FUNKIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



565 



spikes of bell-shaped flowers, but the 

 chief value is in the foliage. They are 

 noble plants, most useful for many 

 positions in the garden, while few lend 

 such a fine effect as F. Sieboldi when 

 finely developed. They are highly suit- 

 able for grouping, and few plants thrive 

 better in open places in shrubberies. 

 The bold striking foliage of some of the 

 strongest plain-leaved section renders 

 them very effective for edging large beds, 

 while the kinds with variegated foliage, 

 such as F. undulata variegata, make 

 .good groups, or are suitable for edgings. 



as a flower-garden plant, but with us 

 it does not flower regularly unless in 

 sunny spots and warm, well-drained, 

 and very sandy loam. The young 

 leaves are a favourite prey of slugs 

 and snails. It is also known as F. 

 subcordata. 



F. lancifolia is a small species, with 

 tufts of lance-shaped leaves, narrowing 

 from the middle towards both ends. 

 There are some interesting varieties, 

 chief among which are the white-flowered 

 variety (alba or speciosa as it is more 

 commonly called), a beautiful plant, 





Plantain Lily (Funkia Sieboldi). 



They are best seen in well-drained 

 deep soil. All are easily multiplied by 

 -division in spring or autumn. The best 

 are 



F. Fortune!. This strong species has 

 smaller and more leathery leaves than F. 

 Sieboldi, and they are of a much more 

 bluish or glaucous tint. The flowers are 

 pure white or pale mauve. 



F. grandiflora is 12 to 18 in. high, 

 producing in August and September 

 numerous large, handsome, pure white, 

 sweet-scented flowers. In some places 

 it is used for edging, but is best seen in 

 tufts, in beds or borders, in a well-drained 

 .sandy loam.^ About Paris it is grown 



spathulata, and plantaginifolia, with long 

 narrow leaves. There are some very 

 pretty varieties with leaves of different 

 variegation, all well worth growing ; 

 notably albo-marginata, with a narrow 

 white line along the margin of the leaf ; 

 undulata variegata, in which the leaves 

 are undulated on the margin and varie- 

 gated on the greater part of the surface ; 

 and umvittata, with a broad white midrib 

 to the leaf. 



F. ovata has large tufts of broad, deep, 

 shining green leaves. Flower-stems 12 or 

 1 8 in. high, terminating in a short raceme 

 of lilac-blue flowers, which appear in late 

 summer and autumn. One of the strongest 



