July IS, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
723 
THE HERBACEOUS BORDER. 
Choice Plants in Flower. 
Pentstemon barbatus Torreyi. —The scarlet 
flowers of P. barbatus are sufficient to recommend it 
to cultivators of hardy plants generally. The 
variety under notice is larger in all its parts than the 
type, but there are many who would like to see the 
flowers enlarged, although they are undoubtedly 
very pretty. The hardiness of the plant is one of 
its chief recommendations, as it will live altogether 
unprotected far north of the Tweed. Propagation 
is readily effected by division in spring or by cuttings 
of the half-ripened barren shoots. 
Geranium sanguineum lancastriense. —The 
Lancashire variety of G. sanguineum is dwarfer and 
more procumbent than the type, while the flowers 
are equally large and even more attractive in colour. 
The ground hue is pale pink or almost white, beauti¬ 
fully netted with branching, bright rose-coloured 
veins. Owing to its dwarf habit it is suitable either 
for the front row of the herbaceous border or for the 
ledges of rockwork, over which it may be allowed to 
trail and flower all the Summer. 
Eryngium Olivierianum. —The habit of this 
plant is very similar to that of the old-fashioned but 
fine species, E. Alpinum. From the latter it differs 
by its deeply divided leaves which abundantly clothe 
the stems. The bracts surrounding the head are 
numerous, spiny along the edges, and of pale but 
somewhat varying steel blue colour. The rootstock 
increases slowly, but the number of plants can be 
multiplied by division if done with care just when 
growth commences in spring. Seeds apparently 
cannot be obtained. 
Helenium Bolanderi. —The maroon or brown 
disc of this Composite adds much to the general 
appearance and distinctness of the plant. The 
broad and lobed, golden yellow rays are similiar to 
those of H. autumnale pumilum, but the leaves are 
spathulate and very much longer. The stems grow 
12 in. or iS in. high according to the soil, its rich¬ 
ness and moisture. Altogether it is easily grown 
and should find its way largely into collections of 
herbaceous plants. 
Centaurea pulchra.— The stems vary in height 
from 12 in. to 18 in. according to the variety or 
individual. The leaves are also much or little 
divided and white beneath. Each stem terminates 
in a single head of large size, surrounded with pale 
scarious scales and having purple flowers. On the 
whole the plant resembles a bold thistle without the 
customary spines. A head or two in a bunch of cut 
flowers has a bold effect, and the plant is equally 
telling in the herbaceous border. 
Erigeron glabellus.— One of the finest of the 
dwarf Erigerons is E. glabellus, with smooth green 
leaves mostly lying close to the ground, and having 
fewer and shorter ones on the stems. The latter are 
6 in. to ro in. high and branched towards the top 
bearing a large number of flcwer heads not much 
inferior in size to those of E. speciosus, and much 
of the same shade of lilac. 
Linaria vulgaris peloria.— Compared with the 
ordinary form of the common Toadflax, the variety 
here noted is somewhat singular in having five spurs 
instead of one, and a tubular, regularly five-lobed 
corolla of a pale yellow with an orange throat. The 
plant is therefore not only ornamental, but highly 
'interesting from a botanical point of view. Increase 
can be effected by division of the rootstock. The 
plant naturally thrives on dry banks, sometimes 
even in the neighbourhood of water, but high enough 
to be dry at the roots, and is therefore well suited 
for similar places in the garden or on rockwork. 
Ononis Natrix.— Most of the species of Ononis 
in gardens have rose, pink, or purple flowers, but 
that here mentioned has bright yellow flowers 
beautifully striated with red on the outer face. The red 
lines are of course most conspicuous in the bud 
state. On the whole the plant is highly ornamental 
and the wonder is why it should not make more 
headway in British gardens, seeing that it was 
originally introduced from South Europe in 1683. It 
may be propagated by cuttings of the half-ripened 
young shoots during summer. 
Campanula latifolia van Houttei.— This fine 
Bellflower is said to be a garden hybrid, and whether 
so or not it is certainly both distinct and beautiful. 
