A GARDENING CHART 



453 



NAME. 



Helianthus (Perennial Sun- 

 flowers) 



Helleborus niger (Christ- 

 mas Rose) 



COLOUR, AND 



TIME OF 

 FLOWERING. 



Yellow 

 White 



HEIGHT. 

 FEET. 



Various 



HELIANTHUS RIGIDUS MISS MELLISH 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



See separate article. 



The Christmas Rose is a 

 beautiful pearly flower of 

 winter, evergreen, and a 

 pleasure to seek for in 

 December, when the rose- 

 tinted buds nestle among 

 the full green foliage. 

 There are several charm- 

 ing varieties, and by judi- 

 cious selection flowers 

 may be obtained through- 

 out the winter months. 

 Hellebores are not diffi- 

 cult to manage. Their 

 chief requirement is a 

 well- prepared soil, facing 

 east, and sheltered. Be- 

 fore planting well trench 

 the site three feet deep, 

 adding plenty of well- 

 decayed manure ; and 

 choose strong crowns, 

 putting them about three 

 feet apart each way. 

 When the Hellebores are 

 planted to form a margin 

 it is not, of course, pos- 

 sible to put a hand-light 

 or frame over them with- 

 out probably making an 

 ugly blotch in the garden ; 

 but a hand-light certainly 

 protects the flowers from 

 rains and frosts, and, 

 when protection is given 

 before the buds open, the 

 fully expanded flowers are 

 quite unsullied. A few 

 clumps of Hellebores pro- 

 vide plenty of material 

 for cutting. Where cut 

 flowers, especially in win- 

 ter, are desired, put a 

 strong crown or crowns 

 in tubs, or even deep 

 boxes, and transfer to 

 the greenhouse to flower. 

 The time to plant Christ- 

 mas Roses is the autumn 

 or spring ; and, for the 

 amateur, propagation is 

 best effected by division 

 of the roots in July. The 

 most beautiful varieties 

 are the following: Maxi- 

 mus t also known as alti- 

 folius, should be selected 

 where there is space for 

 only one kind ; it blooms 



