March 23, 1912 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



243 



logue. Still I cannot find it in any work 

 of reference. It is a rather upright-grow- 

 ing plant of a shrubby character, and en- 

 tirely clothed with whitish tomentum. This 

 gnaphalinm is very largely used as a dot 

 plant, but it has not the intense whiteness 

 of the leiicopliyta or the artemisia. One 

 of this class much less grown now than it 

 used to be is Gnaphalium lanatum, with 

 roundish leaves about half an inch across. 



SILVER-LEAVED BEDDING 



PLANTS. 



At the present day the furnishing of 

 flower beds during the summer montJis is 

 cariied out on very different lines from 

 those that were at one time almost univ^er- 

 sally followed. A notable feature is the far 

 greater variety of plants that are now em- 

 ployed, and the important part that mixed 

 beds piny in the summer display. Even 

 large examples of different greenhouse sub- 

 jects are oiten bedded out with good effect 

 at that season, and under these conditions 

 they are frequently seen to greater advan- 

 tage than when under glass. 



Anotlier feature in which the bedding-out 

 of to-day differs markedly from the dis- 

 plays of old is that dense masses of colour - 

 are not so universally met with. Where 

 large and showy flowers are extensively 

 grown there is now a much greater ten- 

 dency to break up these masses of colour 

 by the judicious employment of plants 

 grown for their foliage alone. 



As a foil to brightly-coloured flowers, or 

 as a direct contrast to the bright green of 

 the grass which so frequently surrounds 

 the flower beds, j^lants with foliage of a 

 more or less silvery hue are in considerable 

 demand. I do not refer to those in which 



the leaves are more or less variegated with EFFECTS OF THE WINTER 



WORK FOR THE WEEK 



From its spreading growth it ;s more 

 usually employed as an edging than in any 

 other way. 



Stachys lanata, which in my boyhooil's 

 days used to be known as the Flannel Plant, 

 from the soft texture of the lea\es, was 

 at one time popular as a broad edging to 

 long borders. It is not much used now, 

 but, being quite hardy, it is occasionally 

 met with. Of low-growing subjects that 

 Avill simply cover the ground with a dense 

 white carpet the best are Antennaria tomen- 

 tosa and Cerastium tomentosum, both of 

 which are now well-known subjects. 



In conclusion, I may note the intense 

 silvery whiteness acquired last summer by 

 that tropical Knotweed, Polygonum lani- 

 genun, thus surpassing any previous effects. 

 The hot summer was, no doubt, answer- 

 able for this. S. W. 



whit<^, but rather to the different subjects 

 with leaves clothed with silky hairs, vary- 

 ing in density^ pureness of tint, ancl other 

 particulars. 



One of the most useful of this class is 



Leucophyta (or Calocephalus) Brownii, an 

 old 



gardens, but never 



I 



freely as 

 leaves 



for the 



now, 

 are of an in- 

 whiteness, which almost 



the 



sunlight. 



It 



plant m 

 think^ used so 

 tiny scale-like 

 tense silvery 

 seems to glisten in 



used to be almost luiiversally gix>wn as an 

 edging plant, being pegged down for this 

 purpose; indeed^ it can frequently be seen 

 now treated in this way. Larger examples 

 are, however, quite common, being employed 

 either as dot plants over low-growing sub- 

 jects, or associated in mixed beds with 

 other plants of equal size. Bushy speci- 

 mens, a yard or more in height, have, -in 

 bright weather, quite a dazzling effect. 



Artemisia arborescens has become quite 

 an established favourite Avithin tlie last few 

 years. It is of free growth, and as a bushv 

 plant from 2ft. to 4ft. in heiglit is very 

 effective. The leaves are prettily cut and 

 very sdvery. As a foil to pelargonium'Paul 

 trampel or salvia Pride of Zurich, this 

 iutemisia is most useful. Last summer it 

 jva,s particularly fine, but owing to the 

 ^>i'ignt sunshine much the same mav be 

 said of most silvery-leaved subjc<ts, "that 



IS, where they did not suffer fioni want of 

 water. 



