July 19, 1894, 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
49 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
-X- 
TIAIR and beautiful seem the flowers that delight in the summer 
X sun which floods the garden with light. Various, too, is their 
style of beauty, some being of lowly stature, creeping close to 
mother earth, while others tower aloft as if to draw nearer to that 
source of light and heat in whose beams they bask. Each season has 
its charms in the garden of hardy flowers, and as one’s collection 
increases it becomes hard to say which of the spring or summer 
months yields most pleasure. With graceful beauty the Feather 
Grass (Stipa pennata) floats in the wind in pleasing contrast to the 
stately beauty of the Delphiniums, whose brilliant spikes are still 
in beauty. As I write, the sweetly perfumed Pinks will soon give 
place to the ever welcome Carnations and Picotees, which are 
favourites with nearly everyone. The beautiful Spirjea Aruncus 
is very attractive with its graceful creamy white flowers, and near 
by the variegated form of Hoteia japonica brightens a rather dull 
corner. On the rockeries and on my “ roof garden ” the singular 
flowers of the various Sempervivums show well beside many 
Sedums or Stonecrops in flower. Few persons seem to know the 
usefulness of these succulent plants for many purposes. They 
will stand and thrive in positions where other plants would be 
shrivelled up by the drought. In my garden at the back of one of 
the rockeries there is a low wall about 50 feet long, which is being 
gradually converted as opportunity offers into a home for these 
succulents. Such a position is an admirable one for the House- 
leeks, especially those belonging to the section covered with cobweb¬ 
like tomentum. In this perpendicular position such species as 
Sempervivum arachnoideum seem happier than anywhere else. 
The merest particle of stiffish soil jammed into the crevice in 
which the Houseleeks are planted will serve to support them until 
they are established, when they appear to derive their sustenance 
from the atmosphere or from the mortar in the wall. In such a 
place it is surprising how soon a single rosette will increase into a 
considerable number, and how much interest they will give to a 
wall otherwise without a pleasing feature save the lichens which 
colour it, 
A pretty white Campanula in the border is C. alliariaefolia, 
which is of rather distinct appearance, with its spikes of drooping 
flowers and roughish leaves, I have seen this Bellflower named 
C. digitaloides, a name by no means inappropriate (although I 
fancy of no authority) on account of the Foxglove-like appearance 
of the spike and flowers. It is of the easiest culture in the border 
or on rockwork. It is understood to have been introduced from 
the Caucasus in 1803, and there is said to be a blue variety, which 
seems to be scarce, as I have never met with it. C. alliarisefolia 
grows to about 20 inches in height, and has the advantage of 
requiring no staking here. 
In bloom on one of the rockeries is an effective and curious alpine 
plant, which is deserving of some mention. This is Edraianthus 
tenuifolius, now known to botanists as Wahlenbergia, unless the 
“ Index Kewensis ” has again given it another name. I received 
it as E. caudatus, but this is, I understand, only a synonym. It is 
very pretty with its linear leaves, which have their margins covered 
with bristle-like hairs, and its clusters of violet-blue bell-shaped 
flowers, which are whitish at the base. The habit of the plant 
is extremely neat, the centre being composed of the leaves, the 
flower heads radiating from the centre, and projecting beyond the 
No. 734.— VoL. XXIX., Third Series. 
dense tuft of foliage. There are from six to ten flowers in a 
cluster, and these are flat on the surface of the soil. My plant is 
grown on a rockery facing west, and is planted in sandy peat and 
grit. The plant was raised from seed, and jammed between two 
pieces of sandstone placed in the shape of a V. Another feature 
of this Edraianthus is the leaves, which project from the cluster of 
flowers. I find that this plant requires an abundant supply of 
water in spring and summer, receiving, however, ample drainage. 
It is said to have been introduced from Dalmatia in 1879, and to 
have the additional synonym of Wahlenbergia dalmafcica. It is one 
of the most pleasing plants on the rockery early in July. 
In the wealth of floral beauty in summer the Alliums are apt to 
be overlooked, their unpleasant odour being by no means a passport 
to our gardens. One rather uncommon species has been in bloom 
here for some time, and its pale pink flowers, if not in the first 
rank of beauty, are at least pretty, and make it worthy of inclusion 
in a collection of bulbs. This is A. biceptrum, which is, I believe? 
an American species, and has been hardy with me for about three 
years. It grows about 13 inches high, and the foliage dies before 
the flowers are expanded. The leaves are rather effective, and fold 
over each other at the base. I do not know who is the authority 
for the name of this Allium, which seems somewhat rare. It is 
rather paler in colour than the better known A. acuminatum, but 
is of dwarfer habit. The odour of the flowers is not very pro¬ 
nounced, but there is still sufficient to make them undesirable for 
cutting. 
There are few more beautiful flowers than the various species 
and varieties of Dianthus, and I do not know any of the dwarfer 
species which will surpass, or even equal, the charming Dianthus 
alpinus. In some gardens it doss exceedingly well, in others only 
indifferently, and in others again it is a complete failure. It is not 
a simple matter to suggest a method of treatment which will prove 
satisfactory in every case. It must be largely a matter of experi¬ 
ment. I have seen this beautiful alpine Pink in several gardens 
lately, and by far the finest and most healthy specimen was one in 
the garden of Mr. James Davidson of Summerville, Dumfries. It 
was over a foot in diameter, and so covered with flowers that the 
foliage was only seen round the outside of the plant. It was 
growing in a low rock bed but slightly raised above the level, and 
seemed to be planted in good loam and grit. I have noticed the 
thriving condition of this plant for some years, but this season it 
has surpassed all former ones, and was a charming feature of the 
garden. The rock bed was at the base of the wall of a conservatory, 
and had a south exposure. Those who know D. alpinus can well 
realise the beauty of a plant over a foot in diameter and covered 
with the delighful deep rose flowers with crimson spots. 
In writing to thank Dr. Wallace for his information regarding 
Irises tectorum and tomiolopha, knowing that he was interested in 
the Calochorti, I mentioned that I had seen Calochortus Gunnisoni 
at Kew a few days before, but that I did not admire it much. A 
day or two afterwards Dr. Wallace very kindly sent me flowers, 
cut from the open, of some exquisite varieties. So beautiful were 
thoy that one cannot help thinking that they are worthy of some 
care and of being tried in many gardens. They were grown in a 
raised bed, and beyond a covering of reeds in severe weather 
needed no further protection. I believe the Calochorti have been 
grown with success in the garden of Mr. G. F. Wilson at Wisley, 
and PS even the Ixia is, with a little protection in winter, hardy as 
far north as Dumfries, which has, however, a milder climate than 
many places in the midlands and north of England, they are worth 
trying in mild localities. The species and varieties sent included 
C. splendens, which has large flowers of a colour I should call pale 
lilac, with beautifully fine silky hairs in the inside of the flower; 
C. 8. atroviolaceus, brighter lilac with a black spot, with a violet 
mark surrounding it at the base of each petal; C. luteus, bright 
yellow prettily spotted with brown, and an orange brown horseshoe 
shaped mark near the base of each petal, and three varieties of 
No. 2390.—VoL. XCI., Old Series. 
