142 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDENINa. 



somewhat spreading close tufts, from one to two feet 

 high.. The flowers are very showy, and it well 

 deserves a place in the garden. It grows on any 

 soil, and is readily propagated by di%dsion or seeds. 

 G. argenteum is the Silvery Craneshill, a lovely 

 Alpine form, with leaves of a silvery-white, and 

 large pale rose-coloured flowers. It comes from 

 the Alps, or Dauphiny, and the Pyrenees, is perfectly 

 hardy, flowers in early summer, and is a gem for 

 association with the choicest plants on rockwork. 

 It should have a firm, sandy, well-drained soil. It 

 is freely increased by seeds. G. armenium is a neat 

 symmetrical plant, growing about two feet in height, 

 bearing large, deep purplish-crimson flowers, and 

 does well in the open border. G. cinereum is the 

 Grey Cranesbill, a beautiful dwarf plant, forming 

 tufts of silvery foliage six inches in height, adorned 

 with numerous white flowers veined with purple. 

 It is a plant that is particularly at home on rock- 

 works, and it seeds abundantly, and can be easily 

 raised in this way. G. Endressi is one of the brightest 

 and most effective of the family. The flowers are 

 exceedingly numerous, and of a bright rose-colour. 

 This is one of the best of hardy perennials, and it 

 grows and flowers freely in any good ordinary 

 border soil. G. ibericum is, perhaps, the best of the 

 strong-growing varieties, forming handsome sjin- 

 metrical bushes two feet in height, the flowers as 

 large as a florin, and of a rich purplish-blue ; this is 

 extra flue. One of the best-known is G. Eohertianum, 

 the Herb Eobert. We are informed that Bobertianum 

 refers to St. Eobert, a Benedictine monk. Abbot of 

 Molesme, who died a.d. 1110. His anniversary is 

 on the 29th of April, and, as this plant is then 

 beginning to flower, our Eoman Catholic forefathers 

 dedicated it to him. This similarly accounts for its 

 common name. Herb Eobert. It is also called by 

 some the Stinking Cranesbill, on account of its 

 strong disagreeable smell, which is said to be offen- 

 sive to bed-bugs. This is so common, being abun- 

 dant on waste ground, on banks, walls, and under 

 hedges, and in woods in all parts of the country, 

 that it is not much grown in gardens. Some fine 

 varieties have been raised from it. They are 

 annuals, and increased by seeds. 



Geum. — The origin of this word is geyo, "to 

 stimulate " ; the roots of some of them and of allied 

 species have the same properties as Peruvian Bark. 

 Geum is also known as Avens ; but the true form of 

 Avens is said to be G. urbanum, a wild plant, which 

 grows abundantly in woods and hedges in Britain. 

 It is also known as the Herb Bennet. Avens is a 

 word of obscure origin, quite unintelhgible, and spelt 

 in several different ways. As this plant was sup- 

 posed to ward off the devil and evil spirits, venomous 



serpents and wild beasts, it is possible that the Greek 

 rendering in the sense of " antidote " may be the origi- 

 nal and proper form of the word : Herb Bennet {JSerba 

 benedicta, " blessed herb "), the Avens, so called, Pla- 

 tearius tells us, because " when the root is in the house 

 the devil can do nothing, and flies from it ; wherefore 

 it is blessed above all other herbs." He adds that, 

 if a man carries the root about him, no venomous 

 beast can harm him ; further, that when it is grow- 

 ing in a garden no venomous beast will approach 

 within scent of it. The Scarlet Geum of our gardens 

 is G. fhilense, the Chili Avens, introduced alDOut 1826, 

 a well-known and showy hardy herbaceous perennial, 

 growing freely, and flowering profusely in any good 

 garden soil. A variety named coccineum is from 

 seed, and of a rich blood-colour ; this is also known 

 as G. atrosanguineum, the dark blood-coloured Avens. 

 The double form of this, G. coccineum plenum, is a 

 grand variety of the old-fashioned Scarlet Geum, 

 having larger heads, and more numerous flowers of 

 a bright, dazzhng scarlet ; the flowers are double, 

 lasting a considerable time, and are invaluable for 

 cutting. It can be highly recommended as a first- 

 class perennial, and no choice collection is complete 

 without it. G. montanum is the Mountain Avens, 

 from the Alps and Pyrenees. It is a charming rock 

 or border plant, forming large, compact tufts of foliage 

 and producing an abundance of showy golden-yellow 

 flowers, on stems nine to twelve inches high, and so 

 makes a very valuable perennial. Stony ground and 

 banks suit it best. G. coccineum and its double 

 variety can both be raised from seeds, which should 

 be sown in May to flower the following summer. 



Gypsophila. — This represents a genus of plants, 

 containing both annual and perennial species, for 

 which we have no common name. The name is de- 

 rived from gypsos, " chalk ; " and phileo, "to love," in 

 reference to the soil most suitable to them. There aro 

 many hardy perennial species, but few of which are 

 grown. G. Striithium, a Spanish species, is said to 

 possess certain saponaceous properties,, and is used by 

 the Spaniards for scouring instead of soap. 



The Gypsophilas most deserving of cultivation 

 among the hardy perennials are : G, repens, or pro- 

 strata, a valuable though not a brilhant plant, re- 

 markable for its dwarf spreading habit, its multitude 

 of pink or white flowers, v^jined with rose, on thread- 

 like stems, and its adaptability for rockwork or stony 

 ground. It is a native of the Pyrenees and Alps, 

 growing six or eight inches high, and flowering in 

 summer. G. cerastioides is a new species, growing 

 about six inches in height, producing innumerable 

 pure white flowers, much larger than any other of 

 this genus ; it is a first-class border and rock plant. 

 But the best-known and the most valuable is G. pmi- 



