20 THE GARDEN 



FOXGLOVE DIGITALIS 



Many people think the foxglove to be the last word in stateliness and 

 unique beauty. 



In the main, this belief is almost undoubtedly quite true, and yet, like 

 all the other plants that send up one or more long, slowly-developing flower 

 stems, there are one or two decidedly annoying features about the plant. 



For instance, a well-grown foxglove in full flower is a plant of dignity 

 and great beauty, for a few days, and then the whole effect of the tall flower 

 stem is spoiled by the withering bells upon the lowermost reaches of the 

 stalk. As the top of the flowering stem is always unfolding new buds, the 

 stem is never in perfect flower, nor after the first few days is it without its 

 ragged and dying blossoms. 



Apart from this unfortunate habit, which gives the flower stem a very 

 untidy appearance — apart from this drawback the foxglove is a very desir- 

 able plant. 



The name digitalis comes from the Latin word "digitus," a finger. 

 Some claim the thimble shape of the single flowers suggested the name; 

 others again claim the name was given because the plant points straight 

 skyward like a finger. However that may be, the height, four to five feet, 

 makes this plant a suitable one for the herbaceous border, either planted 

 just in front of a clump of larkspurs or a group of perennial phlox. These 

 two just named grow a foot or so taller than the digitalis, whose flower 

 stalks usually reach just high enough to hide the lower ragged and un- 

 sightly withered leaves of these old-fashioned border plants. 



The foxglove is a biennial; that is, flowering the second year. The 

 seeds planted in open ground in March, if the month is warm, or, better 

 still, planted in April, will send up seedlings, at first rather timid looking. 

 Presently, rather large, tufted leaves appear, and remain throughout the 

 first year. In the following year, there shoots up one single, very erect, 

 stem, with oblong pointed leaves arranged around the stout stalk. This 

 stalk^^ growing higher, suddenly becomes a thinner, bud-bearing raceme, 

 thickly covered with growing blossoms. These buds grow all on one side, 

 apparently, but examination will reveal the truth; that is, the heavy bells 

 twist round the stem so that they hang downwards, apparently from one 

 side, but not really so. 



After the second year, the plants, as a rule, die out. The seeds, there 

 fore, of the foxglove should be planted every year in order to insure a yearly 

 succession of blooming plants. 



The colors are usually very delicate pinks and blues. The inner por- 

 tions of the hanging bells are thickly splotched with dark spots, giving the 

 flowers a peculiar appearance. 



These deep bells are regular storehouses of thick, yellow honey, and 

 are frequented by the bees in great numbers. 



FORSYTHLN. SUSPENS A (THE GOLDEN BELL) 



There is no shrub so delightful as the golden bell. With its graceful, 

 weeping habit, its long, trailing branches, thin, delicate, smoothly green, 

 with tiny dark splotches on the new limbs, the bush will attain a height of 

 quite ten feet. The long trailers will lie on the ground and take root them- 

 selves if left undisturbed. 



This is not a good thing to permit, however. The shrub should be 

 pruned very early in the summer, after the blooming season is over. As the 

 flowers are borne on the wood of the preceding season, the tree should be 

 coaxed to send out new shoots. To do this, all the old wood must be pruned 

 away. Do not be at all sparing with the pruning knife. Cut away al) 



