160 



The Garden Magazine, November, 1921 



There are many yellow perennials, but not one that quite filled the gap. 

 Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi (resonant name!) makes a good beginning, 

 but presently looks as if the dog had been lying upon its feather bed. It 

 is also pervasive and eradicable as to seedlings. There is a lovely yel- 

 low plush Achillea, Parker's variety, but my acquaintance with it is 

 limited. Rudbeckia laciniata, single, and Golden Glow, may be dis- 

 pensed with without comment. Yellow 1 ris in its brief season, and yellow 

 Hollyhocks and yellow Day-lilies and Oenothera Youngi (worm eaten 

 unless powdered) and Doronicum, lasting into June, these contribute 

 their portions of captured sunlight, stolen gold, to my garden under the 

 trees. Yellow is the translation of sunlight into color. Shadows are 

 blue, the complementary color. 1 must have yellow against my shad- 

 owy backgrounds. 



Heliopsis Pitcheriana blooms in early summer and keeps right on 

 blooming and has the added virtue of neither mildewing nor making 

 suckers. Its height (4 to 5 feet) and smallness of flower (2 to 3 inches), 

 its suceptibility to black aphids, and, in some gardens, tendency to 

 seed itself are in its disfavor. But the new form, scabra zinniaeflora 

 which grows but three feet high and has coarse, double or semi-double 

 flowers offers possibilities to the hybridist. That was the burden of 

 my original communication. 



Of the Helianthus I prefer the annual black-disked cucumerifolius. 

 These increase in bloom all summer, whereas the perennial species give 

 me only a few days of glory. For late summer 1 recommend to Mr. 

 Lane, who probably knows it, the daintiest of Sunflowers — no, not a 

 Sun-flower — though perhaps the name Helen is derived from helios) 

 Helenium, Riverton Beauty or Riverton Gem. It is a striking cut 

 flower, with its spherical dark disk crowned with filigreed gold. It 

 makes stocky clumps and sustains its height gracefully upon its oddly 

 flanged stalks: a good thing too little used. The cultivated Black-eyed 

 Susan (Rudbeckia Newmanni) commends itself to my midsummer 

 lassitude for its durable blooms. Its flowers remain unfaded for 

 nearly three weeks. Its black and gold brilliance is in good proportion 

 to the blazing masses of late Phlox. 



I aspire to the yellow Eremurus Bungei — six years from seed. But 

 worth it! 



Mr. H. S. Adams sees no reason why Delphinium nudicaule should be 

 a stranger in Eastern American gardens, and declares that it is fairly 

 common in English rockeries. I do not recall mention of it in any Eng- 

 lish garden book, and my own experience with it, as with other Califor- 

 nian species, makes me wonder how it can be grown at all in England. 

 Adapted by nature to a rainless dry season it goes into a midsummer 

 dormancy which is the closest possible reproduction of death and cor- 



RED-FLOWERED HELENIUM RIVERTON BEAUTY 



Such a cheery and enthusiastic late summer bloomer that Sneeze- 

 weed seems a wholly unappreciative misnomer and even the 

 more gracious Helen-flower rather colorless and inadequate 



DAY-LILIES THAT DELIGHT 



The Yellow Day-lily, slender, fragrant favorite of old-fashioned gardens, 

 though challenged by resplendent modern rivals, continues still to charm 



ruption. Nothing remains but a few bits of disintegrated root, finger 

 lengths of dry punk, susceptible under conditions of moisture to the 

 ravages of sow-bug and wire-worm. With regard to frost they are 

 apparently hardy enough. I crave information concerning the Persian 

 species, D. Zalil, presumably of the same category. The seeds of this 

 are commonly offered; but who has ever grown it from seed? In my 

 imagination I class it with the yellow Aconites. Nor does D. nudicaule 

 show for much, saving oddity. — Julian Hinckley, Long Island, N. Y. 



— After writing the note on Helianthus angustifolius which appeared 

 in September I found it listed in the Michell catalogue (Philadelphia). 

 This spring a great many volunteer seedlings came up around my two 

 old plants, and I transplanted fully fifty of them, all of which are doing 

 well and some of which will be five feet high this fall. — Bernard H. 

 Lane, Alexandria, Va. 



The Hydrangea in Winter 



To the Editor o/The Garden Magazine: 



WHAT is the proper way to handle Thomas Hogg Hydrangea and 

 others of that type for the winter? Shall the growth be cut back 

 now? Shall they be retubbed now, or later, if at all? And the soil? 

 They are evidently great drinkers; but do they prefer shade? Kindly 

 answer also any other questions about them that I have forgotten to 

 ask.— V. A. N., Rochester. N. Y. 



— Well, we'll try to cover the entire field of possibilities; but don't 

 blame us if we miss a point. We prefer to reply to specific inquiries. 

 Thos. Hogg Hydrangea is a distinct white variety of the old Chinese 

 H. hortensis, and will not stand more than ten degrees of frost. The 

 plants of this group usually complete their growth by September, when 

 water should be gradually withheld. In November, or as soon as 

 severe frosts occur, remove to a frost-proof pit or cellar — and in the 

 latter take care that they are placed away from the dry heat of the fur- 

 nace. Water only enough to prevent shedding the leaves. 

 Do not prune at this time as they have formed buds for next year's 

 work, and to cut away the branches now would seriously interfere with 

 their development next spring — prune to symmetrical form while 

 growth is being made during the summer. In spring, as soon as frosts 

 are past, the plants may be put outdoors, and retubbed as desired, and 

 any weak and overcrowded growths removed. Good drainage, and 



