

3S5 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 15, 1864. 



Saxifraga cymbalaria, or Ivy-leaved Saxifrage, forms dense 

 erect tufts from 3 to 6 inches high, with succulent ivy- 

 shaped shining leaves, surmounted by a profusion of pale 

 yellow blossoms, spotted with orange at the base. It pre- 

 fers moist situations, but will grow anywhere, seeds most 

 freely, reproducing itself in great abundance, and is evi- 

 dently an annual. Seeds sown in June make splendid plants 

 for blooming in the following year. For the ledges and 

 fissures of rockwork this is a gay plant during the early 

 spring and summer months. 



S. aretioides is a yellow-flowering Swiss pigmy, of no mean 

 appearance in a bed, but is better suited for rockwork. It 

 is increased by division. 



Anthyllis vulneraria is pretty enough for a bed, but 

 flowers rather late, still it is worthy of a place. It is only 

 the common Houndwort, however, common enough in chalky 

 pastures, and therefore many people will not care to have 

 it. It is increased by sowing the seeds when ripe, and by 

 division when there is anything to divide. 



Kippocrepis comosa, another English weed, and a very 

 pretty one, not exceeding 6 inches in height, makes a neat 

 bed. It is an evergreen trailer, and increased by division. 



Uvularia perfoliata, and U. flava, are nice dwarf plants, 

 increased by suckers taken off with a little root. They 

 flower finely in May. 



Nartheciuni ossifragum is another plant for wet soils. It 

 would, however, be all the better if it bloomed a little earlier. 

 It is a curious little thing, occasionally blooming well early 

 in the season. It is increased by division. 



Eremutus spectabiiis, which I have not seen for a long 

 time, strikes me at the moment as being likely to form a fine 

 yellow bed to flower in May ; it is increased by offsets. 



Gagea lutea, a pretty little bulbous plant, a native of our 

 woods, G. stellaris, a Scandinavian, and Sternbergii, a Swiss, 

 make pretty beds in well-drained soils. 



Trollius americanus. This really gorgeous species which 

 is less than the magnificent T. europaeus, must not be 

 omitted. Both will grow anywhere, and are of easy ma- 

 tt igeinent. Division. 



Ranunculus illyricus, and R. pygmseus (often confounded 

 with R. montanus, which is taller, and does not flower so 

 early) make splendid beds ; but none rival R. grarnineus, 

 which is one of the many fine things to be found in Wales, 

 the double form (R. gramineus flore pleno) being the best 

 of all. Division. 



Doronicurn austriacum, and D. scorpioides, are nice plants, 

 growing about 1 foot high. D. plantagineum, and D. par- 

 dali&nehes, are about double the height of the two preceding, 

 the latter being the well-known Leopard's Bane, so plenti- 

 fully found in many meadows. Division. 



Gratiola aurea is a very pretty dwarf plant, not exceeding 

 6 inches in height, and it will grow anywhere. Division. 



Last in my list of yellow-flowering plants are Primula 

 auricula lutea, which is excellent for a yellow bed ; P. elatior, 

 P. Pallasi, a dwarf species, and P. Palinuri, an excellent small 

 kind from Naples, gather tender, but doing well in sheltered 

 situations in sandy loam. 



4TH. PTJEPLE-FLOWEKING PLANTS. 



Aster alpinus is a free-flowering purple, but somewhat 

 late, and it is not always to be depended on. It grows 

 about 9 inches high. Division. 



Lamiurn orvala is a deep purple, the plant somewhat tall, 

 and it flowers rather late. Division. 



Jiyoseris purpurea, like the last, is another tall plant, 

 having a very handsome flower much in the way of Chicory. 

 Division. 



Orobus vermis is a plant worthy of being planted in a mass. 

 It grows well in any ordinary garden soil, attains a height of 

 about a foot, and should be increased by parting the roots. 



Ramonda pyrenaica, a dwarf plant, from 3 to 6 inches 

 high, flowering in May, is a good purple, thriving well in 

 sindy soil. 



Tussilago alpina, about 6 inches high, is a pretty light 

 purple, increased by division. 



Hyoscyamus orientalis has purple flowers, with a tinge of 

 yellow, grows a foot or IS inches high, and prefers light soil. 

 Division. 



H. physaloides is a dwarfer and hardier species, a better 

 purple, and flowers more profusely. Division. 



