August 20, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1G3 
goniums, &c.—and let them mingle with the throng, that such spiry forms 
would prove of infinite relief to those clumpy masses of blue, scarlet, &c., 
which it is extremely probable will soon be liable to innovation, whether 
from taste or fashion. This Liatris is a pale purple, which, if not of the 
most conspicuous character, possesses the merit of “ freshness.” The 
plant commence? blooming in the middle of June by ordinary culture, but 
everybody knows that such plants, in order to carry out a special object, 
may be made to blossom a month earlier. 
Now that I am about calling on old acquaintances, I may point to 
some of the Veronicas, as distinguished amongt spiry forms. There has 
been such a confusion of names in this genus, like the Asters and some 
others, that I am almost afraid to point to species applicable to the case 
in hand. Those I would name amongst spiry forms are such as are com¬ 
monly called V. carnea, or V. incarnata, V. incana, and some other spiry 
kinds. I freely confess that their colours are not glowing, but their forms 
are elegant, and will be found of some service in the modern bouquet. 
At the time I write, we have some herbaceous beds with several of these 
Veronicas in blossom, and were they removed the beds would not carry 
half their present effect as to outline, &c. Some of the Lythrums, too, 
are spiry and elegant; but as to massing, there is so much of the ditch- 
weed about their foliage as would give a vulgar appearance. They are, 
Fig. SO.—Pentstemon cordifolius. 
however, of much utility in the mixed herbaceous bed or border. The 
old Dracocephalum speciosum is of this character, but would not come in 
with any massing system on account of its extreme lateness. This, like 
the latest Asters and some late Phloxes, is of much importance in borders, 
where it is desirable to carry out gaiety to the very edge of winter. The 
Anthericums, too, especially that with such slender flower stems and 
narrow grass leaves, and which used to be called either A. liliastrum or 
liliago, is a most genteel-looking plant of the spiry class; and from its 
pure white and lengthened flowering might be worked up in mixed masses 
where white was requisite. It has a beautiful effect near the margin of 
herbaceous or shrub borders. 
If it be argued that such herbaceous plants grow too high, why they 
may be readily dwarfed by being potted and the pots plunged. One of 
the chief causes of the decadence of the herbaceous tribes was doubtless 
the neglected and exhausted state in which they but too frequently 
appeared previous to what is termed the bedding system becoming general. 
But Phloxes, for instance, in an old shrubbery border, probably full of tree 
roots, and those receiving annual culture, are widely different. The 
former, with a profusion of lean stems, betokening exhaustion, with 
flowers of half-size and little colour, and which, of course, prematurely 
cease blossoming ; the latter bold-looking, healthy, showy, and enduring. 
Indeed, the same may be said of most of these tribes, being like many a 
pot plant, although long known, when placed under high culture and well 
brought out.—N. It. 
PENTSTEMON CORDIFOLIUS. 
A pretty half-shrubby hardy plant of spreading habit, having downy 
stems. The leaves are small, green, shining, cordate-serrate. The flowers 
grow in large, leafy, one-sided panicles at the end of the shoots ; the 
calyx is covered with glandular hairs ; the corolla nearly 1£ inch long, the 
tube almost cylindrical, the upper lip straight, the lower lip three-parted ; 
colour, a rich dull red. Suitable for rock, banks, or against a wall. In¬ 
troduced from California, mountain? of Santa Cruz, in 1848. Flowers 
from June to October. 
JOTTINGS FROM CLOVERLEY. 
A DAY in the country occasionally certainly does those good who live 
in the neighbourhood of a town where everything is covered with soot, 
and vegetation has a difficulty to live. Some time ago an opportunity 
presented itself of visiting Mr. Heywood’s beautiful home in Shropshire, 
where the luxuriant growth of the trees and shrubs, during the three or 
four years that had elapsed since a former visit, astonished me. I was 
aware that trees and shrubs flourished in such a genial home, but was 
scarcely prepared to find towering young specimens, perfect in health and 
shape, that had added yards to their stature. It is useless to plant in the 
neighbourhood of a smoky town the choicer forms of Conifers and shrubs, 
for they would only linger for a year or two, and during the greater 
portion of that time would be unpresentable, miserable objects. 
