742 



PRIMULA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PRIMULA. 



by change of soil and locality and break- 

 ing up, nothing can keep them. 



The secret of growing double-primroses 

 differs little, if at all, from that of the I 

 more delicate perennials, two points being I 

 specially to be observed protection from i 

 cutting and strong winds, and that they 

 be grown together in beds massed, not | 

 dotted through the herbaceous border. \ 

 Beyond this only such knowledge is j 

 required as can be obtained by experience 

 in the management of this class of plants. j 



THE POLYANTHUS. Though the origin j 

 of this beautiful old-fashioned flower is I 

 somewhat obscure, it is considered to be 

 a form of the common P. vulgaris with 

 the stems developed. Polyanthuses are 

 not at all sufficiently appreciated, con- 



usual, and Maddock, in the following 

 passage, describes a very beautiful varia- 

 tion of the flower: "The ground colour 

 is most to be admired when shaded with 

 dark rich crimson resembling velvet, with 

 one mark or stripe in the centre of each 

 division of the limb, bold and distinct 

 from the edging down to the eye, where 

 it should terminate in a fine point." He 

 further says : " The pips should be large, 

 quite flat, and as round as may be con- 

 sistent with their peculiarly beautiful 

 figure, which is circular, excepting those 

 small indentures between each division of 

 the limb, which divide it into five or six 

 heart-like segments. The edging should 

 resemble a Bright gold lace, bold, clear, 

 and distinct, and so nearly of the 



Primrose Munstead Early White. 



sidering the wonderful array of beauty 

 they present, and that for rich and 

 charmingly inlaid colouring they surpass 

 all other flowers of our spring gardens. 

 It would require pages to describe even 

 the good varieties. At one time the 

 Polyanthus was highly esteemed as a 

 florists' flower, and none in existence 

 better deserved the attention and regard 

 of amateurs ; but nearly all the choice old 

 kinds are now lost, and very few florists 

 really pay any attention to the flower. 

 In consequence, however, of the great 

 facility with which varieties are raised 

 from seed, nobody need be without 

 handsome kinds, especially as raising 

 them will prove interesting amusement 

 for the amateur. The rules of the florists 

 are in this case of a little more value than 



same colour as the eye and stripes as 

 scarcely to be distinguished. In short, 

 the Polyanthus should possess a graceful 

 elegance of form, a richness of colouring, 

 and symmetry of parts not to be found 

 united in any other flower." Here, 

 however, as in most similar cases, the 

 grower will do well to select the most 

 beautiful of his own raising, and not be 

 tied by any conventional rules. 



As to the capabilities of the various 

 kinds of Polyanthus, it would be difficult 

 to name any hardy flower which is so 

 generally useful. The finer varieties are 

 worthy of a place in the rock-garden 

 amidst the choicest alpine plants ; while 

 the showier ones are suitable for spring 

 bedding. Numbers of vigorous varieties 

 will form the most appropriate ornaments 



