282 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



of them are weedy subjects, but the two following, along with a 

 few others, might with advantage find a place in the mixed 

 border. S. doronicum forms a dense mass of dark green foliage, 

 and bears large golden-yellow flowers on stems i2in. high; these 

 are produced from June to August, and are very showy and 



useful for cutting. .S". pidchcr (Fig. 

 163) is a handsome border-plant, 

 flowering in the late autumn ; it 

 has purplish-crimson flowers with 

 yellow disks, borne on a branched 

 flower-stem. It grows about 2ft. 

 high. 



SiDALCEAS are free-flowering showy 

 plants, suitable for the mixed border. 

 S. Candida grows from 2ft. to 3ft. 

 high, and flowers from June to 

 August ; the flowers are pure white, 

 and are borne in long terminal 

 racemes. S. Listeri is a showy 

 perennial of recent introduction ; it 

 grows about 3ft. high, and from 

 July to September bears an abun- 

 dance of satiny-pink flowers, with 

 beautifully-fringed sepals. S. 

 7nalvceflora produces racemes of 

 rosy-purple flowers on stems i-|ft. 

 high. 



SoLiDAGO (Golden Rod). — 

 This genus contains several 

 coarse-growing plants, suitable for 

 naturalising in semi wild parts of 

 the garden, or for back positions in the mixed border. Increased 

 by seeds or by division. 6^. ?'iigosa (syn. S. altissiuid) grows from 

 4ft. to 5ft. high, and bears yellow flowers from July to October. 

 S. Virgaurea 7iana is a dwarf and compact form of the common 

 Golden Rod, suitable for the mixed border; it grows 2ft. high, 

 and bears golden-yellow flowers in late autumn. S. cajiadensis, 

 S. gigantea^ S. grandifiora^ Szc, are advertised in nurserymen's 

 catalogues ; they are coarse-growing plants, reaching a height 

 of 4ft. or 5ft., and bearing large yellow flowers. 



Spir^as (Meadow Sweets) are plants of easy culture, very 

 ornamental when grown in mixed borders, shrubberies, or in 

 moist situations, such as the margins of lakes, ponds, &:c. 

 They are readily increased by division. S. Aru7icus (Goat's 

 Beard) (Fig. 164) is a majestic plant, growing from 3ft. to 5ft. 

 high, and producing long feathery plumes of white flowers during 

 June and July. ^S. astilboides is an excellent plant for either pot 



Fig. 163. — Sexecio pulcher. 



