COMMELIXA. 



ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. CONVOLVULUS. 493 



yellow to a deep reddish-yellow. C. cntcnta, 

 C. halepica and C. media all natives of 

 Europe are smaller, and have bright 

 yellow flowers ; but all have much the 

 same aspect. 



COMMELINA (Blue Spiderworf).^ 

 charming old garden plant with flowers 

 of a fine blue, C. Cozlestis delights in 

 light, warm soils. The roots are fleshy, 

 and in some districts it is well to cover 

 them with coal-ashes on the approach of 

 winter. In cold wet districts the roots 

 may be lifted, and stored in dry leaf-mould. 

 On some warm or stony soils, and in 

 districts near the sea where light soil 

 prevails, it grows like a weed. It is so 

 fine in colour that a group or small bed is 

 always welcome. There is a white form 

 (Mexico). 



Comptonia. See MYRICA. 



CONANDRON. C. ramondioides is a 

 small Japanese plant allied to Ramondia, 

 having thick wrinkled leaves, in flat tufts, 

 from which arise erect flower-stems some 

 6 in. high, bearing numerous lilac-purple 

 and white blossoms. Though said to be 

 quite hardy, it requires a sheltered posi- 

 tion, such as is afforded by a snug nook in 

 the rock-garden. Plants placed between 

 blocks of stone thrive if there is a good 

 depth of soil in the chink and the soil is 

 moist. 



CON V ALL ARIA (Lily-of-the-V alley*). 

 C. majalis is a beautiful plant found in 

 mountain copses sheltered by shrubs, 

 and in the forest, and the best situation 

 for it is partial shelter and shade from 

 wall, fence, or trees. It is well to have a 

 plantation of Lilies-of-the-Valley upon a 

 south aspect, for the sake of earliness and 

 of producing them in succession, for by 

 this means flowers may be gathered a 

 fortnight or three weeks earlier than 

 otherwise. The best places are those 

 under shady walls. Give liberal surface- 

 dressings of rotten manure, and an 

 abundant supply of moisture throughout 

 active growth. Frost is destructive to 

 the blooms, which appear with the leaves. 

 A few Spruce or other evergreen branches 

 placed sparsely over the beds are a 

 protection, and encourage growth. Prefer- 

 ence should be given to a soft loamy 

 soil well enriched with rotten manure 

 and with plenty of sand, though fine Lilies 

 may be grown in rather heavy loam. 

 Whatever the soil, it should be moder- 

 ately firm before planting. 



The best time to plant is early in 

 autumn, immediately after the foliage 

 decays, selecting the crowns singly and 

 dividing them. For beds likely to remain 

 undisturbed for several years, the crowns 



may be planted 2 or even 3 in. apart, as they 

 do not become crowded so soon as to re- 

 quire thinning out. Cover the surface after 

 planting with i or 2 in. of rotten manure, 

 thorough maturity being only insured by 

 repeated applications of water weak 

 manure-water being the most effective. 

 Treated thus, with annual surface- 

 dressings of manure, the beds will keep 

 in good condition for years, and bear fine 

 blossoms in abundance. When the plants 

 become crowded with shoots they should 

 be thinned out, or, better still, lifted and 

 replanted. It is now largely forced into 

 flower early, the roots being usually im- 



(Lily-of-the-Valley). 



ported from the Continent, where they are 

 grown and prepared for the purpose. 1 1 may 

 be naturalised, too, on anyplace sufficiently 

 moist and shaded, and soon spreads into 

 broad masses. There is a variety with 

 gold-striped foliage, and another with 

 double flowers, but this is not pretty. The 

 finest form is called Fortin's, which is 

 more robust than the common kind, 

 having larger flowers. 



CONVOLVULUS (Bindweed). Hand- 

 some climbing herbs ; very hardy, and 

 where properly used effective. 



C. dahuricus (Dahurian C.) A showy 

 twining perennial, bearing in summer 

 rosy-purple flowers. Excellent for cover- 

 ing bowers, railings, stumps, cottages, 

 &c., and also for naturalisation in hedge- 



