THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ASTRAGALUS. 439 



For the most part Starworts are regard- 

 less of cold or rain. Less showy than 

 the Chrysanthemum, they are more re- 

 fined in colour and form. Even where not 

 introduced into the flower garden, they 

 should always be grown for cutting ; and 

 they are excellent for forming bold groups 

 to cover the bare ground among newly- 

 planted shrubs. Nothing can be more 

 easy to cultivate. The essential point is to 

 get the distinct kinds, of which the follow- 

 ing are among the best that flower in early 

 October Aster amellus, acris, cassu- 

 bicus, turbinellus, Chapmani, versicolor, 

 pulchellus, cordifolius, elegans, Re eve si, 

 discolor, laxus, horizontalis, ericoides, 

 SJwrti, multiflorus, dmnosus, Ctirtisi, 

 ICEVIS, longifolius, coccinetis, sericeus, 

 Nova- Angles, Nova-Belgii, puniceus, and 

 mmineus. Every year adds to our 



bundling may be wholly got rid of, if the 

 plants were supported and relieved by the 

 bushes, and their flowers massed above 

 them here and there. Asters, dwarfer than 

 the shrubs among which we place them, 

 are not less valuable, as they help to give 

 light and shade, and to avoid the common 

 way of setting plants to a face as if they 

 were so many bricks. This is not the 

 only way of growing these hardiest of 

 northern flowers, but it is a charming one, 

 and it lights up the garden with a new 

 loveliness of refined colour. 



Of recent years many seedling forms 

 have been raised and named, but in no 

 case are these so good as the best of the 

 wild species, such as amellus, acris 

 and cordifolius, 



ASTILBE (Goafs Beard]. A vigorous 

 group of chiefly tall-branching herbaceous 



Aster elegans (Lilac Starwort). 



autumn-blooming hardy plants, and a 

 choice of Starworts may be made by 

 autumn visits to collections. As yet 

 gardeners seldom look at general effects 

 at the whole of things. The flowers are so 

 dear to them that the garden, as a picture, 

 is left to chance, and hence there is so much 

 ugliness and formality in gardens, to those 

 at least who regard the robe as more than 

 the buttons. Some years ago Starworts 

 were rarely seen except in bundles in 

 botanic gardens. Since the hardy flower 

 revival, they have become more frequent 

 in collections, but as yet they have no 

 important place in gardens generally, and 

 we may often still see them tied in 

 bundles, though the effective way of 

 grouping is so clear and simply carried 

 out. The bad effect of staking and 



perennials. The robust kinds resemble 

 the Spiraeas of the Aruncus group, but are 

 bolder, and perhaps better suited for the 

 margin of water. There are eight kinds in 

 cultivation, the best known of which are A. 

 japonica and A. rivularis. Moist places 

 in the wild garden are most suitable for 

 A. decandra, A. rivtilaris, A. rubra, A. 

 Lemoinei, and A. Thtmbergi, the last being 

 also known as Spiraea. These plants 

 group well, and the handsome foliage 

 makes healthy undergrowth, over which 

 the tall plumes of white or red flowers 

 tower with good effect. Division of the 

 roots, and some by the runners. 



ASTRAGALUS (Milk Vetch}. A large 

 family of alpine and perennial leguminous 

 plants, not many of which are valuable 

 for the garden. The best are rock-plants, 



