DIAPENSIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



DICKSONIA. 



533 



Is a true perennial, though it perishes so 

 often in gardens that many regard it as 

 a biennial. It is more likely to perish in 

 winter on rich and moist soil than on poor 

 and light soil, and, when it is desired to 

 establish it as a perennial, it should be 

 planted in fibry loam, well mixed with 

 sand or grit. It grows, however, on 

 nearly any soil ; and, by raising it every 

 year from seed, an abundant stock may be 

 kept up even where the plant perishes in 

 winter. It comes true from seed, and is 

 often more than i ft. high ; flowering in 

 summer or in early autumn, and is better 

 suited for mixed beds and borders than 

 for the rock-garden. 



DIAPENSIA (D. lapponica) is a sturdy 

 and dwarf evergreen alpine shrub, often 

 under 2 in. in height, growing in dense 

 rounded tufts, having narrow closely 

 packed leaves, and bearing in summer 

 solitary white flowers, about half an inch 

 across. It may be grown well on fully ex- 

 posed spots on the rock-garden, in deep 

 sandy and stony peat which is kept well 

 moistened during the warm season. It 

 is a native of N. Europe and N. America, 

 being found on high mountains or in arctic 

 latitudes. 



DICENTR A (Bleeding Heart}. Grace- 

 ful plants of the Fumitory Order, including 

 about half a dozen cultivated species, of 

 which the finest are 



D. chrysantha. This handsome plant 

 forms a spreading tuft of rigid glaucous 

 foliage, from which arises a stiff leafy 

 stem, 3 to 4 ft. high, with long branching 

 panicles of bright golden-yellow blossoms, 

 about i in. long in August and September ; 

 it seems hardy in light rich soil if warm 

 and sheltered. Seed. California. 



D. Cucullaria (Dutchman' s-breeches] 

 and D. thalictrifolia are less important, 

 and rather belong to the curious garden. 



D. eximia combines a Fern-like grace 

 with the flowering qualities of a good 

 hardy perennial. From i to i^ ft. high, 

 with numerous reddish-purple blossoms 

 in long drooping racemes. It is useful 

 for the rock-garden and the mixed border, 

 or for naturalising by woodland walks ; 

 thriving in rich sandy soil. Division. N. 

 America. 



D. formosa is similar to the preceding, 

 having also Fern-like foliage, but is dwarfer 

 in growth, its racemes shorter and more 

 crowded, and its flowers lighter. Suitable 

 for same positions as D. eximia. California. 



D. spectabilis. A beautiful plant, too 

 well known to need description, as nearly 

 every garden is adorned with its singular 

 flowers, which resemble rosy hearts, and, 

 in strings of a dozen or more, are grace- 



fully borne on slender stalks. It succeeds 

 best in warm, light, rich soils, if in 

 sheltered positions, being liable to be cut 

 down by late spring frosts. 1 1 is moreover 

 suited for the mixed border, but is of such 

 remarkable beauty and grace that it may 

 be used with the best effect near the lower 

 flanks of rockwork, in bushy places near 

 it, or on low parts where the stone or 

 " rock " is suggested rather than shown. 

 It is worthy of naturalisation on light rich 

 soils by wood walks. It is also excellent 

 for mixed borders, and for snug corners 

 on the fringes of choice shrubs in peat, 

 as such soil suits it well. There is a 

 " white " variety, which is by no means 



Dictamnus Fraxinella. 



so ornamental, though worth growing for 

 variety's sake. Propagated by division in 

 autumn. 



The species are D. canadensis, N. Amer. 

 chrysantha, Calif. CuU//aruf, N. Amer. 

 eximia, do. formosa, do. lachenaliceflora, 

 Siberia. ochrole2ica, Calif, pauciftora, Calif. 

 pusilla, Japan. Roy lei, Mts. of India, scan- 

 dens, do. spectabilis, Japan, thalictrifolia, 

 Mts. of India, torulosa, do. uniflora, N. 

 America. 



DICKSONIA. A noble evergreen 

 Tree Fern, D. antarctica having a stout 

 trunk, 30 ft. high or more, the fronds 

 forming a magnificent crown, often 20 to 

 30 ft. across. They are from 6 to 20 ft. 

 long, becoming pendulous with age. It is 



