THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



93 



A Garden of Desert Plants 



HPHE best kind of wild garden for Cali- 

 -*- fornia is a desert garden. I do not 

 know any one who has started a garden of 

 desert plants who has abandoned it. On the 

 contrary, every one is adding to his garden 

 and enthusiasm every year. Such a garden 

 is especially suited to a sandy or rocky coun- 

 try. If it is necessary to bring in rocks they 

 should be arranged in a nature-like manner, 

 not in 

 design. 



Some permanent planting, to lend dignity 

 and strength, must be first considered, and 

 century plants (Agave Americana), which are 

 typical of every part of California, are a good 

 beginning. Put two or three at unequal dis- 

 tances on the highest point in your desert, to 

 look like the parents; place the others 

 (largest next) so they will look as if they had 

 sprung up from seeds washed down from 

 the parent plants. 



This much of the desert may be started at 

 any time, but the best season for most of the 

 planting is after the first two or three rains 

 of winter. Allow the weeds to come up all 

 over the plot an inch or so high; cut them 

 down; wait for the next crop, which will be 

 after the second rain, and when these are all 

 killed you will be safe in sowing seeds or 

 putting in plants. First, get seeds of "Baby 

 Blue Eyes" (a species of Nemophila), scat- 

 ter these on the north and east sides of the 

 century plants, rocks, trees, mounds of earth, 

 or anything that will in any way protect the 

 ground from the sun. Next procure seeds 

 of California poppies in three or four shades 

 of color and sow broadcast, not all over the 

 plot, but in zones varying as much as possible 

 in size and shape. A third flower should be 

 our scarlet larkspur (Delphinium cardinale), 

 which should be sown in the hottest and driest 

 places. Few of these latter will flower the 

 first year unless your soil gets very warm, but 

 each succeeding year will see them increase 

 in number and height of flower spike, and 

 their brilliant scarlet is not surpassed by any 

 flower, native or foreign. 



Now any native annuals or perennials may 

 be sown, but do not overcrowd the soil, or 

 the "wild" effect will be lost. 



It is best to watch this garden during the 

 first summer and pull out any pernicious 

 weeds which appear, and this may be neces- 

 sary every year for a month or two. Further 

 treatment must be dictated by the needs of 

 the place. A sandy or gravelly tract will be 

 found best suited to a desert garden, though 

 if soil be heavy the care may be reduced 

 greatly, by covering the surface with sand or 

 gravel. Ernest Braunton. 



My new hardy Japanese, Seedling, Hybrid, Climbing, and 



Decorative 



GARDEN 

 ROSES 



also the leading varieties 

 in Hybrid Perpetual, first 

 quality stock; and the 

 Hybrid Tea or Ever- 

 blooming class of roses 

 now so popular for 

 garden decoration. 



The new rose " Killar- 

 ney," "Mildred Grant,'" 

 and "Urania." Holly- 

 hocks in colors. Paeonies, 

 and Phlox. 





WALSH'S NEW RAMBLER ROSE— " LADY GAY' 



My Illustrated Catalogue mailed on receipt of four cents for postage 



M. H. WALSH, Rose Specialist, Wood's Hole, Mass. 



HARDY FLOWERS AND FERNS 



We have a surp] 

 30,000 Riulbeckia Golden 



per thousand. 

 10,000 lleleulum Autumn 



5,000 Heidi I um Grnndlce) 



per thousand. These are 



is of thi 

 Glow. 



i - . $4.00 per hundred, S3 oc 

 $5,00 per hundred, $40x0 pc 



NORTH SHORE FERNERIES, BEVERLY, MASS. 



geor p e owbll, Consulting Horticulturist 



EQUITABLE 1SUIL1HNG. ISO BROADWAT, NEW YORK 



Examinations m.ide of land and locations for country homes. 

 Information and instruction in Gardening, Ornamental and Fruit tree 

 planting, Lawn making and Poultry raising. 



"Gold Medal Paeonies" 



In competition 

 with the nur- 

 serymen of the 

 whole country 

 our P ae o n i e s 

 were awarded 

 *V< highest honors 

 at the Louisi- 

 ana Purchase 

 Exposition. 



A FINE STOCK OF MAGNOLIAS, 

 AZALEAS, AND RHODODENDRONS, 



all furnished with flower buds; also Clema- 

 tis, Roses, and Tree Roses; Fruits, Or- 

 namental Trees and Shrubs of all kinds. 

 LANDSCAPE GARDENING A SPECIALTY 



Tf'rlte for our specialty catalogue 



CHARLTON NURSERY CO., Rochester, N. Y. 



University Avenue Nurseries. Established 186^ 



VERBENAS 



There are hu 

 can equal Vt 

 of bloom, \ 

 duration of bio 



, and 



general usefulness. If the seed heads are picked off the plants ^ 

 be in bloom during the entire summer and until late fall. They 

 like dry weathtr. Seedlings bloom better than cuttings and possess 

 a stronger vitalitv. 



Vaughan's Best Mixture contains over 25 shades ard color 

 combinations. It contains the best mammoth types as well as the 

 famous Royal Splendor strain and the dwarf, compact varieties 

 with two colored flowers, white and red, white and pink, and white 

 and purple. Packet, 15 cents; 2 for 25 cents. 



SPECIAL OFFER 



•1 packet each of Mammoth 

 White, Mammoth Pink, Mam- 

 moth Purple, Mammoth Scarlet, Mammoth Striped on Red 

 Ground, for 25 cents. 



Ipangee 



84 & 86 Randolph Street, CHICAGO 



14 Barclay Street, MEW YORK 