The pendent flowers are of varying shades of blue, 
narrowly bell-shaped and about 2 in. in length. The 
flower stems seldom exceed a height of 12 in., so 
that the flowers are out of all proportion to the 
height and bulk of the plant when compared with 
C. latifolia itself, which grows to a height of 3 ft. or 
4 ft. 
Scabiosa caucasica AMCENA.— 'The variety amoena 
flowers about two or three weeks before the type, 
and is in other respects an acquisition on account of 
the great size of its light blue rays. The disc is 
white or of the palest lilac, and the dwarf habit of 
the plant likewise renders it a great acquisition to 
the herbaceous bordei. 
-- 
THE SUMMER SOLSTICE. 
He has a dull eye to the beauties of nature who 
cannot see on every hand a wealth of leafy beauty 
and greenery in the landscape of this country, which 
cannot be witnessed even in tropical countries except 
under very favourable conditions, and that only at 
certain periods of the year, when heavy rains start 
vegetation of every kind into full vigour. It is not 
sufficient to say that the trees are merely green, for 
the tints are so varied that one tree cannot fail to 
show off the beauty and particular characteristic 
of the other by contrast. 
The Horse Chestnuts, that a little while ago were 
of snowy whiteness or resplendent with pyramids of 
red blossom, are now of a sombre dark green, save 
here and there where the globular, spiny fruits show 
themselves.. Elms, Beeches, and Sycamores are also 
of a rich but different shade of green ; while the 
Silvery Maple vies with the White Poplar in pre¬ 
senting an ever-changing picture according to the 
amount of white and dark green exhibited when 
ruffled by the wind. The Hoary Poplar (Populus 
alba canescens) is of an intermediate character, not 
being so white on the under surface, but the size the 
tree attains with its great umbrageous arms, cannot 
but fill the beholder with admiration at this season 
of the year. The landscape planter might well be 
abroad at this season making notes of the different 
trees and the effects they are capable of producing 
when they attain their majority. 
The Oriental Plane and the London variety of it 
are mostly of a light rich green compared with any 
of the above ; and the Ash-leaved Maple (Negundo) 
is of a lighter almost yellow hue by comparison. A 
Purple Beech here and there with its bronzy purple 
hue peering out from amongst clumps or masses of 
Oak, Sycamore, Lime, or even Scotch Pines, is a 
veritable burlesque on nature, and seems as if it had 
been burnt or dyed, so striking is the contrast 
between it and the surrounding vegetation at the 
summer solstice. The Scotch Pine exhibits a softer 
and glaucous hue, and the sombre tinted Cedars of 
Lebanon, which are the glory of the landscape in 
winter, have put on a lighter green summer garment 
beneath which the old one may still be seen. Thi 
Holly too is less rigid than when prepared for the 
cold blasts of winter. The change that has come 
over the sombre tinted almost immutable Ivy is very 
marked as if in tender mood, for the young leaves 
completely hiding the old are of a pleasing light 
green. 
A number of trees are now in bloom, and the effect 
even at a distance is conspicuous and handsome. 
The Limes are laden to such an extent with fragrant, 
pale yellow blossom that the pendulous branches 
give one the impression that they are borne down by 
the weight of the flowers. For some time past the 
Sweet Chestnut, with its long, finger-like leaves, has 
been preparing to flower, and the myriads of spikes 
of male blossom give the tree even a lighter hue 
than it would otherwise have. In a few days it will 
be a pyramidal mound or variously shaped mass of 
white. The common Robinia, or False Acacia, has 
lasted well, but is now almost over. From between 
them, in the more immediate neighbourhood of gar¬ 
dens or pleasure grounds, are huge bushes of Mock 
Oranges, lading the atmosphere with their fragrance, 
and yonder are rambling masses of the many 
flowered Rose (Rosa multiflora) in some form or 
other. Pleasant is the sight from some neighbour¬ 
ing hill or elevation where the villa gardens in the 
suburbs of some large town are well stocked with 
trees of various kinds. The Lombardy Poplar is 
always a characteristic and striking tree in broken 
lines, or in perfect isolation here and there, whether 
in town or country. Collectively the sight that 
meets the eye in suburbs where taste prevails in the 
matter of tree planting, is suggestive of rus in tube. 
