NEILLIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. NEMOPHILA. 68 1 



N. Tazetta, N. Leedsii, and N. jonquilla 

 are also affected. In many cases this 

 disease is checked by annual digging and 

 re-planting in July or August ; and 

 sometimes bulbs, affected on deep rich 

 borders, have recovered on being trans- 

 planted to Grass or beds of Moss and 

 Briar Roses. Cold and wet, or even 

 richly manured soils, seem especially 

 conducive to this disease, and the only 

 remedy is to alter the conditions of 

 growth as soon as the leaves have died 

 away. A celebrated northern grower of 

 Narcissi tells me that some sorts that 

 formerly failed on level borders do well 

 on the drier and warmer grassy banks to 

 which he transferred them. Facility in 

 altering conditions of growth is often 

 the best way to save plants that show 

 signs of disease or failing in any way. It 

 is a great consolation to know that many 

 of the best and most showy kinds, if 

 broadly and naturally grown on the Grass 

 of meadow or of outlying lawn, are rarely, 

 if ever, afflicted seriously with the above 

 pests. F. \V. B. 



NEILLIA (Nine Bark\N. opulifolia 

 is a hardy shrub generally known as Spiraea 

 opulifolia. It is usually 3 to 5 ft. in height, 

 but in good soils and in sheltered places 

 it makes a bush 8 or 10 ft. high, and as 

 much through. It blooms about mid- 

 summer, the small white flowers being 

 borne in dense feathery clusters. A more 

 important shrub for ornamental planting 

 is the variety aurea, with golden leaves. 

 The yellow tinge of the foliage is ex- 

 tremely bright, and, at a distance, looks j 

 like a glowing mass of yellow bloom. 

 This variety is a hardy and vigorous 

 shrub suitable for planting anywhere. 



NELUMBIUM ( Yellow Sacred Bean}. 

 N. luteum is the hardiest known Sacred 

 Bean, and therefore the one most inter- 

 esting for northern gardens. Its large | 

 blossoms are a pale yellow, and its large 

 round leaves arise boldly out of the water 

 3 to 4 ft. I have seen it flower strongly 

 in the Garden of Plants at Paris : it re- 

 mained out all the winter in a fountain 

 basin in a sheltered and warm nook in 

 the open air. It would probably flower 

 out-of-doors in a sunny and sheltered 

 spot in the south of England. It is rare, 

 but may be procured from some nurseries, 

 or from America. The beautiful N. 

 speciosum is another noble aquatic, and 

 is well worth a trial wherever there is a 

 contrivance for heating the water of a 

 small pond or tank in the open air. 



NEMESI A. Pretty hardy annuals of 

 the simplest culture, N. floribunda growing 

 about i ft. high, and bearing in summer 



fragrant Linaria-like blossoms, white with 

 yellow throats. N. versicolor has blue, 

 lilac, or yellow and white blossoms ; and 

 its variety compacta, blue and white 

 flowers. If sown in ordinary soil in 

 masses in early spring and then well 

 thinned, the plants will have a pretty 

 effect for several weeks after June. In 

 N. strumosa the flowers display a variety 

 of colours, white, pale yellow, and shades 

 between pink to deep crimson. It grows 

 12 to 15 in. high, and has five or six stems, 

 each of which bears a head of flowers, 

 blooming from summer until late in 

 autumn. Sow in heat in March, and 

 transplant the seedlings in May, or sow 

 in the open ground after the middle of 

 May. S. Africa. 



NEMOPHILA (Californian Bluebell}. 

 Pretty Californian hardy annuals of 

 much value for our gardens. The species 

 from which the cultivated varieties 

 have been derived are N. insignis, 

 N. atomaria, N. discoidalis, and N. 

 maculata. N. insignis has sky-blue 

 flowers, and its varieties are grandiflora, 

 alba, purpurea - rubra, and striata. N. 

 atomaria has white flowers speckled 

 with blue. Its varieties are ccelestis 

 (sky-blue margin), oculata (pale blue and 

 black centre), and alba nigra (white and 

 black centre). N. discoidalis has dark 

 purple flowers edged with white, and the 

 flowers of its variety elegans are maroon 

 margined with white. N. maculata has 

 large white flowers blotched with violet 

 and its variety purpurea is of a mauve 

 colour. These kinds are all worth growing. 

 They thrive in any soil, and are of the 

 simplest culture. In spring some pretty 

 combinations may be effected by arranging 

 the masses in harmonising colours. All 

 Nemophilas are well suited for edgings 

 and for filling small beds, as they are 

 compact in growth. The insignis section 

 should always be preferred to the others. 

 Seeds should be sown early in August 

 for spring - flowering, and in April for 

 summer -blooming. To secure a good 

 display of flower, however, the best time 

 to sow is in August, and the soil should 

 be a light one, where the seed can ger- 

 minate freely, and where the plants will 

 not become too robust before winter sets 

 in. If the seed be sown where the 

 plants are to flower, the results will be 

 most satisfactory ; but if transplanting 

 be necessary, it should be done early 

 in the winter. A ball of earth should 

 be attached to each plant, and to secure 

 this thin sowing is indispensable. These 

 plants often grow better and give prettier 

 effects in the cooler northern parts of 



