86 



CASSELL'S POPULAE GAEDENING. 



Various explanations have Ijeen given as to the 

 apparently inappropriate English name of Foxglove. 

 In some Saxon MSS. it is ■written " Foxes cleofi." 

 Now, cleoff is " a bed or nest," and in those days 

 of phonetic spelling, "Folcs" might readily pass 

 into " Foxes." If this were so, then the Saxons 

 called this the "Folcs oleofE," or "Fairies' bed." 

 " The Foxglove is the special fairy flower ; in its 

 spotted bells the ' good folk ' delight to nestle." 



Of the many perennial species that have been in- 

 troduced to this country, only one or two remain 

 in our gardens at the present day. The best known 

 is J), lutea or D. grandiflora, a yellow-flowered 

 form, quite hardy, easily grown, and forming an 

 effective plant. But nothing else in the Foxglove 

 way can compare with the fine improved varieties of 

 D. purpurea, now so much grown in gardens; 

 especially what is known as the " Spotted Strain." 

 There are now many varieties, of varying shades 

 of colour, and, whether they are white, flesh, 

 pink, rose, lilac, purple, or crimson, the interior of 

 the flowers is very handsomely spotted with dark 

 blotches^ while the flowers are very large and 

 singularly handsome. They are well adapted for 

 shrubbery borders, and do well in a, deep sandy 

 loam. They can also be used with great effect on 

 the margins of low evergreens. We recently saw 

 some large beds of the common Irish Ivy growing 

 under the spreading branches of huge Cedars of 

 Lebanon ; and on the margins of these Ivy carpets 

 were plants of these fine Foxgloves, and the effect 

 was delightful. 



As the varieties of D. purpurea are biennials, some 

 seed should be sown every year in May, so as to 

 have a succession of plants. It should be sown on 

 an open spot in the garden, and when the plants 

 are large enough they can be transplanted to where 

 they have to flower. As they are liable to be 

 damaged by the wind, a sheltered position should 

 be afforded them. 



Doronieum [Leopards-bame). — The Leopards- 

 bane is a name derived from two Greek words, 

 signifying "a pard," and "choke," the name of some 

 poisonous plant, which Neander says, in his 

 " Theriaoa," was used in Mount Ida to destroy wild 

 beasts: transferred by Turner to the Truelove, a 

 very innoxious one — Paris quadrifolia, a native of 

 thickets in Europe, Asia, and North America. It 

 is considered a narcotic poison ; its berries, which, 

 it is said, poison poultry, are the more deleterious 

 parts of the plant. 



Why the Doronieum is called the Leopards-bane, 

 is not made clear. We get Doronieum from the 

 Asiatic name, Doronigi. It represents a genus of 

 early-flowering and hardy herbaceous plants for 



borders. AH the species and varieties now found in 

 gardens bear yellow flowers. One of the best known 

 is D. cauoaaicum, the Caucasian Doronieum, a showy 

 perennial, growing about a foot in height, bearing 

 in spring large yellow flowers. D. austriacum is 

 the Austrian Doronieum, taller than the foregoing, 

 and a little later in flowering ; a native of Hungary 

 and Bohemia ; also yellow-flowered. One of the best 

 is J). Olusii, a fine and showy form, producing large 

 bright yellow flowers in great profusion. The 

 Doronicums are accommodating plants, and do well 

 in- any good garden soil ;' and can be readily propa- 

 gated by dividing the plants after they have done 

 blooming. Clumps can be lifted in early spring, 

 placed in pots, and brought into flower early under 



Epilotium ( Willow Serb or French Willow).— 

 We get the generic name from «pi, "upon," andfoios, 

 "apod;" the flowers being superior, and seated on the 

 seed-pod. The common name is derived from the 

 leaves of the plant bearing resemblance to those of 

 the Willow. The Hairy Willow Herb, E. hirsutum, 

 is known by the common name of Codlins and 

 Cream, or Apple Pie, on account of its smeU. 

 This should be planted by the margins of streams, 

 ponds, &c. , as it loves moist places. It is a native 

 of Britain, and frequently to be met with by the 

 margins of streams. E. angustifolium, the French 

 Willow, is perhaps the most showy perennial that 

 blooms in the middle of summer; colour bright 

 crimson, and there is a pure white variety of it 

 also, equally valuable. It is a native of the moun- 

 tain woods and pastures of Europe and Siberia, and 

 many parts of Britain. When planted in a border 

 it runs so quickly as to become a troublesoine weed ; 

 but when allowed to run wild in a rough shrubbery 

 or copse, with Foxgloves, it is a very fine decorative 

 plant. E. Dodoncei is of dwarfer growth, bearing 

 deep rose flowers in summer, and doing well in 

 borders and upon the edges of shrubberies. It is 

 a native of Piedmont. E. rosmarinifoUum is the 

 Eosemary French Willow, gTOwing two to three 

 feet, bearing purplish-rose flowers, and, like the 

 foregoing, deserves a place in the border. It is a 

 first-rate and easily-grown perennial, not nearly so 

 much cultivated as it deserves to be. It is a native 

 of Europe. All the foregoing do well in a moist 

 loam, and when planted in the border should be 

 allowed sufficient space to develop themselves. 



Erpetion reniforme. — This is the Kidney- 

 leaved New Holland Violet, a delightful little plant 

 that mantles the ground with a mass of small 

 kidney-shaped leaves, has numerous slender creep- 

 ing and rooting stems, and bears blue and white 



