Augu*t 16,1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
145 
being branded in, not painted on them. It may perhaps be useful 
to say they are obtained from Messrs. C. H. Glover & Co., Old 
Kent Road, London, and are found to answer their purpose 
well.— Experientia docet. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
When August comes with fields of ripening grain and trees of 
ruddy fruit we are prone to think that the season of flowers is 
drawing to a close, and that our pens should speak of the flowers 
of the past. But though the rock garden looks somewhat bereft 
of colour and the borders reveal to us many plants which, having 
yielded their tribute of beauty, are now sinking into the sere and 
yellow leaf, there are hosts of flowers ready to give us delight. 
Carnations beautifully striped and flaked or of delightful self 
colours charm us, as do their sisters the Picotees, some of which 
with the narrowest edge of colouring are enchanting flowers. 
Little wonder is it that such exquisite flowers continue to grow in 
favour, and that each season sees some worthy addition to the 
already rich store of varieties obtainable. Like all other florists’ 
flowers they require a specialist to speak critically of their 
respective merits, but at least one may be permitted to join in 
drawing attention to their merits in the garden as well as for cut 
blooms. 
Some time ago a most suggestive article on hybrid Dianthuses 
from the pen of Mr. Wm. Dean appeared in the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture, and those persons who have time and space to spare might 
do worse than devote some attention to the work shadowed forth 
in that valuable article. Not that it has been left untouched, as 
much has already been done, but in the large number of species 
there must be much valuable material for the hybridist. For some 
years I have had in my garden hybrid rock Pinks, and last year 
the Rev. C. Wolley Dod kindly sent me seedling hybrids of much 
variety, some with fringed petals like those of D. superbus, and 
others with the flowers of the Sweet William, but having a 
different habit. Very effective are many of these, but as they are 
unnamed they cannot well be described. Many others under name 
are offered by various nurserymen, and among these will be found 
one worthy of inclusion in any garden. This is Dianthus Cyclops, 
which is, I understand, of French origin. It does not appear to 
come quite true from seed which can be obtained. By far the 
finest specimen I have seen was a plant in the rock garden at Kew, 
which was very superior to those in my own garden. The habit of 
the plant was extremely good, the foliage being healthy, broad, 
and robust; and the large single flowers exceedingly beautiful with 
their rose-white petals and the fine crimson zone or eye in the 
centre. The seedlings raised here varied considerably, but none 
were so fine as the Kew plant. Another Dianthus was also very 
fine at Kew, but it seems to have the fault there which caused its 
loss in my garden, i.e., of flowering so profusely that it makes little 
“grass” for propagation. The flowers are large and of a deep yet 
bright crimson, of great effect in the border or rock garden. It is 
one of the most brilliant flowers of its kind. 
One must, however, reluctantly leave this “ flower of the gods ’’ 
to speak of those of other types of beauty, and there are few more 
admired than the Gentians. Useful as is the herb in medicine— 
and I suppose its name was derived from its virtues having been 
discovered by Gentius, King of Illyricum—it is for its beauty in 
the garden that flower lovers treasure it. One of the most attrac¬ 
tive plants in the border, as I write, is the “ heart-leaved ” variety 
of Gentiana septemfida, known as G. s. cordifolia, but perhaps as 
often met with as G. gelida, under which name it was frequently 
figured in gardening books. It grows from 6 to 18 inches in 
height, and is very ornamental with its heads of brilliant yet dark 
blue flowers, and dark green leaves. It comes from Asia Minor, 
while G. gelida comes from Siberia. It seems to do better in a 
stiffer soil than that of my garden, where I find it benefited by 
partial shade from the mid-day sun and good supplies of water in 
dry weather. 
The Campanulas are special favourites of mine in their various 
forms and sizes, from the tiny Alpine species to the noble 
C. macrantha or C. pyramidalis. Among the most prized of the dwarf 
species is C. Waldsteiniana, a native of Hungary, and introduced 
about 1824. It is a charming Bellflower, only seen to full 
advantage in a large sized plant. The violet-blue flowers are 
small, being only about half an inch in diameter, and are produced 
a few (three or four generally) at the top of the stem. The 
flowers are always upright and are rather flat in form. The leaves 
are of a greyish green, and the plant grows to about 6 inches in 
height, sometimes, however, attaining a greater height in suitable 
soils and situations. A plant a foot in diameter is a beautiful 
object, the pretty little flowers and the graceful foliage making it 
very pleasing. C. Waldsteiniana does well in good loam and grit, 
and is perhaps more suited for the rock garden than for the 
border. It is a favourite with the snails, and it is a useful 
precaution against their ravages to protect the plant in the earlier 
stages of its growth with a zinc ring cut at the top, so as to form a 
miniature clievaux de frise. 
