THE AMATEUR’S FLOWER GARDEN. 
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that require a light deep dry loam, or a good sandy peat. 8 . 
mierps , flowers bright blue, and 8. grandiflorum , reddish 
purple, are the best for the border. 
iSMiLACiNA.—A sweet little gem is S. bifolia , requiring to 
be treated the same as lily of the valley, to which it is nearly 
related. It is invaluable for bouquets. 
Solidago (Golden Rod).-—These coarse-growing plants 
must not be ignored. S. rigida is the best, and quite worth 
having for its golden flowers in September. 8. altissima , 6 
feet high, is a good plant for the shrubbery. 
Spirjea (Garland Flower).—All the herbaceous species are 
worth a place in the garden, and all require a deep moist 
loam, a few of them being amphibious plants that should 
always have their feet in cold water. 8. aruncus , 4 feet, 
creamy white flowers, one of the best for margins of streams 
and moist woods. 8. filipmdula , a most elegant fern-like 
plant; the double variety is good enough for any border. 8. 
xenusta is a grand plant, with deep rose-coloured flowers. 8 . 
palmetto, is a very new and very grand herbaceous plant, as 
may be judged by the lively figure cf it in the Floral 
World of February, 1869, height 2 to 3 feet, flowers rich 
deep crimson. 8. ulmaria is the proper “meadow-sweet,” a 
delightfully fragrant rustic plant, with flowers like foam. 
“ Everybody knows it ” as an inhabitant of river-sides. The 
variety with yellow variegation is a good garden plant. 
Statice (Sea Lavender).—A few fine hardy plants are to 
be found in this genus, and we first of all recommend 8. loti - 
folia as a showy accommodating plant, the leafage and flowers 
of which will be prized for distinctiveness of character. 
Symphitum (Comfrey).—The plants of this family are 
showy, but coarse. A good loamy soil will suit them all. 
8. bohemicum , 2 feet, flowers brilliant crimson, a fine plant of 
its kind. 8. caucasicum , 2 feet, purple, handsome. 8. offici¬ 
nalis is the common comfrey, a coarse plant, worthy of atten¬ 
tion for planting in damp woods, and by the side of streams, 
and also for its value as fodder. The variegated-leaved variety 
is one of the finest plants of its class for pot-culture. 
Thalictrum (Meadow-rue).—An unimportant genus, but 
any or all of which may be planted in capacious borders with 
the certainty of proving interesting. T. aguilegifolium , 4 
feet, flowers creamy white; a good border plant. T. ane - 
monoides , 1 foot, flowers white, graceful, and loving shade 
