HARDY FLOWERING PERENNIALS FOR BEDS, BORDERS, &c. 



in a sunny position ; grown in a good sand loam mixed with a little sandstone, if Hardy 



procurable. perennials. 



LUPINUS, Lupine. The white and blue varieties make a fine show, growing to a height 



of about 3 feet ; all are very free-flowering. 

 LYCHNIS. Amongst this class of plants I should recommend L. chalcedonica, which bears 



handsome scarlet flowers from July to the beginning of September ; height 3 feet ; 



and L. viscaria splendens plena, a dwarf variety, very profuse flowering, of a rosy 



pink, flowering in the months of June and July. 

 LYTHRUM ROSEUM, a fine showy plant, very free in habit ; the flower spikes are of a 



deep rose, and often attain to a height of 4 to 5 feet. It is also a very useful plant 



for marshy ground, or by the margins of lakes or streams. 

 MALVA MOSCHATA ALBA. An 



effective border plant with 



clusters of pretty white 



flowers. It will grow in 



almost any soil ; height 2\ 



to 3 feet. 

 MERTENSIA SIBIRICA, a pretty 



border plant with lovely pale 



blue pendant flowers ; height 



1 1 feet. 



MONARDA DIDYMA, or BERGAMOT, 



a showy plant, with bright 



red flowers, growing about 



2|- feet high ; blooms in 



the latter part of July, and 



lasts almost to the end of 



September. 

 MONTBRETIA. A most useful class 



of plants with ornamental 



grass-like foliage. The flower 



spikes, in many various 



shades of colour, resemble 



gladioli, but are on a much 



smaller scale. M. crocosmae- 



flora, with orange - scarlet 



flowers, is one of the best for 



the border, and M. elegans, 



a pretty shaded yellow, and M. Fairy Star, a rich orange with yellow centre, are 



also very effective. The Montbretias grow and succeed almost anywhere, but prefer 



a fairly light soil. There are now quite a number of hybrid varieties reared in 



France, some of which are very charming. 

 NARCISSUS. Amongst the large-flowered or trumpet section, some of the best are N. 



Empress, a beautiful variety, with rich golden yellow trumpet and large white 



perianth ; N. Emperor, a fine effective rich yellow ; N. Golden Spur, a very showy 



variety, of a rich golden yellow, the trumpet being broad and reflexed ; N. Johnstoni 



(Queen of Spain), a very pretty flowered variety with fine sulphur-coloured flowers. 



N. maximus, one of the finest, having rich golden yellow flowers, the perianth being 



finely twisted ; N. Telamonius plenus is the old-fashioned double daffodil, and still 



one of the most useful. A. few good medium flowered varieties are N. Barri 



conspicuus, which is one of the finest of this class, having a broad yellow perianth 



FIG. 374. LAVENDER UNDER THE CASEMENT. 



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