kinds, such as A. tomentosa, are for the 

 rock-garden, or margins of choice borders. 



The best of the larger kinds are ex- 

 cellent for large groups in mixed borders 

 and also in shrubberies ; among the best 

 being A. Eupatorium, A. Fili-pendula, 

 A. millefolium roseum (a rose-coloured 

 variety of a native plant), and A. Ptarmica 

 (the Sneezewort), the double variety 

 being one of the best perennials. The 

 variety known as the " Pearl " is a larger 

 improved form. A. ^Egeratum (Sweet 

 Maudlin) is a distinct old kind, about 2 

 feet high. 



The dwarfer species come in for groups 

 for the rock garden or the margins of rock 

 borders, and, occasionally, as edging 

 plants, most of them growing freely and 

 being easy of increase ; but some of the 

 higher Alpine kinds are not very enduring 

 in our open winters. Among the best 

 are A. aurea, A. rupesttis, A. tomentosa, 

 and A. Clavenna. 



ACIPHYLLA. A small and not im- 

 portant group of New Zealand plants, 

 suitable for the rock-garden in sandy soil. 

 They may be raised from seeds or by 

 division. A. Colensoi'^ quite a bush with 

 bayonet-like spines, and A. squarrosa is 

 called the Bayonet plant for this reason. 