On the banks of streams both Willows and Poplars 
are at home. The White Willow is less common 
than the blue-leaved variety (Salix alba caerulea),and 
between them the Babylonian Willow waves its long, 
slender tresses of light green.— Taxtts. 
SCOTTISH NOTES. 
Scottish Horticultural Association. 
The monthly meeting of this society was held on 4th 
July, the chair being occupied by Mr. R.W. Morrison, 
one of the vice-presidents. On the conclusion of the 
formal business of the meeting a paper by Mr. Alex. 
Hutton, Dundee, was read, the subject being the 
" Flora of Ceylon.” The lecturer commenced with 
a description of the physical features of the island, 
and an account of its history and general appearance. 
It was stated that comparatively little was known 
regarding Ceylon till the companions of Alexander 
the Great, on returning from their Indian expedition, 
brought with them accounts of what they had seen 
and heard. Pliny, in the first century of our era, gave 
a more definite account, while Ptolemy showed an 
amount of information which had evidently been de¬ 
rived from the merchants of Egypt and Arabia who 
frequented the island. It was stated that to a 
traveller fresh from Europe arriving at Point de 
Galle the first impressions of tropical scenery w'ere 
such that were never to be forgotten, the hills being 
draped with a vegetation of a kind only seen in our 
larger botanical gardens, while in the distance is seen 
the sacred mountain of Adam’s Peak with its summit 
enveloped in the clouds. 
The red appearance of the sea during the south¬ 
west monsoon was explained to be caused by the 
presence of millions of infusoria, while the climate 
was said to contrast favourably with that of the 
great Indian Peninsula. It was explained that 
although the vegetation of the island is for the most 
part evergreen, still the changes in the leaf exhibit 
colour as bright as exhibited in autumn in the woods of 
Scotland or Canada, it being the younger shoots and 
not the decaying leaves that show their brilliant 
colour, the extremities of the branches exhibiting 
tufts pale yellow, pink, crimson, and purple, giving 
them at the distance the appearance of clusters of 
flowers. 
The Flora of the island was stated to consist of 
3,250 species, of which 3,000 are flowering and 250 
cryptogamic, the botanical richness of the island 
being extraordinary when compared with its area. 
After dealing with the origin and history of the 
‘‘Flora,” Mr. Hutton gave a descriptive account of 
many of the Trees and Palms that are indigenous to 
Ceylon. Reference was made to the Tea Gardens 
and to the great increase in cultivation which has 
recently taken place in that valuable article of 
commerce. The lecture concluded with an interesting 
description of a tropical forest, where almost every 
tree is seen to support numerous forms of vegetation 
—Ferns and Arums ascending the smoothest trunks, 
while numerous gigantic climbers hang from every 
branch. 
The following were the exhibits at the meeting :— 
From Mr. Henderson, Clermiston, blooms of a very 
fine seedling white Begonia named‘’Pearl,” and Strep- 
tocarpus hybrids. From Mr. Chapman, Easter Dud- 
dingston Lodgg, cut blooms of several herbaceous 
plants ; and from Mr. A. McMillan, Trinity Cottage, a 
plant of the Japanese Chrysanthemum Puritan in 
flower, the flower stem being only 13 inches high ; 
also fine blooms of Chrysanthemum Sunflower, 
Madame Lacroix and Madame Desgranges, and a 
plant of Lilium giganteum. 
ALLIUM KANSUENSE. 
Notwithstanding the large number of Alliums that 
are known to science, very few of those that are 
grown merely for ornamental purposes have ever be¬ 
come popular. The powerful odour of Garlic which 
pervades a great many of them, is no doubt against 
them. White and purple flowered species are pretty 
common, and have furnished the greater number of 
popular, ornamental kinds. The yellow A. Moly is 
also a widely disseminated species. That under 
notice has an umbel of drooping, clear sky-blue 
flowers, bell-shaped, and apparently never opening 
very widely. They are of medium size, but very 
pretty in the mass, and collectors of distinct-looking 
flowers would do well to add it to their collection. 
The leaves are semiterete, and like the flower stems, 
are about a foot high, dark green, and rush like. It 
has been flowering at Kew for some time past. 
