HARDY FLOWERS. in 



growing, its flowers of a pure purple colour. L. Tupa 

 has crimson flowers, and is a handsome kind. 

 Lupines. — As beautiful as any of the perennial Lupines is 

 the bushy Lupinus arboreus, which is almost rare, as one 

 seldom sees its bright yellow flowers in English gardens. 

 This may be due, perhaps, to climate, as the plants delight 

 in warmth, sunshine, and light soil, and frequently collapse 

 after two years. Seeds, however, are easily raised, so 

 much so that the plants will reproduce themselves freely 

 in this way ; but as the seedlings vary considerably in 

 colour, if a good, bright yellow form is got, increase 

 this by cuttings of the little shoots on the branches taken 

 off with a slight heel attached after flowering-time is over. 



These put into puts ol light soil in a cold Irame will s 



strike. Try to keep plants of bright yellow colour. 

 Not a few of the Tree Lupines are of very poor washed- 

 out tints, muddy 

 yellow and 

 blues, which are 

 not desirable. 

 A Tree Lupine 

 two years i ild is 

 frequently 6ft. in 

 h e i g li t , 

 smothered uith 

 f r a g r a n t 

 blossom. If seed 

 is purchased, 

 sow it in early 

 spring in the 

 open ground or 

 in pots, but the 

 former plan is 

 best, as then 

 there is no need 

 to disturb the 

 plants. Allow 

 them to flower 

 where sown, 

 thinning out, of 

 course, to give 

 ample space for 

 iree develop- 

 ment. Tree- 

 Lupines are 

 handsome upon 

 h i g li 1 a k e 

 banks, in the 

 border, or 

 amongst ever- 

 green shrubs. 



Lupinus poly- 



phyllUS and its 



beautiful white 

 variety albus are 

 noble garden 

 flowers, with tall 

 shapely spikes, 

 and happy in 

 w a tin soils; 

 increased readily 

 by division in 

 spring or 

 autumn. Both the blue and the white forms may 

 be grouped in the rougher parts of the garden, but their 

 noble flower spikes are welcome almost anywhere. There 

 are other Lupines, but those mentioned are by far the 

 most beautiful. 



Lychnis. — A useful class, many of them with flowers of 

 brilliant colouring. L. chalcedonica is the brightest 

 spot, often, in cottage gardens, and is easily known by 

 its clusters of scarlet flowers. There is a white variety 

 known as alba, and a double scarlet (flore-pleno). L. 

 dioica fl.-pl., L. Flos-cuculi flore albo-pleno, L. 

 Haageana and its forms, L. Lagascre, L. Viscaria alba, 

 and especially the brilliant red variety called Splendens, 

 are all worthy of a place in the garden. Raise the plants 

 by seed and root division. 



WHITE LUPINES 



Lysimaehia. —This is a useful group of plants, best know n 

 by the common Creeping Jenny or Moneywort (L. 

 nummularia), which creeps about in any border and is 

 useful as an edging, the vigorous shoots spreading even 

 lo the walk, forming a dense mat ol leaves, bright with 

 yellow flowers in summer-time. The Creeping fenny is 

 a favourite plant lor draping window-boxes, vases, or 

 ledges in the rock garden. If you want to increase it, 

 divide the clumps. Ever) bit will become estaDlished. 

 There is a golden-lc ved variety ol it which is not so free 

 and hardy as the parent, bill the colour is retained 

 throughout (lie year. Besides this, there are several 

 much taller kinds, which apparently have but slight relation 

 lo the little Creeping Jenny. These are L. clethroides, 

 which has white flowers ami pretty leaf lints in autumn, 

 and the yellow-flowered L. thyrsiflora, lanceolata, 



punctata, and 

 verli. illata. all 

 of strong grow tli 

 and pleasing 

 naturalised by 

 streamside ; it 

 is in moist si >ils 

 thai the plants 

 attain luxuriant 

 growth, and the)' 

 are scarcely 

 li a n d s o m e 

 enough for the 

 border. In their 

 place few plants 

 are more 



delightful. 



Lythrum. — This 



is the Loose- 

 strife, and a 

 beautiful plant 

 for pond, lake, 

 or stream side. 

 Our native 

 Loosestrife 

 (Lythrum Sali- 

 caria) colours 

 the river and 

 stream margin 

 with its clouds 

 of rose purple 

 blossom. One 

 need not plant 

 this native kind 

 in the garden, 

 because the 

 variety rosea is 

 a more effective 

 plant, its wil- 

 lowy stems hid- 

 den with flowers 

 of intense colour. 

 A [ways use 

 them for the 

 outer margin, 

 and good plants 

 put in during 

 the autumn or in spring will quickly grow into large 

 groups, pleasant to see in the autumn months. 

 Mariposa Lily. — See Calochortus. 

 Meadow Rues. — See Thalictrums. 

 Meadow Saffrons. —See Colchicums. 



Meeonopsis. — A charming family, of which the Welsh 

 Poppy (M. cambrica) is the best known. All are hardy 

 and of biennial nature, therefore seeds must be sown 

 each year. M. cambrica is the kind to obtain first, as it 

 is stronger and freer than any others, more amenable also 

 to ordinary conditions. It will grow almost anywhere on 

 the rock garden or in the chinks of old w alls, its delicately 

 beautiful vcllow flowers being always pleasing. 1'hin the 

 seedlings out freely, so that there is no overcrowding. 

 Even in poor soil it succeeds. M. ncpalensis is quite 



