WINTER, SPRING, AND EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS. 



253 



6 inches. Seeds or division of the root- stocks after 

 three or four years. Plant as early as obtainable 

 after the leaves wither in early summer. 

 Gentiana (Gentian). — Brilliant flowers for borders, 

 edgings, or rockwork. They like sun and moderate 

 moisture. G. acaulis (Gentianella), beautiful 

 blue ; 6 inches. There is also a scarce white 

 variety. Succeed best in stiffish rich soil, or soil 

 mixed with gravel, and made firm. G. verna, 

 exquisite blue ; 3 inches. Plant between stones. 

 More difficult to grow than G. acaulis. Seeds or 

 division. 



IIellebortjs (Christmas and Lenten Eose). — Very 

 beautiful border flowers, and expand when few 

 large plants are in bloom. Occasionally flower 

 in late autumn, and continue till April. Of white 

 Christmas roses the following are usefid varieties : 

 — H. niger, 6 inches ; H. maximus, 1 foot ; Bath 

 Christmas Rose and St. Brigid's Christmas Rose. 

 Lenten Roses are numerous, good sorts being H. 

 abchasieus, claret purple ; Apotheker Bogren, 

 purple, spotted ; H. colchicus Otto Froebel, 

 purple-crimson ; Commerzienrath Benary, white, 

 spotted crimson ; Dr. Hogg, deep rose ; Gertrude 

 Jekyll, pure white ; IT. guttatus Leichtlini, white, 

 spotted crimson ; Mrs. Lambert, blush-white, 

 spotted crimson ; H. olympicus Professor Schlei- 

 cher, white ; H. superbus, pure white. Varieties 

 of the viridis section are also admired by some for 

 their greenish flowers ; H. purpurascens, green 

 and purple, and H. torquatus, dove-coloured, 

 being good in their way. H. fcetidus, a native 

 plant, is of striking appearance, and has small 

 green flowers. Seeds or division. Shade, mois- 

 ture, and a stiff soil. Plant in early spring or 

 early autumn. 



Hepatica (Noble Liverwort). — Attractive early 

 flowers, included by botanists under Anemone. 

 H. angulosa, single, sky blue ; G inches. This is 

 a shy bloomer. H. triloba has many varieties, 

 blue, white, red, bright red, purple blue, and 

 flesh colour ; (5 inches. There are also double red 



and double blue varieties, as well as very rare 

 double white. Seeds or division. Half shade in 

 rather light but rich soil. 



Myosotis dissitiflora (Early Forget-me-not). — 

 Beautiful light blue or white. Only a biennial 

 but sows itself ; 9 inches. Seeds or cuttings. 

 Shade or sun, and suited for borders or edgings. 



Orobus vernus. — Spring Vetch. A very beautiful 

 erect-growing border plant with purple and blue 

 flowers, lo inches high. Any soil, in sun or 

 shade. Division or seed. There is also a pretty 

 white variety. 



Primtxla. — Very beautiful flowers ; deservedly 

 popular in gardens. P. vulgaris, the common 

 primrose, and its many varieties need no re- 

 mark except that they prefer a rather strong soil 

 and shade. The double varieties require more care 

 and a rather lighter soil. The latter are now more 

 numerous than at one time. For a selection P. vul- 

 garis alba, flore pleno, white; P. v. lilacina, fl. 

 pi., lilac; P. v. lutea, fl., pi., yellow; P. v. platy- 

 petala plena, plum purple ; and P. v. sulphurea, 

 fl., pi., sulphur-yellow, may be named. These 

 must be increased by division, the others by seeds 

 or division. P. denticulata (Toothed Primrose), 

 lilac in globular heads ; 1 foot. P. d. cash- 

 meriana (Cashmere Primrose), 1 foot ; allied to 

 P. denticulata, but with deeper coloured flowers. 

 There is also a white variety of P. denticu- 

 lata. Sun or shade in moist peaty soil. Seeds 

 or division. P. rosea and P. v. grandifloia, 

 bright rose ; 9 inches. Moist peat, in sun or 

 shade. Seeds or division. 



Sanguinaria canadensis (Blood Root or Puccoon). — 

 A charming plant ; 9 inches ; white. Moist posi- 

 tion in sun or shade. Seeds or division. 



Tussilago or Hojiogyne alpina (Alpine Coltsfoot).— 

 Not very effective but early. Pink ; 9 inches. 

 Division. 



For Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite) and other 

 early bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants, see 

 Bulbs, page 200. 



SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS. 

 Apeil and May. 



A well-stocked garden of hardy border flowers is exceedingly attractive in these 

 months. The beanty of the early flowers appeals to all, and in April and May it is 

 perhaps seen at its greatest perfection. Some of the flowers in the preceding list still 

 remain in bloom and add to the effect presented by the later ones. Masses of golden 



