142 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



This "Henderson's clematis" is a fine climber, running ten 

 to fifteen feet, and producing- an abundant display of large 

 handsome flowers of a purplish-blue colour. One of the 

 grandest natural species .(as distinguished from garden 

 varieties) is Clematis latiuginosa. This produces flowers of 

 immense size, the colour a soft lavender-blue or lilac- 

 tinted grey, which is enriched with a tuft of reddish 

 anthers. This plant does not flower so freely or so con- 

 tinuously as to satisfy the exigent florists, and the question 

 has arisen, What can we do to improve it ? 



In the year 1858 Mr. George Jackman, of the Woking 

 Nurseries, made an endeavour to meet that question, and 

 extraordinary results have followed therefrom. He crossed 

 C. lanuginoaa with C. Hendersoni, and obtained two new 

 and splendid varieties, producing flowers remarkable for 

 their richness of colouring, their excessive profusion, and 

 their long continuance. Rarely in the history of practical 

 floriculture have we seen so great a triumph accomplished 

 at one bound. The two new sorts were named respec- 

 tively C. Jackmanni and C. rubro-violacea. The first- 

 named is certainly one of the most popular garden flowers 

 known. The other, of which we present a faithful 

 portrait, is less popular, but not less worthy of esteem ; 

 for its flowers are exquisitely coloured and lustrous, and 

 are produced in the most prodigal profusion in fact, 

 a verandah well clothed with this clematis will present 

 during the later summer months a display of colour of 

 the most surprising and delightful character. 



These two varieties have in their turn produced in- 

 numerable seedlings ; and from other crosses, effected by 

 various cultivators, there have been secured valuable 

 additions to the list of garden forms of this hardy and 



