Gardening for Amateurs 



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twisted racemes of feathery-white flowers 

 reaching a height of 4 to 5 feet or more. 

 C. cordifolia grows 3 to 4 feet high, has 

 black stems, and long branching stems of 

 white flowers from August to October. 

 C. japonica (grown in some gardens as 

 Pterospermum Acerinum) is not so vigorous 

 in growth as those previously named, the 

 average height being only about 2 feet, 

 the flowers are white, in elegant panicles, 

 and appear from July to September. C. 

 davurica (dahurica) grows 3 feet high, the 

 white spikes of flowers being produced during 

 July and August. C. americana is taller 

 in growth, attaining a height of 4 to 5 feet, 

 with branching racemes of white flowers 

 in August. 



Clematis. Though the Clematises are 

 chiefly climbing shrubs, there is a small 

 group of hardy herbaceous kinds suitable 

 for flower beds and borders. The stems 

 die down in winter, but may be left on the 

 plants as some protection until spring. 

 They prefer deep, rather light loamy soil. 

 Previous to planting the roots it is worth 

 while adding chalk, old mortar rubble and 

 broken bricks to the ground, particularly if 

 the soil is deficient in lime. Annual mulch- 

 ings of old decayed manure in spring are 

 beneficial. These non-climbing Clematis may 

 be increased by division of the roots in 

 autumn or spring, choosing the last named 

 period for preference, and from seeds sown 

 in autumn in a cold frame or as soon as 

 ripe or in spring. C. Davidiana (often 

 classed as a variety of C. heracleaefolia) is 

 probably the best. It has pale blue, sweet- 

 scented flowers freely borne from August to 

 October, height about 3 feet, sometimes 

 more. C. heracleaefolia, also known as 

 C. tuberosa, grows 2 to 3 feet high, and bears 

 small, tube-shaped, blue, fragrant flowers 

 in autumn. C. recta forms a bush 3 feet 

 high, made up of numerous slender stems, 

 clothed with quantities of small white flowers 

 in August. A variety named grandiflora has 

 large, pure white flowers, and var. purpurea 

 has white flowers and purple foliage. C. 

 integrifolia, 2 to 3 feet high, bears pretty, 

 dark blue or violet bell-shaped flowers 

 during July and August, followed by attrac- 

 tive seed-heads. C. stans, 3 feet high, bears 

 blue flowers hi July and August. A number 



of interesting hybrids raised on the Continent 

 are deserving of attention. Two of the best 

 of these are Cypris, with soft blue, fragrant 

 flowers, and Profusion, pale blue. 



Coreopsis (Tickseed). The several 

 Coreopsis produce quantities of yellow 

 flowers throughout summer and autumn. 

 They are especially useful for the borders 

 of small town and suburban gardens, for, 

 taking into account the space occupied by 

 each plant, very few if any perennials pro- 

 vide greater quantities of flowers for cutting 

 during such a long season. They are of easy 

 cultivation, thriving in ordinary loamy soil, 

 and grow from 2 to 3 feet high. Plant 

 groups of from three to six plants in the 

 flower borders, or to make a feature of them 

 plant a mass along the front of a shrubbery 

 or in a bed on the lawn. Seeds, cuttings, 

 and division of the roots form ready means 

 of increase. Sow the seeds on a border 

 out of doors or in a cold frame from April to 

 June to provide plants for flowering the 

 following season. Seeds may also be sown 

 in a heated greenhouse during February or 

 March, the seedlings being planted out 

 late in May or early in June to flower in 

 from five to six months from sowing. Insert 

 cuttings in sandy soil during autumn under 

 a handlight or in a cold frame. The roots 

 or clumps are best divided in October or 

 March, though it may be done on light soils 

 during open weather in winter. Should it 

 only be possible to find space for one kind 

 of Coreopsis this must be C. grandiflora. It 

 is one of the best hardy plants for cutting, 

 producing an abundance of golden yellow 

 flowers during summer and autumn. It is 

 often treated as a biennial, the seeds being 

 sown each year with the Wallflowers and 

 Sweet Williams during April or May. C. 

 lanceolata produces showy blooms in summer 

 and is free-flowering ; there is a variety of 

 this called oculata, with a crimson-brown 

 blotch at the base of each yellow petal 

 giving the blooms a dark central ring. 

 C. seni folia, C. Tripteris, and C. verticillata 

 have yeUow flowers, and are all worthy of a 

 position in a large border. 



Dictamnus (Burning Bush). The 

 Fraxinella, or Burning Bush, is an old 

 favourite for the hardy flower border. It 

 is one of the perennials which does so well 



