392 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 
in front of them so that no bare places are apparent. By 
a judicious selection a succession of blossom may be had 
from spring till late in the fall, but to obtain such a desir- 
able condition it is necessary to lie conversant with the 
very large number at our disposal and then they can be 
ordered from the catalogues, but failing this I would 
suggest going to a good nursery where herbaceous plants 
are made a specialty of and picking out what appear to 
be the most suitable. It is well to remember that the best 
plants are always the cheapest in the end. 
In making this selection of new and desirable varieties 
I have endeavored to include those only which may be 
relied on to prove satisfactory, and except in one or two 
instances they are perfectly hardy. I have also separated 
them into two sections, the first being suitable for what 
one might call the herbaceous border proper and the 
other for w aterside planting or where the soil is continu- 
ally moist. 
Blue flowered plants, apart from Delphiniums, are not 
numerous, but two very beautiful additions have recently 
been made. Both are varieties of the old Anchusa italica, 
one being named superba or Dropmore variety, with 
dark blue blossoms, and the other called opal, has flowers 
sky blue in color. These ar«^ two remarkably fine plants, 
unsurpassed by anything with which I am acquainted. 
As they seldom seed and sometimes show a tendency to 
die in winter, it is advisable to propagate a few plants 
during the fall, so that one may be sure of retaining 
them. Aconitums are on a par with Delphiniums for 
stateliness, and the best should always be included, as 
they continue to give a succession of bloom over a long 
period. The most effective is the new A. Wilsonii, which 
grows 6 feet high, with pale blue flowers. Spark variety, 
dark blue, is also good, and A. rostratum, which grows 
four feet tall, is a pleasing shade of pale blue, deeper 
on the hood. A-hemsleyanum, a new climbing variety, 
is also interesting and desirable. Achillea Cerise Queen 
is the most recent and desirable addition to this family, 
'and is devoid of the weediness which usually character- 
izes these plants. The flowers, cerise pink in color, are 
produced abundanth all through the summer and fall. 
it is much to be regretted that Anemone Japonica and 
its many excellent varieties are not sufficiently bank' to 
withstand the severity of our Xew England winters in 
all localities, but if favored positions are selected for 
them there is no reason why they should not succeed 
Two or three years' growth are necessary to get them 
well established, and as they make long roots which pen- 
etrate deeply, the soil should be well prepared, whi.ch en- 
ables them to obtain the maximum amount of moisture 
and food. Under such conditions the typical variety will 
grow six feet high, and if they are planted in groups, 
the luxuriant foliage and great quantities of flowers are 
unsurpassed in the autumn. There are now numerous 
varieties, all of much merit, but the old Anemone ■] a] o- 
nica with it- single pink flowers and the white form are 
very hard to beat, but one should also include A. J. 
Autumn Queen, which is dark rose in color and semi- 
double. Mont Rose is very double and pale pink; Whirl- 
wind is a fine double white; Prince Heinrich double, dark 
red, and Purpurine is a very large flower, purplish-rose 
in color. 
Anions the many low growing plants suitable for 
clothing the edge of the border there is nothing of 
greater merit than the double form of Arabis alpina, 
which is a very old plant, but was lost for many years 
to cultivation. It grows and blooms very freely from 
spring until fall, and the pure white flowers are produced 
on spikes similar to a stock. 
Bocconias or Plume Poppies make extremely effective 
masses of glaucous coloring in the garden if ample space 
can be afforded them, but unless this is possible I do not 
advise planting them where they are likely to interfere 
with their weaker neighbors. B. microcarpa will grow 
eight feet high and produce ample foliage, which is un- 
injured by strong sunlight. 
We do not usually associate Calceolarias with hardy 
plants, but the introduction of a new variety has enabled 
us to have at least one representative which will thrive 
in the open ground. This is a hybrid named Golden 
Queen, with large golden-yellow flowers, and is valuable, 
among other reasons, for its persistent flowering. 
Everyone admires the Campanula's, whether it be the 
miniature gems from the Alps, the beautiful Hairbell of 
Scotland or the Giant pyramidalis, but I think the most 
desirable for the border are the pescicaefolia section. 
These flower early in the summer, but if the stems are 
removed as soon as the blossoms have faded they con- 
tinue to produce new growths for some time. Moer- 
heimi and Newry Giant are two extremely fine double 
white varieties, and marginata, which has a band of pale 
blue on the edge of the petals, is very attractive. Alba 
fl. fl. and grandiflora should also be included. Many 
new varieties of Chrysanthemum maximum have recent- 
ly been produced, and though mere size is not always 
a desiderata, I think in this case it has improved this 
useful plant. They are capable of making good masses 
of white and the long, stiff flower stems render them 
very serviceable for cut purposes. 
For midsummer flowering the herbaceous Clematis are 
a useful and beautiful family worthy of inclusion in all 
gardens. C. erecta makes a fine bush, four feet high, 
covered with a multitude of white blossoms, but the va- 
riety mandschurica, which is larger in all its parts, is 
even superior, and erecta flore pleno, with very double 
flowers, is of great merit. C. integrifolia Durandi has 
large blue flowers on robust stems, and C. coccinia, which 
is seen to the best advantage if grown on sticks in the 
same way as sweet peas, has scarlet and yellow flowers. 
Everyone is probably familiar with the American Snake- 
root, Cimicifega racemosa, and a beautiful plant it is, 
hut those who need a more graceful species should plant 
C. simplex, which is, as yet, rare in gardens. It is 
smaller generally than its American congenor, but the 
flowers are much whiter and the foliage more elegant. 
Delphiniums in their multitudinous variety do not need 
any recommendation from me, but there are some va- 
rieties which may not have come under your notice. 
D-Belladonna is one of the very few plants with sky 
blue flowers, and though it will not withstand a severe 
winter, it should always he grown, even if one has to 
pot it up. It has the desirable quality of sending up new 
llower stems for a long period, and the beautiful color- 
ing is. appreciated by all. Several varieties are now ob- 
tainable, the best of them being Belladonna grandiflora, 
which is larger generally than the type; B. semi-plena, 
sky-blue flushed lavender, and Moerheimi, a very excel- 
lein white form. For many years nurserymen have been 
endeavoring to evolve a pure white, tall-growing Del- 
phinium, and they have at last succeeded in producing 
a variety appropriately named Xulli Secundus, which is 
certainly second to none, being very robust and of the 
finest white. 
Two excellent plants, specially for dry positions, are 
Ephorbia polychroma and E. corollata, the latter a North 
American species seldom seen in cultivation. F. poly- 
chroma forms a symmetrical bush, completely covered 
with conspicuous yellow bracts, and E. corollata bears 
white flowers in the greatest profusion. Few hardy 
plants are more popular than the charming Fypsophila 
