COMMON GARDEN FLOWERS. 



257 



also known as tlie Greek Valerian, which appears 

 to he a name of uncertain origin. The generic 

 name is from polemos, " war ; '" and according to 

 Pliny a dispute about its discovery led to a war. 

 P. cwruk>iiii,-vrhich. is usually regarded as the Jacob's 

 Ladder, is an old garden favourite, with its tender 



that it has become a favourite bedding plant, also for 

 the roekwork, and for edgings, but when used in 

 this manner the flower-spikes should be kept cut 

 away. In good garden soU, the variegated foi-m, 

 known as P. cmruleum variegatum^ is easily cultivated, 

 but it is apt to go ofi on a very wet clayey ground, 



DODECATHEOi; JefFRETI. 



green leaves, and rather showy blue flowers, and is 

 widely diffused over the northern regions of the 

 world. It is a British plant, but abounds also in 

 Siberia and Northern Europe. It is a fine border 

 plant, producing panicles of blue flowers in early 

 summer, and doing well in ordinary garden soil. 

 There are several varieties of this species, and one 

 has white flowers [P. ewruleum album) and forms a 

 handsome and attractive plant. The striking beauty 

 of the variegated variety is so generally recogiused 

 41 



while it will flourish in a deep, rich, well-drained 

 loam. As regards its propagation, it is effected by 

 simply digging up well-established old plants, pulling 

 them in pieces, and then planting them immediately 

 in a nursery bed of good soil. This is best done in 

 early autumn, so that the young plants ma)' be 

 nicely established before mid-winter. P. reptans, the 

 creeping Polemonium, is a low spreading kind, and 

 a valuable spring-flowering species, with panicles of 

 blue flowers. This is a native of North America, 



