POPULAR GARDEN PLANTS. 



403 



planting, the middle nearly always being ex- 

 hausted. They like a deep well-manured soil, 

 although many will grow under conditions far 

 less favourable. 



The following are the most desirable kinds : — 



1. acris. — An early -flowering sort, very free, forming 

 a mass of blue 1| to 2 feet high. Rather variable, there 

 being a dwarf form nanus suitable for a rockery. 



A. Amcllus (fig. 509). — Early, sturdy, and dwarf, good 

 for beds or the mixed border. Flowers purple - blue, 



Pig. 509.— Aster Amellus bessarabicus. 



large; disc yellow. Good varieties of this are amelloides, 

 bessarabicus, and major. 



A. cordifolius. — Graceful, rather tall, usually about 

 4 feet high ; flowers in dense plumes, late in autumn. 

 Recommended for growing amongst shrubs if the situ- 

 ation is not too dry. There are three well - marked 

 varieties, viz. Diana, pale-lilac; Albula, lilac and white; 

 elegans, bright -lilac. 



A. diffusus. — The two best forms of this are pendulus, 

 with tall arching stems and white flowers ; and horizon- 

 talis, dwarf and bushy, 

 with horizontal lateral 

 branches, and an abun- 

 dance of red and white 

 flowers. 



A. grandijlorus (fig. 

 510). — A free late-flow- 

 ering species with erect, 

 much - branched stems 

 3 feet high, and large 

 bright - purplish flowers, 

 produced in November 

 or December. Requires 

 a sheltered position. A 

 good plant for pot-cul- 

 ture. 



A. Uevis. — This and 

 A. Novi-Belcjii are the parents of most of the garden 

 forms. They vary in height from 2 to 5 feet. Some of 

 the best are : — Apollo, purplish stems sparingly branched, 

 with numerous deep -lilac flowers; A returns, with black 



Fig. 510.— Aster grandiflorus. 



stems and rosy-lilac flowers; Ariadne, purple sterns, bushy, 

 deep-lilac flowers 1^ inch in diameter; decorus, dwarf, 

 bushy, with pinkish flowers; Pyynadion, dwarf, with 

 bright-lilac cup- shaped flowers. 



A. Novce-Anglice. — Tall, and one of the latest; there 

 are four varieties, all large-flowered, viz.: pulchellus, deep 

 violet; prcecox, purple ; roseus, pale-rose ; ruber, rich deep- 

 rose. These are well adapted for growing in shrubberies 

 in large masses, where they produce a most pleasing effect. 



A. Novi-Belyii. — The numerous forms of this are of 

 great value in the garden, being tall and sturdy, and pro- 

 ducing an abundance of flowers varying from blue-purple 

 to white. The best of them are: — Albion, dense bushy 

 habit, white ; Archer Hind, bushy, pale rosy-lilac ; dt 

 bushy, flowers numerous, lilac - purple ; Ha/rpur (Jreve, 

 tall, white, tinged with rose when old ; IcBvigatus, dwarf, 

 very bushy, deep -rose; Robert Parker, tall, lilac-purple, 

 14- to 2 inches in diameter. 



A. paniculatus. — The variety IT. J. Grant is a grace- 

 ful free-branching form producing numerous pale-mauve 

 flowers. 



A. puniceus. — Tall and sturdy, flowers rosy-lilac; the 

 variety lucidtdus has purple stems' and pale-lilac flowers, 

 and pulcherrimus has white flowers tinged with lilac. 



A. versicolor. — Of dwarf prostrate habit, bearing white 

 and pink flowers. 



The following are smaller-growing species, 

 most suitable for the rock garden : — 



A. alpinus, the mountain Aster, and its rose and white 

 coloured varieties. 



A. diplostcphioidcs. — From the Himalaya, with rich 

 bright-lilac flowers, 4 inches in diameter, borne singly on 

 long stems. 



A. Stracheyi. — A miniature gem with purple -blue 

 flowers. 



A, Thomsoni. — A neat compact plant, the flowers being 

 large and pale-lilac in colour. 



The China Aster, generally associated with 

 this genus, is properly a Callistephus. which 

 see. 



The Auricula (Primula Auricula) ranks 

 among the oldest of garden flowers. In Gerarde's 

 Historic of Plants, published in 1597. eight 

 varieties of "Beares Eares" are figured and 

 described, some of them being varieties of the 

 Auricula, whilst others are not. According to 

 Parkinson the Auricula must have been a 

 favourite garden flower in his time (1629-40)j 

 In the Paradisus he describes twenty-one varie- 

 ties, their colours being ''purple, tawny, blood- 

 red, violet, blush, scarlet, rose, white, yellow, 

 hair-coloured, and yellowish-green with purple 

 edge ". Philip Miller, in his Gardeners' DicHonaiy, 

 published in 1733, says of the Auricula: "To 

 enumerate the diversities of this plant would be 

 almost endless and impossible, for every year 

 produces vast quantities of new flowers, differing 

 in shape, size, or colour". 



It is generally believed that the progenitor of 

 the garden Auricula is Prim ula A uricula. We can 



