162 



Gardening for Amateurs 



for their pleasing fragrance. More showy 

 even than this is the white-flowered variety, 

 Snow Queen, of which the racemes are so 

 freely produced that at a short distance the 

 bushes resemble a small white mound some 

 3 to 4 feet high. Severe frosts occasionally 



Lupins in the flower border of a small garden. 



cut the bushes to the ground, but if young 

 growths do not push up from the base it 

 is easy to raise a few fresh plants from seeds. 

 Propagation is also effected by means of 

 cuttings inserted in sandy soil under a 

 handlight or in a cold frame in August 

 or September. In addition to its use as 

 a border plant the Tree Lupin makes a 



fine specimen when planted at the foot of 

 a south wall. 



Paeony. The garden Paeony, as we 

 know it, has been created by the florist from 

 several wild types or species, the most im- 

 portant being the European Paeony, P. 

 officinalis, the Chinese 

 Paeony, P. sinensis, and 

 P. albiflora, from Siberia. 

 Jf Exactly how long the 



herbaceous Paeony has 

 '^jaB been cultivated in our 



gardens it is difficult to 

 say three hundred years 

 at least certainly it is 

 one of our oldest border 

 perennials. Many ama- 

 teurs are puzzled over 

 the behaviour of Paeonies, 

 for while these thrive in 

 some cottage gardens with 

 the minimum of atten- 

 tion, producing quantities 

 of flowers, all the care 

 bestowed on the plants 

 in their own gardens 

 seems to be of little 

 avail. The usual cause 

 of failure is that the 

 plants have had too much 

 attention, perhaps have 

 "been lifted and planted 

 in another position be- 

 cause they did not flower 

 well the first year, or 

 divided the second year 

 after planting. Inquiry 

 of the cottager as to 

 how long his Paeonies 

 have been planted may 

 elicit the information that 

 they have not been dis- 

 turbed for ten or even 

 twenty years. Rather 

 than lift and divide 

 clumps of Paeonies which have been planted 

 less than five years new plants should be 

 purchased. The herbaceous Paeony should 

 find a place in small or large numbers in 

 every garden. 



Leaving Well Alone. Paeonies delight 

 in rich deep soil; the fact that the plants 

 when once put in are to be left for some 



