628 LEPTOSIPHOX. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



LEUCQJUM. 



open air, it would be valuable for associa- 

 tion with the finer bedding and sub- 

 tropical plants. Cuttings strike freely in 

 spring more freely than in autumn in a 

 slight bottom-heat. 



LEPTOSIPHON. Pretty Californian 

 annuals. To produce the best results 

 these charming plants must be strongly 

 grown, and robust specimens can only be 

 obtained by thin sowing. In light dry 

 soils early autumn sowing is recom- 

 mended, sufficiently early to permit the 

 young plants to attain some size before 

 the setting-in of winter. Fair success 

 however may be looked for, especially in 

 good soils, where spring-sowing will 



The Lion's-tail (Leonurus Leonids). Engraved from 

 a photograph by Miss Willmott. 



often yield excellent results ; while the 

 advantages of autumn-sowing are best 

 seen in light sandy soils. Of the numer- 

 ous kinds in cultivation the best is L. 

 roseus, which is one of the most charming 

 of hardy annuals, forming dense tufts, 

 studded with rosy-carmine flowers. The 

 very pretty L. luteus and its deeper- 

 coloured variety aureus are scarcely 

 inferior to L. roseus, which they resemble 

 in habit, though with smaller flowers. 

 The hybrid varieties of these are inter- 

 esting for the singular variety of shades 



occurring among them. The larger- 

 flowered species, L. densiflorus and L. 

 androsaceus, should be too well known to 

 need description ; both have lilac-purple 

 flowers, and are most attractive annuals, 

 and of both species there are good white 

 varieties deserving of especial recommen- 

 dation. All natives of California. Pole- 

 moniacese. 



LEPTOSPERMUM (South SeaMyrtle\ 

 One of the few Australian shrubs which 

 thrive in our country, often attaining 

 much beauty in seashore gardens, not 

 only in the south but in the west. 

 Among the prettiest effects in flowering 

 shrubs I have seen were from this in the 

 garden of the late W. O. Stanley at 

 Penross. It should have shelter and as 

 warm a soil as we can give it, although 

 it grows well near the sea and sea gales 

 have power to injure it. It would have 

 less chance in cold and inland places, 

 and valleys where the frost is more severe. 

 It may be increased by cuttings, but best 

 by seed. 



LEPTOSYNE. Californian plants of 

 the Composite family, resembling some of 

 the Coreopsis. L. Douglasi is a pretty half- 

 hardy annual, about I ft. high, and having 

 large yellow flowers. L. Stillmanni re- 

 sembles it, but is smaller. L. maritima, a 

 perennial, is somewhat tender, and should 

 be treated as an annual. It is a showy 

 plant, about 6 in. high, and bears large 

 bright yellow flowers. All these plants 

 thrive best in an open sunny position in a 

 light warm soil. The seeds should be 

 sown early in heat, and the seedlings 

 transplanted in May. 



LEUCANTHEMUM (Alpine' Fever- 

 few]. L. alpinuin is a very dwarf plant. 

 The leaves are small, and the abundant 

 flowers are supported on hoary little 

 stems i to 3 in long, are pure white with 

 yellow centres, and are more than i in. 

 across. It is rather quaint and pretty, 

 and well deserves cultivation in bare 

 level places, on poor sandy or gravelly 

 soil in the rock-garden. It is sometimes 

 known as Chrysanthemum arcticum and 

 Pyrethrum alpinum. It is a native of the 

 Alps, and is readily increased by division 

 or seed. For other species of Leucanthe- 

 mum see Chrysanthemum. 



LEUCOJUM (Snow flake). Pretty 

 bulbs allied to the Snowdrop, but bolder 

 and easily naturalised in rich valley soils. 

 L. SBStivum (Summer Snowftake\ A 

 vigorous plant, flowers white drooping on 

 stalks i to 1 1 ft. high and clusters of 

 four to eight on a stem, with leaves 

 shaped like those of Daffodils. It blooms 

 early in summer (in many places before 



