HARDY FLOWERS. 



95 



SNOWDROPS IN A WOOD. 



Gentians, The. — It is a poor garden from which the 

 beautiful Gentians are absent. There is rare beauty 

 amongst the many kinds, all widely distinct, yet pre- 

 serving characteristic features. Upon rock gardens 

 and in borders plant the Gentians, using the dwarf 

 kinds as edgings ; but their uses are pointed out in the 

 description of the several kinds. As regards their culture, 

 it must always be remembered that the less Gentians are 

 disturbed the belter, as they increase in beauty with age, 

 and in propagating them raise the plants from seed, 

 rather than from division of the roots, unless it be the 

 Gentianella (G. acaulis), which may be pulled to pieces 

 readily. Sow the seeds always when ripe, and use 

 shallow pans or pots, which must be well drained and 

 placed in a cold frame. Water always with great care, 

 and prick off the seedlings into other pans when large 

 enough. The whole business is simple. All the seed 

 may not germinate at once, but as the seedlings develop 

 they may be lifted carefully from the pan and pricked 

 out. 



G. aeaulis [t'u Ce}itianella) is a very old inhabitant. of-our 

 gardens, having been introduced about the year 1630. It 

 is quite dwarf, rising scarcely more than 3m. in height, 

 and the growth forms quite a dense mat, hidden almost 

 in early summer with long deep blue flowers. There are 

 forms of it, however, almost white, rose, and streaked 

 with blue. In some gardens the plant grows as if a weed, 

 and in others it is difficult to establish ; the rule is to 

 give it a gritty, loamy soil, well drained, and choose a cool, 

 fairly shady, but by no means sunless position. Small 

 pieces, if in congenial spots, will soon become established. 

 G. bavarica, also a very small Gentian, should be planted 

 in the rock garden, and seems to care little under what 

 conditions it is grown, succeeding in light loamy soil as 

 well as in moist, boggy spots. The flowers are large for 

 the size of the plant, and intense blue. 



G. AndreWSi is one of the taller Gentians, rising about 2ft. 

 in height, the clear blue flowers appearing in clusters in 

 early autumn. It delights in a moist soil. 



G. aselepiadea is the Willow Gentian, and one of the 

 handsomest of the family ; it should be grown freely, 

 being permitted to extend into a bold group. It will 

 succeed in the ordinary border, but is never handsomer 



than when placed in a rather shady corner in the rock 

 garden where the soil is peaty and moist. There it grows 

 with great freedom, the tall willowy stems being hidden 

 almost with purple-blue flowers, white, or nearly so, 

 however, in the variety named alba. It comes from 

 Southern Europe, and blooms in August, when its 

 wealth of colouring is welcome. 

 G. Septemfida, or the crested Gentian, is an early 

 autumn -flowering kind, and perhaps the most popular of 

 the family, as it grows very freely in almost any situation, 

 caring little whether it be sunny or otherwise, but growth 

 is freer where moisture is present. The flowers are bright 

 blue, and borne on stems that are sometimes erect and 

 sometimes almost trailing. G. affinis is not unlike this 

 species. 



G. verna is a delightful alpine flower, and, it must not be 

 forgotten, is found here too. It is unfortunately rather 

 troublesome to manage, requiring a good loamy soil with 

 little stones about the collar, exposure to sun, a cool 

 position nevertheless, and moisture. The flowers are 

 intense blue, a beautiful colour, and appear in spring. 

 When the little tufts are in full flower, G. verna is a 

 treasure indeed. 



Other Gentians of value are G. cruciata, blue ; G. 

 frigida, G. ornata, deep blue, pretty on a shady part of 

 the rock garden in peaty soil ; G. Pneumonanthe, a native 

 kind ; G. punctata, 2ft. high, yellow, spotted with purple ; 

 G. pyrenaica, 3m. high, flowers deep blue, and fringed ; 

 and G. algida, allied to G. Pneumonanthe. 



Geraniums. — These must not be confounded with the 

 Zonal Pelargoniums of gardens usually called Geraniums. 

 The plants now under consideration are perfectly hardy, 

 some natives of our own land, as G. sanguineum, G. 

 pratense, the little Herb Robert (G. Robertianum), and 

 others. A very beautiful kind is G. armenuin, which is 

 also one of the most vigorous, and bearing in profusion, in 

 summer, large deep rose purple flowers. This plant may 

 be used in many ways, in the rougher parts of the garden 

 where it spreads about freely, near woodland walks, and 

 in the mixed border. One never tires of a plant so 

 bushy, vigorous, and rich in colour. Another kind that 

 may be planted freely in the wilder parts of the garden is 

 G. platypelalum, the flowers of which are deep blue. A 