Cineraria maritima has long been grown 

 tor the sake of its ]>rettily cut, whitish foli- 

 ^Se. Mi(M'(^ are ,st^veral garden forms of it 

 now in cultivation, among the best being 



fo "'V*"'^''"''*^'^*" ^'^^ ^yP^ ' acanthi- 



<Jna, with broa<l silvery white leaves; and 



finnom ^ ^'""'^^ large-leaved, very 



Centaurea candidissima, also known as 

 v^ei^taurea ragusina, is well known as a 

 nse^ '^f^^ plant, and has been long 

 davi ^ hedding plant, especially in the 



n^o?J\ ^^V^«g^*^- A somewlmt taller and 

 pleasing"" ^ gymnocarpa, is very 



a con-^^ microphyllum is, I suppose, 

 ^^^oupot name, as one meets with it in 



arcU'iis whtMo summer bed- 



ON HARDY BAMBOOS, 



Hardy bamboos are generally supposed 

 to suffer more from the cold winds at the 

 present season of the year than from 

 frost, but the severe weather has had a 

 decidedly evil effect upon several kinds, 

 and they all more or less show the effects 

 of the winter. 



The bamboos in these gardens are grow- 

 in g 700 feet a lx)vo sea -level , on a si ripe 

 facing S.S.IO., but they are thoroughly pro- 

 tectee! from the cold winds by belts of orna- 

 mental trees and shrubs. The natural soil 

 is a heavy loain resting on a clay sub-soil, 

 but the bamboos, most of which have been 

 established over tAventy years have in many 

 cases assumed large proportions. Arun- 

 dinaria nitida and A. bpathiflora Jiave suf- 

 fered more than any others, as they are 

 very brown, and have lost quantities of 

 leaves. A. aristata has -been effe^-ted in a 

 less degree, and this bamboo, with its pur- 

 ple-colo\ired stems, is one of the most orna- 

 mental of all. A. auricoma, A. Fortunei, 

 and A. Hindsi are quite brown. A. metal- 

 lica is decidedly dingy around the edges of 

 its large leaves, but not worse than usual ; 

 while A. anceps and A. japonica have suf- 

 fered less than any of this sectiim. 



Haniliusa Lavdeckeri is in rather a brown 

 condition, but H. ))alniat:i and B. quad- 

 l auiiidaris liave suff< r<Mi m vx little. Phvl- 



l4)stachy.s aurci i)revruts a vny uninviting 

 apjicaranci', and looks exceed inii I y brown 



and <lingy. P- C^astillonis, P. viridi-glau- 

 cescens, and P. Quilioi are very little 

 affected; Avhile P. fastuosa^ with its hand- 

 some erect stems, is comparatively fresh 



and green. 



The siicw probably did more damage to 



the plants than the *frost, for it was imme- 

 diately after the snow that several kinds 

 lost a groat many leaves, and commenced 

 to change colour. Nevertlioless, hardy 

 bamboos m^ay still he regarded as very or- 

 namental garden plants, for they add c(m- 

 siderable beauty, and give a <lecided tro- 

 pical appt^ara^UH' to i::ii'dens at a time of 

 year when there is iiitle else U> beautify 

 "them. Now that growth is about to com- 

 mence a good top-dressing of well-clecayed 

 lai nivard manure will b<' a ureat assistance 



^i'' I'^'rks and 

 is in vo 



CONSERVATORY AND GREEN* 



HOUSE. 



HIMALAYAX RHODODEXDKOxN S. 

