Apkil 13, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



301 



these women are old— very old, and past 

 work, hut the flowers repay the nece^tsarily 

 limited labour w^ith lavish prodigality, 

 seemingly taking the will for the deed, for 

 there is no conscious neglect of their wants! 



MARSH MARIGOLDS. 



There are hut few plants flowering dur- 

 ing the spring months that in their season 

 contribute more liberally to the charms of 



Here the old double white rockets throw the environment of runnnig stream and 



up great spires of flower, well nigli three 

 feet high, and their scent floats gently down 

 the quiet valley to the corner hard by the 

 thatched forge, where cluster roses wreathe 

 cottage Avails and chimneys. 



The double wdiite rocket (Hesperis matro- 

 nalis alba plena), though, strictly speaking, 

 a perennial, does best, if divided every 

 autumn, and giA^en fresh soil. Treated in 

 this manner, strong, fioAvering plants are 

 secured, and the stock is also rapidly in- 

 creased. It is not necessary to replant 

 each year in a different spot, removal of a 

 portion of the soil and the substitution of 



pool than 



Brave marsh marvbuds, rich and 

 yelloAV, 



and there are certainly none capable of 

 producing a richer display of colour in the 

 bog garden, pi^oAdded it is sufficiently open 

 to enable them to enjoy to the full the 

 adA^antages of exposure to sunshine and a 

 free circulation of air. There is no occa- 

 sion to remind my readers of the fact that 

 the common marsh marigold (Caltha 

 palustris) is a member of the British flora, 

 and that many are the districts in Avhich 

 it may be seen groAving so abundantly in 



sure grounds thev should 



to the garden, and in the first place it may 

 be suggested that in the planting of the 

 bog garden and moist places in the plea- 

 be judicioivsly 



utilised. The common form is Avorthy of a 

 place in the garden, but with the otiier 

 fine forms now a\'ailable, it should be spar- 

 ingly planted. There are tAVO double forms, 

 both effe<'tiA'e, Avhich are known as C. palus- 

 tris plena and C. p. monstrosa plena 

 respectively. They are both deserA- 

 of attention, and it is someAvhat 



to 



ing 



of a matter of taste 



AA'hich 



is 



the best. I prefer the first-named, 

 as the floAvers have a ligliter appearance, 

 but othei-s Avho appreciate the charms of 

 moisture-loving plants may haA'e a prefer- 

 ence for the large double blooms of the 

 second of the tAVO varieties mentioned, and 

 I suggest that the selection be left to indi- 



MAESH MAKIGOLDS BY THE WATEK?<1D1 



some fresh compost being quite sufficient 

 to encourage strong and healthy gi'owtlu ing 

 The floAvering seast 

 the precaution of 



prolonged 



removing the central 



spike as soon as faded be taken, the plants 

 tluis relieved ])roducing a good shoAV of 

 bloom from the set'omlary sluxits. 



Tbcre is. besides tlie Avlii'te form, a purple 

 Aari.tv nt tbc <louble rocket, Avhich is, hoAv- 

 ever, far less ornamental. Such fragrant 

 flowers as these should be in every garden, 

 for perfume is almost as vahmblc an acces- 

 sory to a blossom as are beauty of form and 

 colour. "Wyndham Fitzukriiert. 



Cordyiine australis lentigi- 



nosa. — Thi> is a very distinct variety of 

 ('erdyliiio uuslralis, wliieli last, liy tlie way, 

 is eiten kiioAvii in i;ar(W'its as l)r;u':ena iiuli- 

 visa. Ill lent igiuosa tlu' leaver are of a 

 ieddis]i-l>i()\vn or l)roiizy-r^:-d tint. (|uLte dif- 

 ferent from tlie normal green <n the ty])e, 

 to Avhieli^ for decorative purjioses, it foTUis a 



marked contrast.— W. 



swampy places as, in the season of floAver- 



to prod\ice surprisingly rich colour 

 effects. This species is not, however, pecu- 

 liar to the British Isles, nor is it limiteil to 

 the lowiands, as may hv assunu^l from the 

 frequency Avith Avhich it is met \Mtli along- 

 side streams and on the margins of lakes 



and ponds in the valley. The plant is as 

 much at home on a mountaui of a consider- 

 al)le height as in a deep valley, provided its 

 roots have access to soil that is saturated 

 with moisture, and one of the finest dis- 

 plays— and J have seen many that have been 

 £r(M)d— that has vet come under my notice 

 A^-as on the Wengen Alp, at an altitude o 

 over 7,0i)0 feet. Growing in the boggy tioil 

 Avere several large breadths, the largest 

 i)robal>lv extending over half an acre and 

 the efle'ct produced l)y the myriads of ghs- 

 teniiu' V(dloAV floAvers as seen under tite ui- 

 rtueiuM^ of sunshine of intense brilliancy wa-^ 

 such as is m>t likely to be soon forgotten 

 AtthepresenttimcAve are only <'oneerne(l 



with the marsh marigolds in their relation 



vidual taste. Tin rare C. palustris Tyei"- 

 mani is <lislinct from, ami superior to, all 

 the other varieti<^s, hut it is yet too co.stly 

 to admit of it being planted otherwise than 

 snarinulv. It is of roljnst,vet dwarf. groAVtli. 



a III 



1 1 



)ea r> ui 



o;r(\it profusion hirge rich 

 velloAv sin-ile floAVfU'^ of tine ioiin. In addi- 



tion to the ioreuomg 



there is the large- 

 The flowers are 



groAving V. polypetala. 

 single and of large size, and the glossy 

 green heaves measure ten or more inches 

 ju ross. For planting on the margin of larg- 

 lakes ov in open spaces in the bog garden, 

 where bold effects are desired', this species 

 lias much to recommend it. G- 



Ja.psinese Maples.— In many dis- 



liicts these ar*' of greater value for the em- 

 i.ellislnm^iit of the' gnH^nhon-r or eons-^^rA^a- 

 tory than foi tlie open ground, where their 

 tender unfolding tnliage is often scarred by 

 ^prin^ frosts and euttiiio; winds. Under 

 olas->''this dee> not oeeur. and liuy there 



form a delightful spring feature. 



^5 



