558 



FARFUGIUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



KORSYTHIA. 



If they will only thrive in our climate 

 their distinct habit will be a great gain 

 to us. 



FARFUGIUM. A vigorous perennial, 

 F. grande having fleshy stems i to 2 ft. 

 high, and with broad leaves of light green ! 

 variously streaked, spotted with yellow 

 in one variety, and having white and rose I 

 in another. It does best in a half- shady 

 position in free moist soil. During the 

 heats of summer it requires frequent 

 watering, and at the approach of winter 

 it should be moved to the greenhouse, I 

 except in mild districts. In colder parts 

 it is scarcely worth planting out, as 

 it grows slowly ; but where it thrives 

 it is handsome in borders, or on the i 

 margins of beds. Multiplied by division in 

 spring ; the offsets being potted and kept 

 in a frame until they are well rooted. 



FEEULA (Giant Fennel}. Among the 

 finest umbelliferous plants that have so 

 long remained unnoticed in our botanic 

 gardens, their charm consisting in large 

 tufts of the freshest green leaves in early 

 spring. The leaf is apt to fade early in 

 autumn, but this maybe retarded by cutting 

 out the flower-shoots the moment they ap- 

 pear, though these are not ugly, but on the 

 contrary the plants are striking when in 

 flower. Ferulas should be well planted 

 at first, and it is only when established 

 that their good effect is seen. Where 

 bold spring flowers are naturalised or 

 planted in colonies, a group of these fine- 

 leaved plants will be valuable, with their 

 fine plumes rising in early spring. They 

 are among the true hardy plants of the 

 northern world, never suffering from cold. 

 Their fine forms in summer or autumn, 

 when they throw up flowering-shoots to 

 a height of 10 ft. or so, are remarkable 

 enough ; but their appearance when break- 

 ing up in spring charms us most. A good 

 way is to place them singly or in small 

 groups, just outside a shrubbery, or 

 isolated on the Grass, so that their 

 verdure may be seen in early spring. 

 Deep free soil should be supplied before 

 planting, if the soil be not good and deep. 

 Ferulas are readily raised from seed, 

 which as soon as gathered should be 

 sown in a nursery bed in the open air. 

 The plants, even when well established, 

 do not bear division well, though with 

 care they may be transplanted. One of 

 the best known and most valuable is F. 

 tingitana, which is elegant and vigorous. 

 It takes several years to form strong 

 plants, and the plants look like massive 

 plumes of large filmy Ferns. F. com- 

 munis is also a good species, and others, 

 including F. glauca, neapolitana, Feru- 



lago, and persica, may be added where 

 variety is sought, but the first two are not 

 surpassed. The flower-stems developed 

 the second or third year from seed are 6 

 to 10 ft. high, are branched, and bear 

 numbers of small inconspicuous flowers. 

 S. Europe and N. Africa. 



FESTUCA (Fescue Grass). Annual 

 and perennial Grasses, containing few 

 species for the garden. A variety of 

 Sheep's Fescue (F. ovina), named glauca r 

 is a pretty dwarf hardy Grass, forming 

 dense tufts of leaves of a glaucous hue or 

 soft blue, and on this account some- 

 times called "blue" Grass. It makes 

 good edgings, and when it is used 

 for this purpose the flower-spikes should 

 be cut away. F. ovina viridis is also 

 a pretty edging plant, and, being of 

 slow growth, does not require renewal 

 for years. 



FICARIA (Pileworf]. Plants of the 

 Crowfoot family, much resembling some 

 kinds of Buttercup : F. ranunculoides 

 (Lesser Celandine) is a common British 

 plant, 3 to 6 in. high, producing golden- 

 yellow flowers in early spring. It is so 

 common that it would not be mentioned 

 but for its pretty double and white 

 varieties. Moist borders, in any soil. A 

 good plant for growing under trees. 

 Division. 



F. grandiflora. A large-flowered kind, 

 about twice the size of our own, the 

 flowers being nearly 2 in. across. It is 

 easily grown and showy, and could be 

 naturalised. Southern Europe and 

 Northern Africa. 



FICUS (India-rubber Plant}. F. elas- 

 tica is not only in fair health in the open 

 air in summer, but sometimes makes a 

 good growth under our northern sun. It 

 is best suited for select mixed groups, 

 and in small gardens, for isolating among 

 low-bedding plants. It will best enjoy 

 stove treatment in winter. It should be 

 put out at the end of May. In all cases 

 it is best to use plants with single stems. 

 The trailing F. repens and F. stipulata 

 also thrive in the open air in summer, and 

 have a pretty effect, trailing up stems of 

 trees in the sub-tropical garden. In mild 

 districts they are hardy against walls or 

 rocks. Cuttings. 



FORSYTHIA (Golden Bell). Very 

 beautiful spring -flowering shrubs, espe- 

 cially F. suspensa, whose long, slender, 

 wand - like shoots are studded for a 

 considerable distance with bright golden 

 blossoms. F. suspensa is certainly one 

 of our finest shrubs, and should be found 

 in any garden however small. It is 

 at home under various conditions. Be- 



