August, 1915 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



Caucasus and Asia Minor, which blossom in 

 July. Most interesting among these are 

 Cytisus nigricans, C. capitatus and Genista 

 tinctoria, var. elata, all three good garden 

 plants unfortunately too rarely seen in 

 American gardens. The Bladder Sennas 

 (Colutea arborescens and C. cilicica) flower 

 in July, and C. orienialis which flowers 

 earlier is covered with large thin-walled in- 

 flated pods which are tinged with pink and 

 are very ornamental. 



The yellow shrubby Cinquefoil (Po- 

 tentilla fruticosa) its variety parvifolia and 

 the white-flowered variety Veitchii, blossom 

 in summer early and late and do well in 

 sunny situations. A St. John's Wort 

 (Hypericum pabulum var. Henryi), a new 

 comer from western China which grows 

 2-3 feet tall and bears large deep yellow 

 flowers, is also worthy of note. With blue 

 or bluish flowers two shrubby species of 

 Clematis (C. heracleaefolia from northern 

 China; C. stans from Japan) bloom during 

 this midseason. Of each there are several 

 varieties and the flowers are more or less 

 tubular in shape. These plants grow 

 about 3 feet tall and behave much as do 

 herbaceous perennials. Another beautiful 

 little plant with blue flowers unfortunately 

 not hardy around Boston is Caryopteris 

 incana (better known as C. Mastacanthus), 

 native of Japan and China. 



The largest group of midseason shrubs 

 has flowers of pink, red and purple. Be- 

 longing to the Pea family the most beauti- 

 ful are Indigofera and Lespedeza. Of the 

 first named /. Kirilowii with bright rose- 

 pink flowers, hails from Korea and north- 

 ern China, and /. decora with white flowers 

 from Japan and northern China. Both are 

 low sub-shrubby plants with twiggy shoots 

 and bright green pinnate leaves and large 

 and lovely flowers on long erect racemes. 

 They commence to blossom in late June 

 and continue to do so for a couple of months. 

 Another species /. Gerardiana from the 

 Himalayas has rose-colored flowers but it 

 is a less valuable plant for northern gardens. 

 A fourth and new introduction from central 

 China is /. amblyantha. This is an erect, 



little-branching shrub 5 to 6 feet tall with 

 erect racemes of pink or rose-red colored 

 flowers. It is a pleasing shrub and remark- 

 able inasmuch as the racemes continue to 

 elongate and produce blossoms from late 

 June until the frosts appear. 



Of Lespedeza the hardiest are L. bicolor, 

 L. formosa and L. cyrtobotrya all three 

 twiggy floriferous shrubs. 



A very charming small shrub much too 

 infrequently met with in gardens is Calli- 

 carpa japonica. This plant has opposite 

 leaves and from the axil of each and every- 

 one arise short stalked flattened clusters 

 of pinkish flowers. These are quickly 

 followed by masses of small, round rose- 

 purple fruits which last until the frosts come 

 and which, as the generic name indicates, 

 are very beautiful. 



A comparatively new and highly de- 

 dirable plant is Elsholtzia Stauntonii, intro- 

 duced in 1905, to the Arnold Arboretum 

 by Mr. J. G. Jack from near the Great Wall 

 of China north of Peking. This is almost 

 a herbaceous plant and may be treated as 

 such. It has terminal and lateral, more or 

 less erect racemes of rose-purple flowers 

 with long exserted stamens and is most 

 attractive. 



As a group with lilac, rose and vinous- 

 purple flowers the most valuable recent 

 addition to midseason shrubs is unques- 

 tionably Buddleia Davidii (more generally 

 known as B. variabilis) and its varieties, 

 and these are fast winning well-deserved 

 popularity in this country under the name 

 of Summer Lilac. They are inhabitants of 

 central and western China where they are 

 essentially fluviatile plants though here 

 and there they ascend moist herb or shrub- 

 clad slopes. They are scarcely hardy as 

 far north as Boston, Mass., but cuttings of 

 half-ripe wood inserted under glass in 

 autumn root readily and these if planted 

 out early in June will make large bushes 

 and flower profusely in August and Septem- 

 ber. A rich loamy soil, full sunshine and 

 an abundant water supply are the essentials. 

