SILENE. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. SISYRINCHIUM. 815 



for spring-flowering, seed should be sown in 

 the reserve garden in autumn, and after- 

 wards transplanted to permanent beds. 

 Flowers appear from May to August, 

 according to the season of sowing. Italy 

 and Sicily. 



S. pennsylvanica. The wild pink of 

 the Americans is a dwarf and handsome 

 plant, forming dense patches, and from 

 April to June has clusters of six or eight 

 purplish-rose flowers, about I in. across, 

 on stems from 4 to 7 in. high. It succeeds 

 best in rather light sandy soil, but is not 

 fastidious, and is a native of sandy, gravelly 

 places in many parts of N. America. It 

 will occasionally flower the first year from 

 seeds, but it does not generally do so till 

 the second season, and may also be readily 

 increased by cuttings. 



S. Pumilio. A beautiful species, re- 

 sembling our own Cushion Pink in dwarf 

 firm tufts of shining green leaves. The 

 leaves of S. Pumilio, however, are a 

 little more succulent and obtuse. The 

 rose-coloured flowers are also much 

 larger, handsomer, and taller, though 

 scarcely more than i in. above the flat 

 mass of leaves, so that the whole plant 

 seldom attains a height of more than 3 in. 

 It thrives in rock-gardens as well as the 

 Cushion Pink, and should be planted in 

 deep sandy loam on a well-drained and 

 thoroughly-exposed spot, sufficiently moist 

 in summer, facing the south. Place a 

 few stones round the neck of the young 

 plant to keep it firm and prevent evapor- 

 ation. Once it begins to spread, it will 

 take care of itself. There is a white 

 variety which is not cultivated. Tyrol. 



S. Schafta. A much-branched plant 

 from the Caucasus forming very neat tufts, 

 4 to 6 in. high, covered with large purplish- 

 rose flowers. It is hardy. As it flowers 

 late (from July to September, or later), it 

 should not be used where spring or early 

 summer bloom is chiefly sought, but in 

 summer is more suitable than most alpines 

 for edgings to permanent beds, or for the 

 front margin of the mixed border. It 

 grows, however, in the rock-garden in 

 almost any position. Seed or division of 

 established tufts. 



S. virginica (Fire />//&). A brilliant 

 perennial, with flowers of the brightest 

 scarlet, 2 in. across, and sometimes more. 

 The somewhat slender stalks lie flat on 

 the soil and the flowers are borne a few 

 inches above it. The Fire Pink succeeds 

 in a well-drained rock-garden ; but re- 

 quires careful attention, particularly in 

 winter, as at that season excessive moist- 

 ure is hurtful. It is a native of open 

 woods in America, from New York south- 



I wards, flowering from June to August. 

 The best plants are obtained from seed, 



I as it does not bear division well. S. 

 rupestris, a sparkling - looking white 

 species, little more than 3 in. high when 



! in bloom, reminding one of a dwarf S. 



' alpestris, is better worthy of a place ; and 

 so is S. Hookeri, a dwarf and rare Cali- 

 fornian species. 



SILPHIUM (Rosin Plant}. Stout 

 NorthAmerican Sunflower-like perennials, 

 of stately habit, and among those which 

 suggested the idea of the " wild garden " 

 to me. There they are at home among 

 the most vigorous growers, as they thrive 

 and flower freely on the worst clay soils. 

 S. laciniatum is a vigorous perennial with 

 a stout stem, often 8 ft. in height, and 

 fine yellow-coloured flowers, on droop- 

 ing heads, which have the peculiarity 

 of facing the east. S. perfoliatum (Cup 

 Plant) is 4 to 8 ft. in height, and has 

 broad yellow leaves 6 to 15 in. long and 

 flower-heads about 2 in. across. S. tere- 

 binthinaceum (Prairie Dock) has stems 

 4 to 10 ft. high, panicled at the summit, 

 and bearing many small heads of light 

 yellow flowers. A variety (pinnatifidum) 

 has leaves deeply cut or pinnatifid. S. 

 terebinthinaceum has a strong turpentine 

 odour. Other species are S. trifoliatum, 

 S. integrifolium, and S. ternatum. If 

 planted in numbers in bold masses, these 

 plants produce a stately effect in the wild 

 garden, especially in autumn. 



SILYBUM (Milk Thistle). S. mari- 

 anuui is a robust and vigorous native 

 biennial, 5 ft. or more in height, well worth 

 associating with other large fine-foliaged 

 plants. Its large leaves are variously cut 

 and undulated, and tipped and margined 

 with scattered spines ; they are bright 

 glistening green, and variegated with 

 broad white veins. The Milk Thistle is 

 easily raised from seed, and thrives in 

 almost any well-drained soil. The foliage 

 is more vigorous if the flower-stems are 

 pinched off as soon as they appear. A 

 few plants raised in the garden and 

 planted out in rough and somewhat bare 

 places or banks, will soon establish them- 

 selves. S.eburneum is much like the above, 

 but with spines like ivory. Syn., Carduus. 

 SISYRINCHIUM (Satin-flower\\r\- 



\ daceous plants from North-West America, 



| only one species of which is worth grow- 

 ing, namely S. grandiflorum, a beautiful 

 perennial that flowers in early spring, 

 and with narrow, Grass-like leaves ; the 

 flowers, borne on slender stems 6 to 12 

 in. high, are bell-shaped and drooping, 

 rich purple in the type and transparent 

 white in the variety album. No garden 



