128 HARDY PERENNIALS 
that are entitled to special mention would be very 
well at the time the comments were written, but 
the most up-to-date review of the Delphiniums of 
the day would be hopelessly out of date in a very 
few years, so rapid is the pace of development and 
improvement. Occasionally a break is made that 
seems to project some particular variety far beyond 
the front rank. As instances we may mention the 
Rev. Lascelles, which is notable for density of 
spike, size and symmetry of pip or individual flower, 
and for the startling contrast of its white centre 
against the deep rich blue of the guard petals. 
Statuaire Rude is another totally distinct but 
equally remarkable flower. Its colour is a soft 
opalescent lavender with centre petals of an almost 
rosy pink shade. Moreover, the individual flowers 
are of wonderful size, and the spike is tall, robust, 
and branching. One might, however, proceed to 
name and describe a host of outstanding varieties, 
each possessed of striking colour or distinctive form 
in flower and spike, but after all it depends upon 
personal taste whether one type or another is most 
prized, some admiring the close, compact spike of 
symmetrical double flowers, others the massive 
much-branched stems loosely clothed with broad- 
petalled single flowers on long foot-stalks, each 
individual blossom standing out independently, and 
it is sufficient that either taste may be well gratified. 
We have yet to mention a few distinct species 
of Delphiniums which introduce colours to the 
