July 26, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
81 
gloves, Canterbury Bells, Sweet Williams, and a host of similar flowers 
while the intermediate spaces are occupied with a multitudinous collection 
of species and varieties far too numerous to mention, hut some of the 
more useful and effective I will describe. 
Lathyrus Drummondi is without doubt one of the showiest perennial 
Peas, of vigorous growth and crowded with red flowers. In large masses 
it is most conspicuous, and valuable alike for cutting and prominent dis¬ 
play. It is very rarely seen, hut there is no reason why it should not he 
more frequently seen, as it is readily increased from seed. 
Spiraea Aruncus, although a very old inhabitant of our gardens, is not 
half so abundant as it should be. The whole horticultural world would 
fall in love w T itli it if seen at the present at Tedmore—in large masses 
with immense plumes of white flowers ; and if arranged with a dark back¬ 
ground, or between masses of Delphiniums, how charming is the effect! 
What can surpass it ? 
Creeping about a Rhododendron bed most copiously is the beautiful 
TrapceolumpolypJiyllum, with its trailing shoots covered with glaucous 
foliage and deep yellow flowers—a most desirable and showy plant ; and 
hard by is its more fastidious congener T. speciosum , scrambling over 
shrubs with its pleasing green foliage and scarlet flowers in such profusion. 
]\Ir. Owen told me how difficult it was to establish, but he added, “ It is 
getting quite a nuisance.” So we have heard from others, but it does 
mot make itself so familiar with everybody. 
Dictamnus Fraxinclla is represented by a specimen quite a yard 
through, thickly set with its most distinct-looking and scented flowers. 
This and the white variety are most handsome plants. Fuchsia proeum- 
hens was happily trailing on a small rockery and is quite hardy with 
Mr. Owen, coming up every season. Near by was the pretty Houstonia 
-ccerulea, verily quite a pale blue, which in my experience is very unusual ; 
and indeed I remember Mr. Curtis making a point of this when it was 
figured in an early volume of the “ Botanical Magazine.” He says, “The 
colour scarcely warrants the term ccerulea,” or something having the same 
meaning. It delights in a cool situation in peat, leaf soil, and sand. 
Primula obconica, recently introduced by Messrs. Veitcli, is quite 
hardy in a sheltered shady spot among the hardy Ferns. It is a very 
pretty plant, well represented by an engraving in the Journal, vol. vi., 
page 10. 
Cortusa grandiflora is perhaps a large form of the old C. Matthiola. 
It produces large downy leaves and tall scapes of pendulous flowers of a 
deep reddish pink colour; evidently very tioriferous, and at least quite 
hardy at Tedmore. I think it was introduced by Dr. Hegel of St. Peters- 
burgh to the notice of British plant-growers. 
A mass quite a yard across of Geranium armenum thickly covered 
with its large purple-red flowers was particularly striking, and convinced 
us that it is one of if not the best border Cranesbill3 known in our col¬ 
lections. A near neighbour to it was as large a mass of Mertcnsia sibirica 
with its multitude of drooping porcelain-blue bells—a most meritorious 
hardy plant, coming into beauty much later than the grand old Virginian 
Lungwort, M. virginica. 
Digitalis grandiflora is very abundant, distinct, and showy, and 
withal perennial, producing large terminal spikes of dull yellow flowers 
with or minus brownish spots. There were two Rheums very striking— 
viz., R. palmatum tanghuticum and R. officinale, both of which are ex- 
tremely effective when arranged amongst shrubs, the towering panicles of 
flowers revealing a differentiation most desirable. 
A very noble-looking plant, too, is Ligularia macropbylla, from 
Eastern Asia I believe, or it may be from A. minor, with large oblong 
leaves and tall dense spikes of bright yellow flowers, and regarded as a 
aoliar or floral ornament it is well worth having. 
Numerous Liliums were in excellent form. The old L. crocenvi with 
large broad heads of orange-yellow flowers. L. Szovitzianum has evi¬ 
dently established itself, one stem being particularly strong and nearly 
fi feet high and proportionately stout, with an immense head of bright 
yellow flowers quite free from spots, a peculiarity it has assumed since its 
stay at Tedmore, as when first planted five or six years since it was freely 
spotted. I have never known a bulb of this Lily to exist so long without 
splitting up or dying. Undoubtedly the soil has something to do with 
The life period of this as well as many other Lilies. L. Martagon and its 
white variety were evidently at home. The white form was particularly 
interesting, and a most attractive plant it is, although comparatively 
rare. 
L. auratum are coming up well. Some of the bulbs have been planted 
for several years. Many ai'e very liealthy-looking, but others are diseased ; 
•or the ailment may not be a disease at all, as I am inclined to think it is 
■caused by sudden outbursts of bright sunshine, especially after showers. 
Many of mine have gone just in the same way without any apparent 
cause whatever. 
Iris ochroleuca is a very distinct and showy species, growing 3 feet or 
more high. Standards white, about 3 inches long; falls rather longer, 
reflexed, and broader, white, with a very large yellow blotch on each. 
Glossocoma ovata is a pretty Campanuloid, with pendulous bell-shaped 
flowers rather more than an inch long, of a very pale blue colour. It is 
quite perennial and hardy at Tedmore, although I have known it to 
succumb in ordinary winters elsewhere. 
