534 DICTAMNUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. DIMORPHOTHECA. 



the hardiest of Tree Ferns, and the most 

 suitable for the open air, in sheltered shady 

 dells. From the end of May to October. 

 In favourable localities it may even be left 

 out all the winter. 



DICTAMNUS (Fraxinettd). -- D. 

 Fraxinella is a favourite old plant, about 

 2 ft. high, forming dense tufts, flowers pale 

 purple, and with darker lines (there is a 

 white form) borne in racemes in June and 

 July. This plant does best in a light soil. 

 It is propagated by seeds sown as soon as 

 they are ripe, or by its fleshy roots, which, 

 if cut into pieces, in spring, will form good 

 plants much quicker than seedlings. It 

 is a slow-growing plant in most gardens, 

 though it is freer in some warm soils, and 

 a very long-lived plant where it likes the 

 soil. It is at home in the sunny mixed 

 border among medium-sized plants. 

 Caucasian Mountains. 



DIDISCUS. A native of New Holland, 

 and from i to 2 ft. high. In D. cceruleus 

 the stems are erect and much branched, 

 each branch terminating in a flat umbel of 

 small flowers, of a pleasing clear blue 

 colour, which are borne freely from 

 August to October. It is a half-hardy 

 annual, and requires rather careful treat- 

 ment, as it is impatient of excessive 

 moisture, especially in the early stages of 

 its growth. It requires to be raised in a 

 gentle hotbed, and the seedlings should 

 be transplanted in May to a warm friable 

 soil, in which they will flower freely. 

 Those who seek distinct and novel effects 

 might use this plant, as its pretty blue 

 flowers are uncommon in the Parsley 

 Order, which usually has pale flowers. A 

 little bed or groundwork would be charm- 

 ing if only as a change. Syn., Trachymene 

 ccerulea. 



Dielytra. See DICENTRA. 

 Diervilla. See WEIGELA. 

 DIGITALIS (Foxglove). 1\^. most 

 important plant of this genus is our native 

 Foxglove, and the handsomest of the 

 several species in cultivation. The best 

 of the exotics is D. grandiflora, a tall 

 slender plant, bearing large bell-shaped 

 yellow blossoms in long racemes. The 

 other kinds are D. ferruginea, aurea, 

 eriostachys, fulva, laevigata, lanata, lutea, 

 ochroleuca, parviflora, Thapsi, tomentosa, 

 but these are suited mainly for botanical 

 collections. 



D. purpurea (Foxglove]. Wild Fox- 

 gloves seldom differ in colour, but culti- 

 vated ones assume a variety of colours, 

 including white, cream, rose, red, deep 

 red, and other shades. The charm of 

 these varieties, however, lies in their pretty 

 throat-markings- -spots and blotchings of 



deep purple and maroon, which make 

 large flowers resemble those of a Gloxinia ; 

 hence the name gloxiniaerlorais applied to 

 some finely-spotted kinds. The garden 

 plants make grand border flowers ; they 

 are more robust than the wild plant, and 

 have stouter stems and larger flowers. 

 If associated with other tall plants, they 

 look well as a background to mixed 

 borders ; and the improved varieties have 

 a fine effect in the wild garden if planted 

 or sown in bold masses. They are good, 

 too, among Rhododendrons, where these 

 bushes are not too thick, and they charm- 

 ingly break the masses of foliage. The 

 seed is small, and is best sown in pans or 

 boxes, under glass, early in May. When 

 the young plants are well up they should 

 be placed out of doors to get thoroughly 

 hardened before being finally planted out. 

 In shrubbery borders varied clumps of 

 several plants produce a finer effect than 

 when set singly. The Foxglove fre- 

 quently blooms two years in succession ; 

 but it is always well to sow a little seed 

 annually ; and if there be any to spare, 

 it may be scattered in woods or copses 

 where it is desired to establish the plants. 

 Those who do not require seed should 

 cut out the centre spike as soon as it gets 

 shabby, and the side shoots will be con- 

 siderably benefited, especially if a good 

 supply of water be given in dry weather. 

 In a good variety a side shoot will supply 

 an abundance of seed. D. 



The species are : D. ainbigua, W. Asia. 

 atlantica, Algeria, ciliata, Caucas. cochin- 

 chinensis, Cochinch. dubia, Balearics. 



stachya. ferruginea, S. Europe. Fontanesii. 

 gloxinioides. laciniata, Spain. hzvigata, 

 Danube and Greece, lanata, do. leucophtca, 

 Greece. longibracteata, Austria. lutea, S. 

 Europe, lutescens, France, mariana, Spain. 

 minor, Spain. nervosa, Persia. obscura^ 

 Spain, orientalis, As. Min. parviflora, S. 

 Europe, piupurascens, Europe, purpurea, 

 do. sibirica, Siberia. Thapsi, Spain, vindi- 

 flora, Greece. 



DIGRAPHIS (Ribbon Grass}. Grasses, 

 of which the Ribbon Grass (D.arundinacea 

 variegata) is the most familiar. Being 

 hardy and perennial, it is valuable for good 

 effect in the flower garden. It should be 

 treated liberally, and renewed by young 

 plants every other year. If it be not 

 desired in the flower garden proper, a 

 few tufts by a back shrubbery will suffice. 

 It grows anywhere. 



Dimorphanthus. See ARALIA. 



DIMORPHOTHECA (Cape Marigold). 

 A hardy annual from the Cape, 18 in. to 

 2 ft.high ; the flowers of D. pluvialis are 

 white and purplish-violet beneath, expand- 

 ing in fine weather. Plants from spring- 



