HARDY FLOWERS. 



129 



no difficulty about sowing, as a shallow pan of light soil, 

 well crocked, suffices. Pot off the seedlings when large 

 enough, and plant in a moderately rich soil and sunny 

 position. The Pentstemon makes a beautiful bedding plant, 

 and large beds may be Idled with il alone with excellent 

 results, or group il in the mixed border, in any spot 

 indeed that needs colour. A wonderful range of hues may 

 be found in l his race, varying from sell blood crimson to 

 pure while, and the great poinl is to get only the finest 

 tones, not muddy magenta shades. 

 Periwinkle. See Vinca. 



Phloxes. Dwarf. — The so-called Alpine Phloxes are, 

 like the rest of their family, natives of the North Ameri 

 can Continent. Thev are admirable occupants ol the 

 rock garden if thev can be accommodated with a deep 

 and moist root-run in porous soil, fibrous loam and peat 

 in equal proportions, with which a liberal allowance ol 

 disintegrated granite has been mixed, proving a most 

 satisfactory compost. Much as these charming plants 

 appreciate a cool, deep root-run, they are not partial to 

 shade, and succeed best where their foliage and flowers 

 can absorb the sunshine. They are particularly useful in 

 the spring, coming between the Narcissi and the early 

 summer flowers. Although these dwarf species seed, 

 they do not, as a rule, do so freely enough to lead to 

 their general propagation being effected in this manner, 

 so that the usual methods in vogue of increasing the 

 stock are those of dividing the plants and taking cuttings. 

 The latter should be taken off in [uly, and inserted in 

 moist, sandy soil, in a cold frame, care being taken to 

 keep them shaded from the bright sunshine until struck. 

 By the succeeding spring these should have formed nice 

 plants. Old plants which are to be divided should 

 have a mulch of light soil given them after their flowering 

 season is past, and the division should take place in the 

 autumn, when the mulch of light soil will lie found lull 

 of roots from the buried stems. The following list gives 

 the best-recognised species ol the dwarf herbaceous 

 Phloxes : 



P. atnoena, bright rose, 4m. to bin. ill height, a very 

 persistent and most floriferous bloomer, being a mass of 

 flower in the spring, and often blossoming as late as 

 October and November. 



P. divarieata, with large lilac-blue flowers, grows to 

 a height of ift. A variety of litis, I'. d. canadensis, has 

 even larger flowers, of a rather deeper colour. There is 

 also a white variety. 



P. linearifolia has flesh-coloured flowers, and attains a 

 height of ill. 



P. OVata. with reddish purple flowers, grows to a height 

 of I ft. ; Carolina, with large deep rose flowers, is lift, 

 high ; while Listonensis is a purple variety ol the same 

 species. 



P. pilOSa bears purple flowers, 4. in. in diameter, in 

 large clusters during June, and grows to a height ol 

 loin, or I2in. There are varieties w ith rose and while 

 flowers. 



P. prOCUmbenS, bearing flowers lilac and violet, height 

 4in. to bin., is a creeping species, now unknown as a 

 wild plant. 



P. reptans, or verna, another prostrate species, has deep 

 rose flowers. 



P. Stellaria, a very beautiful s.pecies, bearing masses of 

 silver-grey flowers, is very distinct ; height from 4m. to bin. 



P. Sllblllata, growing to a height of 6in., also know n as 

 setacea, and by the English name of Moss Pink, is a very 

 beautiful species, ol which there are now numerous 

 lovely varieties in commerce. The tvpe has blossoms of 

 a soft rosy pink ; P. s. alba is a clear while ; 

 P. s. Aldboroughensis, fine rose ; P. s. atropurpurea, 

 deep purple rose ; P. s. Fairy, cream white, shading to 

 lilac; P. s. frondosa, pink with dark centre, very 

 vigorous; P. s. G. I'. Wilson, (dear mauve, verv fine; 

 1'. s. grandiflora, bright pink with crimson blotch, and 

 larger flowers than the type; 1'. s. Nelsoni, while; 

 I', s. nivalis, white ; P. s. pallida, rose shaded lilac ; 

 P. s. The Bride, white with rosy eye; P. s. Vivid, 

 brilliant rose with carmine centre. 