 Grown in this manner I have measured the 

 tail-like inflorescence over thirtv inches 



long. In this Magazine for April of this 

 year appeared an illustrated article on 

 these plants so there is no need even for 

 the introducer to enter into further details 

 concerning them. But as an expression of 

 opinion perhaps I may be allowed to say 

 that my own favorite is the var. magnifica 

 which is distinguished by its relatively large, 

 intense violet-purple flowers with the edge 

 of the petals crinkled and slightly recurved. 

 And, further, I do vigorously protest against 

 the absurd name of "Butterfly Bush" which 

 some dealers would fain foist upon us as a 

 popular name for these shrubs. 



Space, even though our Editor is gener- 

 ous, is limited and as finality is impossible 

 I must omit details on some of the more 

 generally known midseason flowering 

 shrubs such as Veronica augustifolia, its 

 varieties and hybrids, Ceanothus hybridns 

 and others, Abelia grandiflora, Amorpha 

 canescens and certain other plants, yet I 

 must have a word or two on those favorite 

 low-growing shrubs the Ling and Hardy 

 Heaths. People other than those of Scotch 

 descent have a warm affection for these 

 charming little shrubs and there is no 

 valid reason why this fondness should not 

 be indulged. Ling and Heaths are sun- 

 loving plants and their successful culture 

 demands that they be planted in open 

 situations fully exposed to the sun. A 

 moist sandy soil in which peat is liberally 

 admixed are the other requisites and the 

 plants thrive better in shallow than in deep 

 soils. The hardiest of the Heaths is Erica 

 carnea and its variety alba which com- 

 mence to blossom in early spring as the 

 snow and frosts disappear. The Cornish 

 Heath E. vagans and its varieties alba, 

 grandiflora and rubra, and the Ling (Cal- 

 luna vulgaris) of which there are more than 

 a dozen varieties, are almost equally hardy 

 and commence to flower in July and con- 

 tinue in blossom until the late autumn. 

 Other Heaths like E. Mackaii, E. stricta, E. 

 Tetralix, E. cinerea (Downy Heath) and Do- 

 bbecia polifolia (Irish Heath) are not hardy 

 as far north as Boston, Mass., but they will 

 probably thrive south of New York City. 



Why Not Plant Evergreens Now?-B y Leonard Ban-on, 



TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXCEPTIONAL WEATHER CONDITIONS OF THIS YEAR AND 

 PLANT EVERGREENS BEFORE THE TIME FOR REGULAR FALL PLANTING ARRIVES 



New 

 York 



AUGUST planting of coniferous 

 evergreens is a well recognized 

 practice because evergreens differ 

 in their character of growth from 

 the deciduous trees and shrubs. The latter 

 are best moved when dormant — that is, 

 when there are no leaves upon them to 

 serve as a tax upon the roots. Evergreens, 

 on the other hand, are never without their 

 foliage. Therefore, the removal, in a 

 dormant condition, when the roots are not 

 able to quickly take in moisture from the 

 soil and pass it up to the leaves, is not prac- 

 tical. Instead, we have to take advantage 



of the warm soil conditions of late spring or 

 late summer in order that the roots may 

 continue their actual work to the best 

 advantage of the part above the ground. 



August planting of evergreens is no new 

 idea. It has long been advocated not only 

 because of the general conditions but also 

 because it is done at a time when very little 

 outdoor planting is possible. Fall and early 

 spring are the ideal periods for all ordinary 

 trees and shrubs. The herbaceous plants 

 generally can be handled in September, 

 leaving one's hands clear for the present 

 month to work with the ~vergrr-ms and a 



few other early herbaceous material like 

 the iris, which in their nature are almost 

 evergreen. 



The added advantage of August planting 

 is that the plants can be placed into position 

 with a perfect realization of the part they 

 will play in the garden picture. And it is 

 not easy for most people to carry in their 

 minds the complete characters of plants in 

 their off seasons. 



But successful August planting depends 

 on certain conditions, and this year those 

 conditions are ideal. We have had an 

 abundance of rains during the summer; in 