Primula carniolica is a pleasing purple, and not more 

 than 3 or 4 inches high. P. viscosa, villosa, and nivalis are 

 pretty, and worth more attention than is at present accorded 

 them. P. purpurea, a species from the Himalayas, is, I 

 think, likely to prove the finest purple Primrose yet in- 

 troduced. When we have added Soldanella alpina and 

 montana, Aubrietia deltoidea and purpurea, which are blue 

 rather than purple, we have no more purple flowers for 

 spring, except Viola odorata purpurea. 



OTH. BEDS, INCLUDING EEDDISH PT7EPLES. 



The lack of blues and purples is fully compensated for by 

 the richness of the flowers of this division ; they are not, 

 however, so bright in colour as desirable, nor so profuse in 

 blooming as the whites and yellows. 



The Hepaticas, double and single red, are amongst the 

 foremost of spring flowers ; in fact, Hepaticas form a charm- 

 ing class by themselves, and being amongst the earliest of 

 spring flowers they deserve even more attention than is 

 accorded them. Hepatica triloba rubra (single red), and 

 H. triloba rubra plena should be associated with Snowdrops 

 and Crocuses, as they flower earlier than the majority of 

 spring-flowering plants. 



Saxifraga oppositifolia is a charming plant, making one 

 of the loveliest of beds. It should be raised as described for 

 S. oppositifolia alba. S. crassifolia, and S. cordifolia, are also 

 desirable. They are increased by division. 



Lychnis alpina, from the Scotch hills, L. viscaria, and the 

 double form of the last, are charming plants that must be 

 hunted out of their native wilds, and planted in our gardens. 

 Light soil is preferable for them. Division. 



Hutchinsia stylosa is a somewhat tender plant, dwarf 

 and very pretty. It is increased by division. 



Erinus hispanicus, a pretty dwarf plant, is very fine, and 

 of free growth, though it does not exceed 6 inches high, 

 and is increased by division. 



Epimedium alpinum is a creeper, growing some 9 inches 

 high, and having blood red flowers in April. It is a native 

 of this country. Increased by rooted cuttings, and will 

 grow anywhere, but best in wet soils. 



Phlox pilosa, amoena, and verna, are pretty flowers, flou 

 rishing in light loams, and growing about 6 inches high. 

 All make nice bedders, and are increased by division. 



Linnaja borealis, than which few plants are prettier, likes 

 dry ground, and is an evergreen trailer, increased by division. 

 It is a native of Scotland, and does not grow more than 

 3 or 4 inches high. 



Arabis rosea is a glorious plant for filling a bed with fine 

 rosy flowers in spring. It is as hardy as any Arabis, and is 

 readily increased by division and seed. 



Cortusa Matthioli is one of the many lovely plants of the 

 order Priniulacece. It grows 6 inches high, produces fine 

 rosy red flowers, and is increased by division. 



Ajuga reptans rubra, a dwarf plant, 6 inches high, is suitable 

 for wet soils, but will grow anywhere. It has pretty flowers 

 in May, and like most hardy plants is increased by division. 



Canadian Columbine (Aqmlegia canadensis), is a nice 

 plant, with a pretty reddish orange flower. It may be raised 

 from seed or propagated by division. It prefers sandy soils, 

 doing best in sandy peat. 



And why not have a bed of Geraniums in spring by plant- 

 ing Erodium alpinum, which does wellin all sandy soils ? It 

 is dwarf, has handsome foliage, and is propagated by cuttings 

 and division ; also, a bed each of Geranium nepalense and 

 G. tuberosum, which bloom in May in warm situations, and 

 are then amongst the handsomest of'pink flowers. Sandy 

 loam is the best soil, and a stock may be obtained from 

 cuttings or by division of the roots, which is a slow but sure 

 process. 



Silene acaulis, a little plant common on some hills in 

 Scotland, makes a neat mass, but is at least a month too 

 late in blooming, though it does sometimes come early. It 

 is propagated by division. 



Pulmonaria grandiflora, a fine x>fnk, and P. officinalis wii; 

 deck a couple of beds, and will grow anywhere. P. virginica 

 is as good as either of them but a little taller. Division. 



Melitta melissophyllum of our woods, grows about a foot 

 high, it being beaten by the Swiss form (M. melissophyllum 

 alpina), which is dwarfer and more profuse-blooming. The 

 flowers are flesh-coloured and fine. Division. 



