HARDY FLOWERS. 



87 



C. cordifolia, which blooms throughout the autumn, and 

 has straight stems, almost deep black, so dark is the 

 colouring, and feathery masses of flowers. A group of 

 this is welcome, but of course many Cimicifugas are not 

 desirable in the garden. They are plants to use 

 moderately. 



ColchiClimS. — The popular name for these is Autumn 

 Crocus or Meadow Saffron, but Crocus is misleading, 

 for there are many true Crocuses flowering in the autumn 

 months. The Colchicums pioduce their flowers before 

 the leaves, and there are twenty species, of which 1 he 

 best known are the following : C. autumnale is more 

 familiar than any others, and has light purple-red flowers 

 in October. This species has several varieties. Album 

 is white, and of this there is a beautilul double form, 

 w hilst of a rosy tone are roseum and its double counter- 

 part. Striatum plenum has double stripe 1 segments. 

 Oiher species worth recording are C. alpinum and 

 C. by/.antinum, both rose coloured; C. Parkinsoni, 

 white, chequered with violet ; C. speciosum, a noble 

 (lower, crimson-purple, a Colchicum that should be on 

 every rock garden ; and the violet C. umbrosum. The 

 Autumn Crocuses are valuable lor effect when planted in 



yellow, marked in the centre of each with a deep 

 brownish colour, and Lome in a dense cluster. 



Cowslip, The. See Primula veris. 



Cowslips, American. -See Dodecatheons. 



Creeping Jenny. — See Lysimachia. 



CrOCUS. — The Crocus family consists of more than eighly 

 species, and is distributed over Europe. Asia, and the 

 northern shores of Africa. Many as are the species into 

 which this race is divided, it is probable that very few 

 of them are the progenitors of the garden Crocus of the 

 present day, which owes its being chiefly to C. aureus. 

 The cultivation ol the garden Crocus is so simple a 

 matter that the merest novice may plant the bulbs with 

 the assurance that he or she will reip a bright reward 

 in the near future, provided the burrowing mouse and 

 flower-picking sparrow do not interfere with Nature, 

 for the latter pest, no preventive is so successful as a 

 few lengths of black thread stretched tightly above the 

 flowers, while the trap and poison should thin the tanks 

 ol the mice. Pots of Crocuses are pretty in rooms and 

 windows in the early spr ng, a few 5in. pots containing 

 half-a-dozen bulbs each, covered wilh ashes or cocoa-nut 

 fibre in the open air, frame, or cellar until growth is 



A COLONY OF COLCHICUMS. 



the grass at the edge of shrubberies, in grassy banks, 

 dells in the garden, or in any position where the tender 

 colouring ot the flowers will be set off by the green 

 of the grass. When planted in this way a group of 

 thirty or forty bulbs creates a charming and distinct 

 effect, even at a distance 



Columbine.— See Aquilegia. 



Convallaria. — See Lily of the Valley. 



Coronilla Varia is, of this family, the most entitled to a 

 place in the border. It is dwarf, vigorous, and has 

 pink-shaded flowers. 



Corydalis. — This is the Fumitory family, and the yellow 

 fumitory (C. lutea) is frequently seen garlanding old 

 walls and ruins with its yellow flowers. It is a plant 

 that should be established in positions like this 

 wherever opportunities exist, as it is a simple matter to 

 sow seeds in the chinks. C. solida or bulbosa, as it is 

 known under both names, has purplish floweis, but 

 not very bright. If a handsome plant is desired, by 

 all means select C. nobilis. It is well named, the 

 plant growing about III. in height, and is happy 

 in light soils, if not poor. The flowers are rich 



commenced, miking a brave show. Crocuses may be 

 propagated from seed, sown as soon as ripe in light 

 sandy soil in pans or pots, reaching their flowering stage 

 in three years. The garden Crocus has been much 

 improved of late years, the flowers being of large size 

 and rich colours Golden yellow, purple-blue, pure 

 while, lilac, and white striped with lilac, are the tints 

 procurable, the pure white with golden stamens being, 

 per h ips, the most attractive. But besides these garden 

 forms there is a beautilul set of species, some flowering 

 in spring, others in the autumn. These are frequently 

 delicate in colour, too dainty, and, in truth, expensive to 

 use in the same lavish way as the garden varieties. Of the 

 Spring-flowering Croci, mention may be made of 

 the following : C. alatavicus, whitish yellow, spotted 

 with purple, flowering as early as January and February, 

 the bright orange golden C. aureus, C. banaticus, 

 purple, C. biflorus, mauve white, sniped with purple, 

 ( '. chrysanthus, orange yellow, and a white variety 

 named albus, the handsome C. Imperati, its lilac and 

 half flowers always wel.ome in the spring garden, 

 C. reticulatus, white to purple, and C. Sieberi, bright 