Phloxes, Herbaceous. — A noble garden flower, ami 



may lie used in many ways, besl of all In groups of • 



kind, not necessarily in the border, but amongst shrubs 

 even, by shrubbery margins, or water-side, where in 

 the moist soil growth is vigorous. The reason plants 

 are frequently poor is because their treatment is little 

 understood. They must have a rich soil with plent) of 

 manure in the bottom, anil (luring dry summers mulch 

 and water them well. Planting may be carried out in 

 spring or in autumn, and the way to propagate is by 

 dividing the roots when new growth commences. When 

 the plants are three years old, and seem mailed 

 together, showing obvious signs ol lading vigour, divide 

 them, and the strong (Utter pieces will make splendid 

 new slock. The herbaceous Phlox is one of the most 

 vigorous ol all perennials, quickly exhausting the soil, 

 and lor this reason lilting and dividing every three or 

 lour years is essential. Another way to propagate is 

 by cuttings late in autumn from the side shoots ihal 

 have not flowered. They should each be about 4111. 

 long, dibbled lot d the sides of a 5HI. pot, and 

 when rooted polled oil singly. Keep over the winter in 

 the frame, and plant uut in spring. Increasing a stock 

 by shoots Ironi the routs is simple, these being seen 

 pushing up in spring. Remove carefully, and when about 

 2in. in length put into 5111. pots, and give a 1 il lie warmth, 

 such as in hot-bed or greenhouse. These may be planted 

 out in May, and a few grown on, if desired, in pots for 

 the adornment ol greenhouse and conservatory. 



It must not be forgotten that Phloxes can be raised 

 from seed, sown when ripe, or indeed at an}' season. 

 Soak the seeds in lukewarm water lor four or five bonis 

 lo soften the hard outer skin, and sow them in a shallow 



pan ol fine soil, which should be placed in a warm IV: : 



or greenhouse. When the seedlings appear pot them 

 oft separately, and when bin. or so high plant them out, 

 when, if the seed was obtained from good varieties, the 

 colours will be pleasing. If. however, a decided colour 

 is required, the plants must be purchased or obtained 

 by division of the roots. 



Tnere are two sections of herbaceous Phlox, the 

 one the early or midsummer flowering group known as 

 the offspring of P. suffruticosa, the other group having 

 been obtained by hybridisation from P. decussata, P. 

 paniculata, and other North American species. As 

 regards varieties, little seems to be known about them, 

 and one sees in gardens kinds of purplish or magenta 

 colours which are unpleasant and ineffective. The tallei 

 decussata or late-flowering race is the most handsome, 

 and the finest varieties are Avalanche, pure white, very 

 free, a beautiful flower, dwarf: Coquelicot, brilliant 

 orange scarlet, as effective as anv variety in the garden ; 

 Etna, crimson touched with scarlet and orange : Erato, 

 vermilion, purple centre : Jeanne d'Arc, white and dwarf ; 

 La Candeur, white with cherry-coloured eye'; Lothair, 

 scarlet with a tinge of purple in it ; Roi des Roses, rosy 

 salmon, crimson centre; W. Robinson, salmon rose; 

 Eugene Danzanvilliers, lilac : Pines' of All, pure white ; 

 Magnet, carmine red ; Lafayette, mauve shade ; John 

 Forbes, rose; Mint H. Jacotot, red. crimson centre, 

 very dwarf ; Regulus, carmine, violet centre: and Dr. 

 Bayol, white, rose centre, all being dwarf in grow th. 



PhygelillS eapensiS.- This is a plant worth a place in 

 warm soils, and if planted in quantity makes a brilliant 

 display. It depends entirely upon the climate as to 

 where il should be put, but, except in the favoured 

 Southern Counties, should have as a rule a warm sunny 

 border, or one of those borders in which the Zephyranthes, 

 Calochorti, and other warmth-loving bulbs are happy. It 

 grows about 3ft. in height, and has a strong stem of 

 scarlet flowers, which appear for main' weeks. If an 

 increase of Stock is desired, propagate hy dividing the 

 root stock in spring. 



Physalis. -The best known is the bright Winter Cherry 

 (P. Alkekengi), conspicuous for the inflated orange scarlet 

 covering enclosing a Tomato-like fruit. These calyces 

 hang on rather slender stems, and make a brilliant show 

 in autumn. P. Franchetti is comparatively new, and 