I could not help thinking during a quiet walk early in the morning 
that the Conifers and shrubs that were so freely planted twenty years or 
more ago would never look more beautiful than they do at the present 
time. With many shrubs and fine Conifers, age does not, in my esti¬ 
mation, improve their appearance. The beauty and luxuriance of youth 
which is so characteristic appears to pass away, and year by yeat they are 
very liable to grow thin, and thus become less interesting and beautiful 
after they once attain a certain stage. Symmetrical specimen? of Wel- 
lingtonias, Cupressus, Piceas, and others, from 15 to 30 feet high, well 
furnished and thick, are noble ornaments about the pleasure ground*, 
whether viewed individually or collectively. Large quantities of these 
pyramidal-shaped trees massed together have, no doubt, a formal appear¬ 
ance, but in the grounds in question, what would be objectionable in this 
respect is broken by a great diversity of vegetation. For instance, large 
Oaks and other forest trees freely exist, while there are large round 
clumps of Portugal Laurels, Rhododendrons, Ghent Azaleas, and others, 
which add change and diversity to the scene, thus rendering the grounds 
attractive at various times and seasons. 
It is surprising how Rhododendrons flourish a? they do about the 
grounds and park, for in many places they have only a few inches of 
fertile soil for their roots to occupy on the surface. Beneath is a solid 
bed of hard clay, yet it would be impossible to find more healthy or luxu¬ 
riant growth. When these plants are lifted it is impossible to get any 
depth of ball, the roots all being in a thin shell upon the surface. The 
secret of success lies in the fact that there is no digging about the roots 
to destroy them, as is generally the case in the majority of gardens. The 
plants spread their branches upon the grass, and, being thick, the foliage 
that falls from them and the surrounding trees is allowed to remain and 
decay. This not only keeps the surface root3 moist during dry weather, 
but the decayed matter soon becomes a mass of roots, and proves just the 
material in which these plants make themselves at home. Whether upon 
light or heavy soil nothing better for Rhododendrons can be freely incor¬ 
porated with the soil than large quantities of leaf mould in a half-decayed 
state. I have repeatedly proved that this prevents plants suffering from 
drought to a very large extent on light sandy shallow soils. It is sur¬ 
prising how moist the surface roots are kept, and how quickly they work 
into a good layer of decayed vegetable matter spread upon the surface in 
spring when the ground beneath is moist. When this is not done the 
surface roots are partially or totally destroyed during long spells of dry 
hot weather, especially if the plants have not much foliage. 
Amongst the young plants of Picea nobilis I observed a great dissimi¬ 
larity, some of them having a much more beautiful glaucous hue than 
others, being so distinct in this respect that at first I thought them 
distinct varieties. If one lot of plants had been grafted and the others 
seedlings, the marked difference in this respect might easily have been 
accounted for, but I suppose it is only natural that seedlings should differ 
as much in Piceas and Cupressus Lawsoniana as in any other plant. 
From a distance the luxuriant mass of Cupressus, Piceas, Yews, Abies, 
Wellingtonias, Portugal Laurels, Rhododendrons, and other dark-foliaged 
evergreen shrubs and Conifers had a somewhat heavy sombre appearance. 
This could be wonderfully improved by the introduction of Golden Hollies, 
Yews, Retinosporas, and other light and yellow-foliage plants. Acer 
Negundo variegata does splendidly. Why not introduce more of it, for it 
is one of the most beautiful trees that can be grown for positions in which 
it will do well ? Probably the row of symmetrical young plants that I 
noticed elsewhere of Retinosporas plumosa aurea and Taxus elegantissima 
are intended for this purpose, where they would be more suitable than in 
the position they now occupy. They have only been nursed in the richer 
soil of the kitchen garden until they attained some size, and are intended 
for some more prominent position. Cupressus Lawsoniana erecta viridis 
was growing alternately with the above, and most handsome it 
is; but those who grow it must be careful of heavy falls of snow, for it 
will open the plant by weighing down its branches and thus spoil its 
beauty. These were truly magnificent young plants, the two former 
resembling pillars of gold 5 or 6 feet high. 
The last thought about trees and shrubs was suggested by the leader in 
the Journal fully twelve months or more ago. At Cloverley, as well as in 
hundreds of other gardens where vegetation is very luxuriant, the trees 
and shrubs are becoming crowded. This is merely alluded to in the hope 
that it may be the means of inducing some to recognise the evil of allow¬ 
ing shrubs and trees to injure one another in this way. It is useless to 
continue thinking that they should be thinned, action is needed without 
delay. If plants are too large for lifting the axe should be applied, not 
grudgingly, but liberally yet judiciously. Unless this is done soon in the 
