174 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



SUN-ROSES IN FLOWER. 



Plants at Kew are now responding to the 

 warm, bright days by a better display of flow- 

 er, or free growth, which promises well for 

 another season. The things which seem to 

 revel most in the present heat are the Cistus 

 and little Helianthemums bordering a shel- 

 tered dell near the Palm House. The bold 

 mass of Cistus is striking in its profusion of 

 white blossom; but none of the handsome 

 spotted or mauve kinds seem grown to any 

 extent, though a plant or two of C. recognitus, 

 with its small crimson spots, lay in the back- 

 ground, and vi/losus, more distinct in leaf than 

 in flower. Very cheery were the little Sun- 

 roses in a somewhat trying glare, and, without 

 exception, the single forms made by far the 

 best display. It is a pity that with their va- 

 riety of bright colours, and the many sundried 

 stony banks waiting to be clothed, we do not 

 oftener see these little gems. The shrubby 

 species, H. formosum and halimifolium were as 

 good as ever I have seen them, and only com- 

 mencing to flower, with plenty of promising 

 buds. The richness of their black-spotted pe- 



tals is very telling. The dwarfer kinds showed 

 a variety of tints in foliage, from hoary white 

 and silver, through dark to vivid green, and 

 the flowers ranging from white with golden 

 centre, through rose, salmon-rose, magenta, 

 yellow, copper, orange, dusky orange, and 

 dull scarlet — surely a wide choice. Among 

 the best were ochroleucum, a good white; mu- 

 tabile; Magenta Queen, very distinct; a variety 

 of H. vulgare showing large yellow flowers 

 with orange veinings ; and alyssoides, with 

 golden flowers, and the edges of the petals just 

 tipped with bronze. A spreading carpet of 

 greyish-green foliage several feet across, named 

 cupreum, bore large flowers of a rosy copper- 

 colour, sanguineum, being similarly, but more 

 deeply tinted. Two distinct species, less showy 

 in flower, but very neat in form for the rock- 

 garden, were canum in dense compressed tufts, 

 with tiny yellow flowers ; and chamcecistus, a 

 somewhat larger grower with bigger flowers, 

 but the same ideal habit of growth for nest- 

 ling amongst rocks. 



J. H. B. 



Dianellas. — These are old plants, mainly 

 to be found in botanical gardens, and rare even 

 there, yet distinct and beautiful. There is al- 

 ways a charm in good blue flowers. Blue 

 berries are perhaps rarer than blue-flowers, and 

 it is in their clusters of beautiful blue berries 

 that Dianellas prove so attractive. Not that 

 this is their sole charm, for nearly all are hand- 

 some as fine-leaved plants and graceful in flower. 

 Several kinds have been introduced from New 

 Zealand, Southern Australia, and Tasmania. 

 They may be planted in a sheltered border in 

 any of our warmer districts, provided the soil 

 be light and some cover given in severe weather. 

 In colder parts they must be wintered under 

 glass, but are worth their place anywhere as 

 foliage plants. Some of the kinds, D. longifolia 

 in particular, resemble a miniature "New 

 Zealand Flax ; " D. tasmanica is the most beau- 

 tiful of all, and in its variegated form, well 

 grown, it reaches 5 feet or so in height, and 

 when loaded with blue berries, half to three- 



quarters of an inch long, and remaining in a 

 good state for weeks together, it forms a fine 

 object. The other varieties, of which we may 

 mention D. atrata, cczrulea, intermedia, Icevis, 

 &c, are less imposing, but similar in general 

 character, bearing small flowers shading from 

 blue to white, grassy foliage varying in length 

 and texture, and berries trembling from hair- 

 like stems. Like most things Australian they 

 delight in sunshine, and, if the soil to hand be 

 unsuitable, should be planted in a mixture of 

 sandy loam, with a littlepeat. Once established 

 they grow fast, spreading from the root into 

 bold clumps, and are easily divided when neces- 

 sary. They may be raised from seed, sown in 

 spring in gentle heat ; but it is difficult to get 

 seed. As a last word I would say, keep a look- 

 out for the Dianella — lavis, longifolia, or tas- 

 manica in particular — give it a trial under glass, 

 and-I am confident the results will be sufficient 

 reward. 



R. I. V. 