Fine-foliage plants are as welcome in the garden of hardy 
flowers as in that devoted to sub-tropical plants. Among the 
most noteworthy of these is the curious yet pretty Gunnera scabra 
with its great broad rough leaves sometimes 4 feet or more in 
diameter, and about 4 feet in height in good soils. The petioles 
are quite prickly, and the curiously lobed leaves when rubbed on the 
hand seem to have a surface as rough as sand-paper. One defect 
possessed by this Gunnera is that it is barely hardy in most places, 
and is all the better, even in favoured situations, of a little covering 
in winter. Some recommend ashes, but I find slugs are not averse 
to these here, and harbour among them, disfiguring the leaves by 
eating them while young. A useful covering for such half-hardy 
plants will be found in the dry stalks of the Michaelmas Daisies. 
G. manicata is a noble species, requiring a larger space to do it 
justice, and I cannot recollect of meeting with one named 
G. perpensa. There is, however, a singular little member of the 
genus which is the very antipodes in size to G. manicata. This is 
grown sometimes as G. patagonica, and also as G. magellanica, and 
from at least a garden point of view appears to be similar to the 
plant figured and described in Hooker’s “leones Plantarum,” 
vol. i., new series, tables cdlxxxix and cdxc, as G. Falklandica. 
Whether this is so or not this neat little Gunnera is very interest¬ 
ing, for the rock garden in particular. It is said to be quite hardy, 
but my experience leads me to recommend similar treatment to 
that advised for G. scabra. I have not seen this miniature 
Gunnera growing to more than 9 inches in height, the leaves only 
being 2 or 3 inches across. The fiowers are interesting, but neither 
showy nor attractive, but as a foliage plant it is worthy of a 
place. 
While rare or new plants are more attractive to some than even 
the best of our older introductions the latter should not be for¬ 
gotten. Very useful for cutting, and also at times as an exhibition 
flower, is Achillea millefolium roseum, of which there appear to be 
several shades, the deeper coloured being the most useful. This 
red Milfoil grows from 1 to 3 feet high, and produces its flat heads 
of flowers for some months in succession, a feature which is sure 
to be appreciated where cut flowers are in request. It runs freely 
at the root, and is apt to spread over more than its allotted space. 
It will grow well in almost any soil. Some varieties of inferior 
colouring probably raised from seed are hardly worth growing, 
but a deep red variety here is frequently remarked upon by 
visitors. 
Interesting at this time is a small clump of the red-fruited 
spiked Baneberry, Actaea spicata rubra, with its darkish green 
foliage and its dense clusters of bright red berries, which are 
unfortunately poisonous, a fact worth noting, as their bright colour 
and wax-like appearance are likely to attract the attention of 
children and to tempt them to taste the luscious-looking berries. 
The typical species has black berries, but the red-fruited variety is 
more attractive m the garden. It is an excellent plant for growing 
under trees or in shady places. The flowers are white but are in¬ 
conspicuous. Even with the faults of its poisonous berries and 
poor flowers this plant, which was dedicated to St. Christopher, and 
named Actsea from the resemblance of its leaves to the Elder, the 
Aktaia of the Greeks, is desirable for many gardens. 
But the borders and the rockeries possess too many beauties for 
these notes to do them justice, and though as I write rain falls 
heavily and sky and sea are alike grey and cheerless, the garden is 
bright with colour. Annual Poppies are still gay, and other flowers 
of similar duration come in to brighten places which would other¬ 
wise hive been left bare while spring-flowering bulbs are dormant. 
The lace-like Gypsophila paniculata floats gracefully in the wind. 
Snapdragons of many hues are bright on the rougher portions of 
the rockeries. Tall Alliums, with globular heads of deep purple, 
raise their heads among lowlier plants. St. John’s Worts from the 
fine Hypericum patulum to the charming little H. nummularium 
show their golden blossoms on the rockeries. Sunflowers and 
Anthemises, with Coreopsis and Heleniums, are among the yellow 
composites in bloom, and spikes of blue or white or pink show 
well the beauty of the Veronicas. Among these and many more 
there is much to admire, colours such as no artist can produce 
from his palette ; grace of form and delicate chiselling, such as no 
carver can imitate ; and, with many, an exquisite fragrance which the 
perfumer seeks, with only partial success, to retain in the products 
of his skill. And these are not mere ephemeral pleasures, for when 
these charms are faded their memories will linger with us till a 
new season restores them to us once more with their matchless 
beauty and grace.—S. Arnott. 
