Gardening for Amateurs 



673 



Giant Plants for the Outdoor Garden 



THERE are several small groups of 

 plants which are most convenient^ 

 dealt with separately, inasmuch as 

 they are used for special purposes, as 

 each one possesses some mark of indi- 

 viduality which is not shared by other 

 plants. The Pampas Grass is a case in 

 point. Though strictly a grass, it has 

 evergreen leaves and grows to a large size, 

 forming a striking feature wherever it is 

 planted. In the following notes attention 

 is directed to a few of these special plants, 

 details of cultivation being appended. 



Agave ameri- 

 cana, the so-called 

 American Aloe, is a 

 conspicuous plant in 

 southern gardens. 

 Its thick, thorn-edged 

 leaves, with ferocious 

 terminal spines, are 

 distinct from those 

 of any other outdoor 

 plant, while its pole- 

 like inflorescences 

 may be from 10 to 

 18 feet high. If 

 planted in any good 

 garden soil it grows 

 vigorously. Propa- 

 gation is by offsets 

 and seeds. 



Arundo Donax 



is a handsome Bamboo-like plant which 

 forms long, strong shoots from under- 

 ground stems. It is found wild in South 

 Europe, and is well adapted for planting 

 in moist situations which are not seriously 

 affected by late frosts. The stems, 12 

 to 15 feet high, bear blue-green leaves 

 6 to 9 inches long. There is a variety with 

 leaves beautifully striated with silver ; it" is, 

 however, more tender than the other, and 

 is only suitable for planting out of doors in 

 the mildest parts of the country. Propa- 

 gation is by division of the clumps and rich 

 soil is necessary to ensure the best results. 



Gordyline australis is a very beautiful 

 tree which lends a tropical air to many a 

 43 



The Pampas Grass (Cortaderia argentea). 



garden in the south and west counties. 

 On a trunk several times branched large 

 heads of long, narrow evergreen leaves are 

 borne, and during summer immense pan- 

 icles of white fragrant flowers are produced. 

 C. indivisa, also suitable only for a mild 

 climate, has handsome leaves 3 to 4 feet long 

 and 4 to 6 inches wide, green with an orange- 

 red midrib. 



Cortaderia argentea, sometimes called 

 Gynerium argenteum, is the Pampas Grass 

 of gardens. A native of Brazil, it is well 

 known as a vigorous evergreen, growing 

 5 to 6 feet high, 

 twice that height 

 when in flower, and 

 forming large, wide- 

 spreading clumps 

 which are peculiarly 

 attractive when 

 placed on the lawn 

 or in other con- 

 spicuous positions ; 

 a background of 

 dark foliage helps to 

 show off the beauti- 

 ful large feathery 

 plumes of creamy- 

 white flowers which 

 appear in early 

 autumn. In the 

 variety called Ren- 

 datleri the flowers 



are of reddish-purple tint, while C. elegans 

 is smaller in every way than the type 

 and of special value for little gardens. 

 There are other species conspicua, jubata, 

 and kermesiana, but they are no im- 

 provement on the older and better known 

 sorts. The Pampas Grass thrives in ordin- 

 ary good garden soil and any necessary 

 transplanting should be carried out in 

 spring. Propagation is by division of the 

 clumps in spring; It is advisable to pot 

 the divisions and keep them under glass until 

 well rooted. Towards the end of winter, 

 when a large percentage of the leaves have 

 turned brown, it is a good plan to remove 

 most of the foliage in order to leave room 