Thalictrum aquilegifolium is a very robust species, with large Colum¬ 
bine-like foliage and terminal corymbs of pure white flowers. T. flavum 
grows quite 6 feet high, with large heads of sulphur-yellow flowers. Both 
good plants for the back part of the border or for massing among shrubs. 
The Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica) was plentiful everywhere ; 
seedlings of it Belf-raiscd lit up the borders with their rich yellow flowers. 
Spiraea marylandica is similar to S. Aruncus, but perhaps more slender 
in growth, producing plumose heads of white flowers. S. Pallasi Mr. 
Owen regards as the handsomest. It is very rare, but was not quite out. 
The individual flowers are comparatively large and pure white. S. tri- 
foliata is a very chaste subject, with trifoliate leaves and solitary, pure 
white, irregularly shaped flowers. 
Several Dvodiccas were very showy, B. coccinea being perhaps the 
handsomest with its deep scarlet tubular flowers, the limb-segments of 
which are green. This is quite hardy, having been undisturbed for some 
years, and it looks extremely pretty mixed with B. congesta andB.lactea, 
the former purple and the latter white. These are all excellent border 
plants. Among many ornamental Grasses special mention must be made 
of the annual 
Ilordeum jnbatum with its elegant purple-tinged feathery spikes. 
This seeds freely, and annual colonies appear without any trouble what¬ 
ever ; and it is astonishing what a pretty effect it and the following pre¬ 
sents among flowering plants. Briza maxima also comes up after the 
same fashion, and I never saw it finer. Carex riparia variegata is a very 
handsome white variegated Sedge, of dwarf dense growth and very 
serviceable. 
The collection of hardy Ferns is rather extensive: a great assemblage 
of species and varieties in excellent condition, some of them, especially 
the forms of the Lady Fern (Athyrium Filix-fcemina), developed to an 
unusual extent. One variety of it particularly struck me as being very 
distinct; it was named pulckerrima, and was collected upon Cador Idris. 
It is certainly distinct from the ordinary pulcherrima, being more dwarf 
and dense and not so finely divided. The Ostrich Fern (Struthiopteris 
germanica) is very finely developed. 
From the numerous notes made upon hardy shrubs I can only tran¬ 
scribe a few. 
Escalloniapitilippensis is quite hardy here, have stood for some years 
unprotected. It is a lovely shrub, with gracefully arching branches 
thickly studded with pure white flowers about one-third of an inch across, 
the unexpanded buds being pink, which materially adds to the beauty of 
the spring. This is one of the prettiest shrubs I have ever met with. 
Arabia Maximomiczii has a bold appearance, of dense growth with 
shining digitate leaves—quite hardy. A. papyraceus, A. japonica, A. cali- 
fornica, and others are well represented. Rosa rugosa, an unusually 
deep-coloured variety, was covered with fine flowers, and the lovely variety 
alba was just coming into character. What a beautiful subject this is ! 
The yellow Austrian Briar was well in bloom, also the good old Yorlc-and- 
Lancaster Rose, so very rarely seen in our gardens now-a-days, although 
it richly deserves attention. 
Acanthoqianax variegata, a shrub usually coddled up in artificial heat, 
but good specimens exist, and have been fully exposed for three years, 
and it is one of the finest variegated shrubs extant. Several varieties of 
Japanese Maples are planted out, which in time will no doubt make a 
fine feature. Lonicera tomentella, crowded with a multitude of small, 
white, tubular, pendulous flowers, the whole shrub presenting a very 
elegant appearance. A species of Abelia, hard by which, I think, was 
A. triflora, was also showy with terminal clusters of white Bowers. The 
elegant Spiraea arioefolia, thickly covered with its drooping panicles, is 
very striking. Rubus odoratus forms a dense mass of bold foliage, and 
produces reddish pink flowers about 1.J inch across, very rarely succeeded 
with large fruits. Cratajgus orientalis is a very distinct wth asliy-grey 
foliage and calyces. Salix argentea is very effective when planted with 
copper-foliage trees, the narrow silvery white leaves bearing a striking 
contrast to the latter, and indeed the whole tree is very charming in any 
position. I have only to add that the hospitality of Mr. Owen made the 
visit to Tedmore one of the most enjoyable days ever spent in a garden. 
—Ramblee. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Healthy Foliage— Trees that suffered 
from blister in spring ought now to be entirely free from it. and be well 
clothed with clean healthy foliage, fer without healthy leaves the swell¬ 
ing fruit cannot come to perfection either of size, colour, or flavour, nor 
can the wood growth be either so vigorous or its buds so well developed 
as they ought. Red spider is apt to attack crowded foliage now, and 
much harm be done if it is not promptly got rid of by careful syringing 
with clean water, taking especial care to force the water well among the 
foliage so as to thoroughly wash both sides of it. This requires more 
than'ordinary time and care, and we recently overcame objections taken 
to the extra amount of pains insisted upon, by having only a couple of 
trees done daily till the whole of them were gone over and the pest 
destroyed. . 
Pears.— Early Fruit— The fruit upon the upper branches of Citron 
des Carmes and Summer Doyenne is fast ripening, and should be closely 
watched, for its duration in perfection is so brief that it is spout in a 
day or two. The condition of the fruit upon the lower branches or the 
bottoms of cordons is therefore not a safe guide, but the upper fruit must 
