THE IMPERIAL DAHLIA. 



THE IMPERIAL DAHLIA. 



other and are too crowded to expand properly, 

 or for the best effect ; seen upon a dozen stems 

 Seen at its best this is one of the loveliest of of different height the finest display is secured. 



autumn plants, but, rarely opening before No- 

 vember, it often fails to flower well or its beauty 

 is cut short by the damp, dark days. This late- 



Two orthree other kindsof giant flowering 

 Dahlias are sometimes grown with our plant, 

 though none of them are better. The Anemone- 



flowering habit unfits it for use in the border flowered Dahlia [arborea) reaches 8 to iofeet, 

 though it may be grown in the open from June and is stouter in growth, and so less liable to 

 until bad weather sets in, and then taken inside injury, with flowers of pale mauve coming later 

 to give it a chance of flowering under glass, and with a longer season, but they are often 

 Its spreading, deeply-cut leaves make it a fine ; spoiled by bad weather while still in bud. 

 object in the summer garden, where, 

 if encouraged, it runs up to a great 

 height ; it is often better, in view of 

 housing, to restrain its vigour as far 

 as is possible without injury. During 

 November and December this is one 

 of the finest plants in gardens of the 

 Riviera, the effect of the great droop- 

 ing clusters when many plants are 

 massed in rich soil, being not soon 

 forgotten. But even there it is often 

 difficult to secure the fleshy stems of 

 8 to i 2 feet high from injury during 

 rough wind, which will soon wreck 

 a fine plant. They do best with the 

 shelter of a flanking screen of ever- 

 greens, such as Holm Oaks or Ar- 

 butus, the deep colour of which 

 throws into relief the vivid green 

 of the Dahlia and its pale flowers. 

 From their habit the full beauty of 

 these drooping clusters is not seen at 

 a distance, but near at hand the crim- 

 son eye with its delicate suffusion of 

 pink comes into view upon looking 

 up into the flowers. These clusters 

 are 3 to 4 feet across on well-grown 

 stems, and crowded with flowers. 

 They are fine for indoor use when 

 cut and placed in a tall art vase, upon 

 a pedestal or raised stand suited to 

 theirpendantbeauty. A group of this Imperial Another plant of fine growth and verysimilar, 

 Dahlia, flanked with clumps of Pampas Grasses is Maximi/iana, but it is not so fine as the Im- 

 (which also need shelter from wind), and masses perial Dahlia. Though smaller in all its parts, 

 of late-blooming Flame Flowers (Tritoma) \ D. Decaisneana often grows 6 or 7 feet, with 

 makes a fine picture in the autumn gardens of small but pretty flowers of rosy-purple with a 

 the Riviera. By a little contrivance early in white baseand golden centrein many-flowered 

 the season it is easy to train the then tender clusters, but in grandeur it is not equal to the 

 stems so as to get a general display of the great great Tree Dahlias. Our engraving shows the 

 white flowers at various heights, for when all Imperial Dahlia in flower in a garden of the 

 are carried at one height the crownschafe each 1 Riviera. B. 



A 2 



THE IMPERIAL DAHLIA. 



