94 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



the grass, where their modest charms are best appreciated. 

 They may be propagated by seed sown as soon as ripe in 

 pans ol sandy soil, but five years generally elapse between 

 seed-sowing and flow ering. The bulbs also produce small 

 offsets or bulbil ; which if planted in porous soil in a reserve 

 bed soon attain sufficient size to be set out in permanent 

 quarters. There are about fifty kinds of Fritillary, 

 some of the best of which are here mentioned : F. armena, 

 light yellow, height 6in., a native of Armenia ; F. aurea, 

 yellow spotted with brown, bin., Silesia, quite hardy, 

 and well suited to the lower portions of a rock garden or 

 mossy bank; F. Burnati, brown-red. Sin., the Alps, 

 single drooping blossoms; F. Grieca, vellow-brown, 

 spotted, 6in., Greece; F. imperialis, the Crown Imperial, 

 a fine plant lor the herbaceous border, often remaining 



in l>l i for a month. It grows to a height of over 3ft., 



and is a native of Persia. It is to be had in several 

 shades of colour, the clear yellow being the most beau- 

 tiful ; there arc also red, orange red, and brown red, while 

 there are double varieties both of the red and yellow 

 forms, but these lack the beauty of the singles. There 

 is also a variety with yellow-margined foliage. F. Kamts- 

 chatcensis, purple, I2in., Eastern Siberia; F. Karelini, 

 pale purple, veined and spotted, 6in., Siberia; F. lutea, 

 yellow, 1 3111. . the Caucasus; F. latifolia, purple, with 

 green, yellow, or lilac shading, I2in., Caucasus: F. 

 Meleagris, the Snake's-head Fritillary, a native plant 

 flourishing in main' parts of England, especially in the 

 meadows ol ( )slordshire. It grows to a height of I Sin. , 

 and bears solitary, pendant blossoms, chequered with 

 purple on a lilac ground. There is also a white variety, 

 a lovely flower, especially when naturalised in the grass, 

 where it is as al home as are the Lent Lilies. F. Mog- 

 gridgei, golden yellow, tessellated with maroon in the 

 interior of the bell, ioin.. Maritime Alps; F. pallidiflora, 

 yellow, ( hequered in the interior, 9m., Siberia; F. pudica, 

 orange yellow, solitary drooping flowers, bin., Rocky 

 Mountains ; F. persica, purple-black, 3ft., Persia, very 

 unlike the remainder of the Fritillaries, producing a large 



number ol closely-set bl is on the same stem ; F. recurva, 



bright scarlet, 2ft., California. It often bears several pen- 

 dant flowers, and is a graceful plant, its blossoms being 

 prettily recurved. F. Sewerzowi, purple-green, i.'ft., 

 Turkestan ; F. vcrticillata, white with green base, Crimea. 

 FlinkiaS. These are familiarly known as Plantain Lilies, 



id 



may be plantei 



Th 



1 uoie 



effei 1 



their leaves are very 

 grey tints and form also, 

 F. Sieboldi in panic alar are 

 handsome, the flowers white 

 and abundant. These plants 

 are useful chiefly, how- 

 ever, for their noble foliage; 

 hence use them in the wild 

 garden or in beds ol sub- 

 tropical plants. F. lanci- 

 folium has several varieties, 

 chiefly variegated prettily 

 with bright colours, such as 

 albo marginata, variegata, 

 and undulata. Funkias, 

 especially the variegated 

 leaved kinds, require warm 

 light soil. Increase by 

 division in spring. 

 Gaillardias. brilliant gar- 

 den flowers are these when 

 planted in a way to get true 

 effect from them. Small 

 pieces dotted about the bor- 

 der are of little use, but in 

 groups or single beds one can 

 enjoy their rich colouring. 

 Gaillardias are easily grown, 

 requiring a deep warm soil, 

 enriched with well-rotted 

 manure, and a Sunny posi- 



in large tubs or pots with excellent 

 igorous kinds are bard to kill and 

 beautiful in colour — glaucous and 

 st the flower spikes of 



lion. In dry and wet seasons alike they are a success, and 

 even in times of drought the plants flower freely and con- 

 tinuously. There is one pest that must be guarded against 

 when new growth is commencing in spring, and that is the 

 slug. Watch carefully for this destructive enemy, and a 

 covering of coal ashes over the crowns will keep them 

 away and give protection from frost. Gaillardias are 

 not very hardy, and in wet ground frequently die off in 

 winter. When such is the case, sow seed on a hot-bed, 

 or in a warm frame or house, at the end of February, 

 sowing thinly, and pricking off and potting on the seed- 

 lings until May, when they can be planted out. They 

 will flower well. Seed may also be sown out of doors in 

 June in the same way as the majority of biennials, plant- 

 ing the seedlings in the position they are to adorn in the 

 following September. Cuttings may also be struck in 

 gentle heat in spring or autumn. There are so many 

 varieties that the best way is to leave the selection to 

 such well-known growers as Messrs. Kelway and Son, 

 Langport, Somerset. The flowers are yellow of varying 

 shades, or dull red tipped with yellow ; sometimes also 

 pure selfs. The self orange yellow varieties, with flowers 

 of medium size, are very bright. 

 GalantllUS (Snowdrops). — The modest Snowdrop is 

 welcome in the early year, its nodding flowers heralds of 

 the spring. It is a bulb to naturalise in the meadow, by 

 woodland walks, at the base of trees, and in shrubbery 

 margins — anywhere, indeed, its pearly white flowers are 

 in harmony with their surroundings. But in small 

 gardens they are pretty, too, and the rarer kinds are 

 happv upon the rock garden, or in pots in the cold house. 

 G. Elvvesi is the most handsome of all Snowdrops, 

 tall and pure white. Of this, globosus is a pleasing 

 form with white globular flowers. G. Fosteri, a Snow- 

 drop of more recent introduction, is worth growing, also 

 G. latifolius and such varieties of our common Snowdrop 

 (G. nivalis) as Imperati, the distinctly coloured lutescens, 

 octobrensis, poculiformis, Redoutei, Sharloki, and 

 the Crimea Snowdrop (G. plicatus). Many new kinds 

 have been introduced of late years, G. Ikaria; and others, 

 but as yet they are rare. 

 Galega Officinalis and its pure white variety alba are 

 useful hardy plants which seem happy anywhere. They 

 are of very free growth, the branching shoots smothered 

 with pinkish flowers in the case of the parent, but the 

 variety alba is more useful lor cutting, because as white as 

 driven snow. It is very easy to increase either of them 

 by seeds or division of the plants. 



Gaura Lindhcimcri is 



h'VNKIA . 



a graceful perennial which 

 bears its rose-tinted flowers 

 for months, and is worth 

 grouping with the taller 

 hardy plants, as in some 

 soils, warm light loams for 

 example, it grows over 4ft. 

 in height. 

 Gazanias. Of this family 

 of annual and perennial 

 kinds, G. rigens and its 

 variety splendens are the 

 best. Splendens is the deep 

 orange, dark-centred Mari- 

 gold-like flower frequently 

 seen used as an edging to 

 beds in the London parks. 

 It is a brilliant plant of low 

 growth, and likes a warm 

 sunny spot. As a rule, 

 Gazanias do not live through 

 the winter, and it is wise to 

 take cuttings in August, 

 place in a cold frame, and 

 keep them in pots until 

 planting out time the follow- 

 ing spring. An edging of 

 G. rigens splendens is 

 very bright throughout the 

 summer. 



