A YEAR'^ GARDENING 



HYPERICUM {St John's Wart). A low-growing, trailing shrab 

 which is often valuable for covering wild banks or the borders of 

 shrubberies. H. calycinum (the Rose of Sharon) is one of the most 

 useful varieties, as it wiU thrive in shade even when subjected 

 to the drip of trees. H. Moserianum is a handsome hybrid, bearing 

 large yellow flowers rich in colour and substance; while for the Rock 

 Garden H. olympicum, a low-growing variety, with bright yellow 

 flowers some 2 inches across, Will be found useful, to which may be 

 added H. mummularium and Jmmifusum. 



IBERIS [Can Ay tuft). Either as a perennial or an annual, in 

 the Rock Garden or the mixed border, this plant is well worth cultiva- 

 tion. Most of the varieties are quite hardy, thrive in any soil, and 

 may easily be raised from seed. Among the perennials /. conem- 

 folia is excellent, bearing fine heads of large white flowers; I. 

 Gibraltarica is a beautiful plant with flowers of delicate lilac, but its 

 hardiness is doubtful; while I. peircea is an Alpine species, its clusters 

 of white flowers relieved by a tinge of red in the centre. The annuals 

 are represented by /. umbellata and its varieties nana rosea and nana 

 alba, in which there are many colours — white, crimson, lilac and 

 purple. All are quite hardy and are therefore best sown in late 

 summer for early flowering in the following year; with a good soil 

 and plenty of room for development they can scarcely fail to succeed. 



IMPATIENS (see also under Balsam). In addition to the half- 

 hardy Garden Balsam there is the hardy annual which may often be 

 seen in cottage gardens, renewing itself from year to year by seed 

 self-sown. It is a sturdy plant, attaining a height of 4 or 5 feet, and 

 is apt to intrude itself where not wanted, but in the Wild Garden it is 

 very welcome. I. glanduUfera and longicornu are two good kinds, 

 abundant in flowers varying in colour from white to rose. 



INCARVILLEA [Trumpet Flower). A handsome perennial 

 with large Gloxinia-like flowers, trumpet-shaped and borne on long 

 stems. The plants are large-rooted and require deep, rich, well- 

 drained soil. /. Delavayi is an excellent variety and is quite hardy 

 in any but very cold and wet situations. It is of vigorous growth, 

 with large, dark-green, fleshy leaves some 18 inches long, and with 

 fine flowers of crimson-purple veined with yellow. /. grandiflora is 

 another variety — a smaller plant with shorter leaves but larger 

 flowers of beautiful carmine colour, relieved by blotches of white 

 in the throat. Both varieties may be raised from seed without 

 difficulty, the first flowering in the second year from sowing but the 

 latter needing three, or even four, years of growth before blooming. 



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