i6o 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Kniphofias are very effective when massed 

 along the margin of a pond, though the 

 plants ought not to be liable to immersion 

 by the sudden rise of the water. Most 

 popular of all the Torch Lilies are the varie- 

 ties of Kniphofia aloides (Tritoma uvaria). 

 This kind, native of the Cape, has been in 

 cultivation in this country for more than 

 two hundred years. Many named varieties 

 obtained have been raised in gardens, and 

 amateurs would find the raising of seedlings 

 most interesting. 



The Best Torch Lilies. K. aloides grows 

 about 4 feet high, and has orange-scarlet 

 flowers ; maxima or glaucescens is taller 

 in growth, and has vermilion-scarlet flowers 

 tinged with orange ; nobilis, 5 to 6 feet 

 high, is a striking plant with bold spikes 

 of scarlet-red flowers ; Saundersii, orange- 

 shaded vermilion, late flowering. The fol- 

 lowing are fixed named forms : John Benary 

 (Lord Roberts), red and yellow, 4 feet ; 

 Pfitzeri, bright crimson, 4 feet; Victor 

 Lemoine, bright red, 4J feet ; Ophir, orange- 

 yellow, 4 feet ; R. Wilson Ker, coral red, 

 4 to 5 feet ; Star of Baden-Baden, bronzy- 

 yellow, 6 feet. 



Much less vigorous in growth, but quite as 

 free-flowering, the following six Torch Lilies 

 are extremely showy in beds on the lawn, in 

 groups towards the front of the flower borders, 

 or in the rock garden. K. brevifolia, 2 feet 

 high, yellow, July to October ; K. corallina, 

 2 feet, scarlet and orange, September and 

 October ; K. Leichtlinii, 2 to 2| feet, yellow 

 with orange-coloured anthers, September 

 and October ; K. Macowanii, 2 feet, orange- 

 scarlet, July to September ; K. pauciflora, 

 1 feet high, canary-yellow, very free, July 

 to September ; K. rufa, 2 to 3 feet high, a 

 very free-flowering kind from the Transvaal 

 with coral red flowers, from July to October. 

 Those who wish to cultivate the lesser 

 known kinds, which are not quite so showy 

 for garden purposes, should include: K. 

 caulescens, with red and yellow flowers, and 

 Yucca-like, bluish-grey leaves ; Northiae, 

 red and yellow blooms, and Aloe-like foliage ; 

 and Tuckii, red fading to yellow, with Yucca- 

 like growth, June flowering. 



Lupin. Although so many fine new 

 perennials have been introduced during 

 recent years, the old-fashioned blue and 



white Lupins are still indispensable. They 

 come into flower in May and remain in 

 beauty for weeks. If as soon as the flowers 

 fade the stalks are cut off a second blossom- 

 ing may be looked for in autumn, especi- 

 ally if the plants are mulched Avith manure 

 and well watered during dry weather. The 

 plants thrive best in a deep loamy soil. In 

 small borders they may be planted singly, 

 while in larger gardens they may be arranged 

 in groups of from three to six plants. In 

 the shrubbery border or in a bed on the lawn 

 the blue Lupin is most effective. There 

 are several varieties ; undoubtedly the best 

 addition during recent years is the pink- 

 flowered Moerheimi, one of the handsomest 

 novelties among hardy plants. Other varie- 

 ties are albus, white ; azureus, bright blue ; 

 Foxii, blue and white ; roseus, pink ; and 

 Rose Queen, rosy pink. Seeds of nearly all 

 these sorts can be purchased separately, a 

 good number may be expected to come true 

 to colour, though a little variation in the 

 shade is to be expected. The plants prefer 

 a sunny position, though they thrive very 

 well in half -shade. The height of the plants 

 averages about 4 feet. Lupins thrive and 

 make a beautiful display in the town and 

 suburban garden. Even when the plants 

 are not in flower the fern-like foliage is 

 not without attractiveness. 



Lupinus nootkatensis is not so tall as 

 those just named, growing only about 2 feet 

 high ; it bears blue and white flowers during 

 May and June. 



Solving Lupin Seed. Seeds of the peren- 

 nial Lupins should be sown on a border 

 outside in April or May. About July the 

 seedlings will be ready to transplant a foot 

 apart in a bed, there to remain until Octo- 

 ber. They may then be planted out where 

 they are to flower. The clumps in the 

 borders or beds should be lifted and divided 

 occasionally, once in three or four years is 

 sufficient, though this may be done more 

 frequently if a rapid increase of stock is 

 desired ; October, November, February, and 

 March are the best months in which to carry 

 out this work. 



The Tree Lupin (Lupinus arboreus) is a 

 handsome evergreen shrub clothed during 

 May and June with spikes of small, yellow, 

 Pea-like flowers. These are remarkable 