 Tliese are most be-autitul for conservatory 

 and greenliouse decoration. In some kmcts 

 tlie howers are purest AViiite^ and have most 

 delicate fragrance. .Large jspecimens^ with 

 100 flower trusses or more, are a Hue sight 

 when in bloom, 'liieir cultivation is very 

 simjjle, and witli oare the plauta are main- 

 tained in good health, and will flower pro- 

 fusely for many years. Himalayan rhodo- 

 denarons resent hard forcing, and il sub- 

 jected to it the buds drop prematurely, i'iie 

 plants are best grown quite cooi. At tiie 

 present some of our plants are in bloom, 

 a^tex being placed in tne conservatory for a 

 fortnight; others which are in a late vinery 

 will come on naturally, and therefore extend 

 tlie period of liowcring. After flowering i>s 

 over, all old flower spikes should ;be re- 

 moved, tak.ng care not to damage the 

 growth buds surrounding the flowers. Any 

 limning that is neccissary to make sliai>ely 

 plants should then be carried out hy shor- 

 tening back any long rank gmwtiis and 

 trimming out dead wood, etc. Any rejiot- 

 tiiig or top-dressing should then be attended 

 to. If a shift is needed, choose suitable 

 sized pots <iu Inhs tor tlie ])ur])<>sc, and use a 

 compost oi tJirte ]Kut> peat and one part 

 coarse sand. The new recejitaclo i^hould Do 

 about four inches larger than the oue the 

 plant is taken from, to allow for a portion of 

 ihe compost to be worked all round the roots. 

 The compost must be rammed very firm, and 

 if the work is properly done, the plants need 

 not be disturbed again for some years. The 

 third week in May the plants should be stood 

 outside, and I find it best to plunge 

 the pots up to the rim in an asli bed. 

 They must novrr he ;\ll<>wed to become dry 

 at the roots during the summer. 'Early in 

 October tliey sliould be removed to a cold 



■ I 



house and kejit drier at the roots during the 

 winter. Our plants are exceptionally we]! 

 set with flower buds, no doubt owing to the 

 abnormal n mount of sunshine e>])erienced 

 during last summer. 



FLOWERING SHRUBS AND BULBS 

 AFTER FLOWERING.— It is often painful 

 to me to see the waste of good material in 

 some gardens. -Many shrubs ^fter tliev have 

 been of service are laid carelessly a&ide, and 

 soon die. while bulbs are often thrown awav. 



Azalea mollis and A. indic^«, ehrubby spiraeas. 

 Viburnum Opuliis and V. plicatum, lilacs, 

 prunusew, laburnums, deutzlas, ^'^taphylea 

 colchica,*tc., after floweringj should have all 

 flower spikes car<*fully remov^. and be 

 pruned back hard. p]a<vd in a liglit oiry 

 house or warm f ranii' . j ii.l svi iiu'-t'd t n'el v 

 overhead -early in the niorniiit^ and a*iaiii at 

 shutting-U]) tiine to eneoura^^e them to Invak 

 into o'rowth freelv. The third week in ]\Iav 

 they may all be moved outsidt^, and plunged 

 in an asli-hcd. If tiic ]jiants arc chosen ac- 

 cording to theii' lieit^ht. and ]i]aeed in heds 

 six feet aero--, witli jiailis ht'tweeu, tliey 

 are easv of access ea>ilv watered, and have 

 a tidy appearance. P>ul h-, such as tulips, 

 hvacinths, and narcissi, after flowering, 

 sliould l>e stood in cold frames, in scjiarate 

 varieties; and when all are over they sliould 

 be planted out at the foot of south walls, in 

 narrow strips two feet wide <thev do not in- 

 teri'ere with fruit tree>). or in anv slu'ltered 

 spot where they are not in the way and 

 can be left undisturlKKl. A splendid early 

 croji of lilooni can he e^atliered from the^e 

 vear after vear, and thev give no troulile. 

 Narcissi may also be kept in pots or lx)xes 

 until tliey have died down, and then planted 

 in tlie L^ras^ for natural isinsr. 



(r 



gue^ and occasionally :n a cata- 



to them. 



Batsford Park Gardens. 



J. Garonek. 



GI:X1:K\\L EEMARKS.— with the in- 

 crease of >unshine and consequent rise in 

 temperature, gix>vvth will be very rapid. 

 Fires should be banked U]) during sunnv 

 days, but kept ready for emergencies, as cold 

 storms spring up suddenly, Ycntilatiou 



