CHOICE HAEDY BOEDER PLANTS. 



41 



A biennial, and stould be raised from seed every 

 year, sowing in the open ground during the spring, 

 and in this way good strong plants can be planted 

 out in autumn. It is quite hardy, standing un- 

 harmed through the severest wu^er. How this 

 variegated form originated we cannot say, but it is 

 <iuite worthy the attention of our readers who are 

 interested in hardy spring-flowering plants. 



Calandrinia. — This is a genus named after a 

 Oerman botanist, Calandrini. Several species have 

 been introduced from time to time, but those at 

 present cultivated can be reduced to a few prettj' 

 annuals introduced from Chili, such as C. discolor, 

 rose, which is also known as 0. eUgans ; C. grandifiora, 

 purple ; C rosea, rose ; and C. speciosa, purple ; the 

 latter is very pretty indeed, and all do well in good 

 garden soil. C. umbellata is a half-hardy annual 

 from Peru, by some considered to be a perennial ; 

 so very dwarf as not to be more than three inches in 

 height, and producing numerous flowers of an 

 intense magenta-crimson colour. This is a beauti- 

 ful plant for rockwork ; if it can establish itself in 

 any cool spot it flowers grandly, and for a consider- 

 able j)eriod. We would advise that this, and C. 

 speciosa, be also grown in pots. All that we have 

 named can be raised from seeds. 



Callirlide. — This is a smaU group of plants, 

 ihandsome in appearance, blooming freely from three 

 to five months continuously ; rich in colour, and the 

 flowers good in form. The name is of Greek origin. 

 There are two that come under the denomination of 

 half-hardy annuals, viz. — C. digitata, dark rose ; and 

 C. verticillata, purple : the seeds of both these should 

 be raised in a gentle heat, and then transplanted to 

 the open ground to flower. C. involacrata, though 

 classed with tbe haU-hardy annuals, is reaUy a 

 very charming dwarf prostrate perennial, producing 

 numerous large violet-crimson blossoms, fuUy two 

 inches across, and grows to the height of about six 

 inches. It does weU in light loam, and always 

 delights those who cultivate it. 



Caltha palustria {Marsh-Marigold).-rThe gene- 

 ric name Caltha is in all probabilityWerived from 

 kaltJie, the Greek for an urn, or drinking-cup, which 

 the flower sometimes resembles in form ; palustris 

 alludes to its being found only in wet, marshy places. 

 The English name, Marsh-Marigold, aUudes to the 

 same characteristic, and to the yellow colour of its 

 flowers. Gerarde states, "In Cheshire, and those 

 parts, it is caUed Bootes," but why, he does not record. 

 Parkinson states that by some it was called Gouldes, to 

 which name its golden flowers are an index. Ac- 

 cording to Eapin, the SicUiaii shepherd, Acis, origin- 



ally discovered the Marsh-Marigold growing in his 

 native pastures : — 



"Nor without mention shall the Caltha die, 

 "Which Acis once found out in Sicily ; 

 She Ph(»bus loves, and from him draws her hue. 

 And ever keeps his golden heams in view." 



The flower's modern Italian name, Sposa di Sole, hac. 

 probably been given to it in reference to this legend. 

 On May-day country people strew Marsh-Marigolds 

 before their doors, and twine them into garlands. 

 Some think the Caltha palustris to be Shakespeare's 

 " Winking May-bird with golden eye," which if 

 plucked vfith due care, and borne about, will hinder 

 "any one from speaking an angry word to the 

 wearer." (Eolkard's " Plant Lore.") 



Caltha palustris is to be found in marshy places, 

 in moist meadows and margins of rivers, brooks, 

 &c., throughout Europe, Western Asia, and North 

 America. It flowers in spring, and continues into 

 early summer, bearing large, bright golden-yellow 

 flowers, of a showy character. There is a double 

 form that makes a handsome border plant, and does 

 weU in a deep, moist, sandy loam. It is a moisture- 

 loving plant, and wiU deteriorate in a dry soil. It 

 grows to a height of about a foot. There is a very 

 dwarf free-flowering variety named nana, also with 

 double flowers, earlier to bloom than the taUer- 

 growing form. Pew plants will be found more 

 ornamental on the margin of the pleasure-ground 

 lake, where the rich golden blossoms are reflected 

 with admirable effect. The varieties of this plant 

 are increased by division of the roots. 



Calystegia [Bearbind). — The generic name is de- 

 rived from kaiyx, "a calyx," and stega, "a covering," 

 in reference to the calyx being hid by two bracts, as 

 is the case with a section of Bindweeds. It is also 

 known as the Bindweed, but this applies more 

 particularly to Convolvulus arvensis, because of its 

 tendency to twine about the stalks of com, or round 

 any erect plants, and, devoid of support, it will creep 

 along a hedge-bank, or even over a heap of stones. 

 It is to be seen everywhere along the road-sides, and 

 in our fields ; the white flowers being flaked more or 

 less heavily with rosy-pink. The Great Bindweed 

 (Calystegia sepimn) is a striking climber, hanging its 

 pure white bells in every hedgerow. Its leaves 

 are large, of a full green, and heart-shaped. The 

 Calystegias are aristocratic Convolvuluses, and two 

 very fine single forms are to be met with in 

 gardens, viz. — C. incarnata, rose ; and C. grandiflora, 

 pure white. If planted out in a good deep loam they 

 grow freely, and establish themselves, throwing up 

 in spring strong shoots that need something to 

 twine about, and they flower very freely and finely. 

 In the autumn they die down completely. G. 



