362 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Herniaria glabra. — Useful for carpet -bedding, as it 

 forms dense tufts of leaves of a fresh-green colour all the 

 year round. It spreads rapidly, and is most useful for 

 covering bare spaces. On very cold soils it may fail in 

 winter, but as a general rule it is hardy. Native of 

 Europe and North Asia. There is a pretty golden-leaved 

 variety. Increased by cuttings. 



Hesperis matronalis fl. pi., the old Double Rocket, 

 is a favourite border plant, especially in old-fashioned 

 gardens. Its flowers are white with a tinge of pink, and 

 are sweet-scented, especially in the evening. It thrives 

 best in a strong soil, attaining a height of 1^ foot. The 

 several forms of it include single and double, white and 

 blue, or purple. They are frequently treated as annuals. 

 After flowering the spikes should be cut down close and 

 the sides shoots treated as cuttings, planting them out as 

 soon as rooted. 



Heuchera. — Pretty little plants related to Saxifrages, 

 and well worth a place in the border or rockery. H. 

 sanguinea is the best of them; it flowers in spring, the 

 red bell-like flowers being gracefully arranged on slender 

 scapes a foot or more long, and rising from the Geranium- 

 like tuft of roundish, slightly hairy leaves. Propagation is 

 effected by seeds. 



H. macrophylla. Bronzy foliage, 2 feet. North America. 

 H. micrantha. Cream, 1 to H foot. North-west America. 

 H. Richardsoni. White, veined-purple, rich reddish-brown foli- 

 age, 2 to 4 feet. North America. 

 H. sanguinea. Coral-scarlet, 2 feet. New Mexico. 



,, var. grandifiora. 



„ var. alba. 



Houstonia. — Pretty little plants for the rock garden. 

 The leaves are tiny, in small tufts, and the flowers are 



Fig. 441.— Houstonia coeiulea. 



small, white, or of a pleasing blue colour. They grow best 

 in sandy peat in a well-drained position in the rockery. 

 It is best to keep a reserve stock in frames, as they do not 

 winter well. This can be done by cuttings, division, or 

 seeds. 



H. ccerulea (fig. 441). Blue, 4 inches. North America. 

 var. alba. White. 



H. serpyllifolia. Bluish, 4 inches. North America. 



Humulus Lupulus. — The Hop is useful as a summer 



creeper for covering verandahs, summer-houses, pergolas, 

 &c There is a variegated form of it. The female is more 

 ornamental than the male. 



Hyacinth us. — Suitable for border, rockery, or natural- 

 izing. H. azureus is one of the most charming of early 

 spring flowers. It begins to flower quite early in January, 

 and is good for 2 or 3 months. In habit it resembles the 

 Grape Hyacinth, but the difference lies in the open 

 perianth, Muscari having a constricted urceolate perianth. 

 The colour of the flowers is a lovely azure-blue. H. ame- 

 thystinus is a good plant for naturalizing, and should be 

 more used for that purpose. 



H. amethystinus. Amethyst, 1 foot. Pyrenees. 

 H. azureus. Azure-blue, 9 inches. Asia Minor. 

 H. orientalis. Dark-blue, 1 foot. Mediterranean region. The 

 parent of the popular garden Hyacinths. 



Hypericum (St. John's Wort). — Mostly shrubby plants, 

 a few herbaceous, of which perhaps the best is the large- 

 flowered H. olympicum. They like a well-drained sandy 

 loam and a warm sunny position. Propagated by cuttings 

 or seeds. 



H. Ccrris. Yellow, 6 inches. South Europe. 

 H. nummularium. Yellow, 2 inches. Pyrenees. 

 H. olympicum. Large, yellow, 1 foot. Asia Minor. 

 H. reptans. Large flowers, dwarf. Himalaya. 



Iberis (Candytuft). — A very useful genus either for the 

 border or rockery, for spring and early summer flowering. 

 They form cushion-like tufts of evergreen shoots, covered 

 in spring with pure white flowers. Dry sandy soils and 

 rock-work fuit them well. /. sempervirens var. Garrexiana 

 is an excellent plant for quickly covering unsightly por- 

 tions of the rockery. /. saxatilis is a charming dwarf 

 alpine. I. gibraltarica is a taller-growing species with 

 large flowers slightly tinged with rose. Increased by 

 seeds or cuttings. 



I. gibraltarica. White, 1 foot. Spain, Morocco. 



/. saxatilis. White, dwarf for rockery. South Europe. 



/. sempervirens. Snowy white, 9 inches. South Europe. 



var. Garrexiana. Large heads of white flowers. 



Incarvillea. — A small genus related to Bignonia. Most 

 of the species are of recent introduction. The best is 

 /. Delavayi, a good plant for the border or rock garden, 

 being perfectly hardy, the leaves perishing in winter 

 whilst the fleshy root - stock survives. The leaves are 

 pinnate and about 1 foot in length. The rose-red and 

 yellow flowers, 2 to 12 in number, are borne on scapes 

 from 1 to 2 feet in length. Easily increased by seeds, 

 and if these are sown early the plants may be got to 

 flower the first season. 



/. Delavayi (fig. 442). Rosy-crimson. 1\ to 2 feet. China. 



/. Olgce. Bright-rose, 3 feet. Turkestan. 



I. variabilis. Pink, very free, l£ foot. 



Inula. — Large -flowered Composites, a few of which are 

 useful for the border. In hot summers they grow with 

 great vigour and produce large Sunflower-like heads of 

 rich orange-yellow flowers. They succeed in any garden 

 soil. Propagated by seeds or division. 



I. ensifolia. Yellow (small), 6 to 8 inches. South Europe. 



I. glandulosa. Rich old gold, 2 feet. Caucasus. 



/. grandifiora. Deep-orange, 2 feet. Himalaya. 



Ixiolirion. — A small genus of Amaryllidese with tuni- 

 cated bulbs, linear leaves, and erect scapes of umbellate 

 clusters of bell-shaped flowers over an inch long. They 

 are perfectly hardy, thriving in a loamy soil in a sunny 

 border. 



7. montamim. Bright-lilac, 2 feet. Syria. 

 ., var. tartaricum. Deeper-blue. 



,, var. macranthum. Larger flowers. 



