•216 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 1, 1894. 
OPEN AIR FLOWERS FROM 
QUANTOCK LODGE. 
The mild winter has been general over the south of 
England at least, but some places seem to have been 
more particularly favoured in this respect. The 
Quantock Range of hills runs inland at tight angles 
from the Bristol Channel, and then curves round 
towards the east. Quantock Lodge, Somerset, the 
residence of E. J. Stanley, Esq., M.P., is situated on 
the western side of the range on the curved portion, 
and in such a position that it faces the Bristol 
Channel, and at an elevation of 150 ft. if we rightly 
remember. The gardener, Mr. Bousie, sent us a 
collection of flowers, seasonable and unseasonable, 
through the hands of Mr. John Grandfield, whose 
home was originally in that neighbourhood. After 
assorting them we found that the flowers represented 
35 natural orders, 70 genera, 83 species and 101 
in all, including species and garden varieties. Of 
the above, ten were British wild plants, to which we 
may add four evergreen Ferns, growing in the woods 
and valleys, namely, Polypodium vulgare, Scolopen- 
drium vulgare, Aspidium angulare, and Asplenium 
Adiantum-nigrum, all highly prized British Ferns. 
The last-mentioned is sold in the market under the 
name of French Fern, and we hope the dealers will 
always go to France for their supplies, unless they 
actually grow them. 
Of seasonable flowers we may mention the Christ¬ 
mas Rose (Helleborus niger), which may be had in 
thousands, also Ivy now in full bloom, Laurustinus, 
Garrya elliptica with great bunches of long drooping 
catkins like necklaces in structure, the Cornish 
Heath (Erica vagans), Pieris floribunda, and the 
Strawberry Tree (Arbutus Unedo). The latter is 
laden with its large red berried fruits and white 
flowers for next year's crop. Amongst shrubs that 
may be considered unseasonable from the open air, 
hybrid perpetuals and Tea Roses are plentiful, and 
when the two outer petals of the latter are removed 
they are as fresh as they might be in June and 
fragrant. Five different varieties were sent us. 
The white flowers of Hydrangea Dr. Hogg and H. 
japonica are still very clean and pure. Escallonia 
macrantha, with its leathery, glossy foliage, is flower¬ 
ing freely,and so is the white Passion Flower Constance 
Elliott. The waxy, orange flowers of Desfontainea 
spinosa are 2 in. long, and as fresh as they might be 
under glass in summer. The foliage of Kalmia 
glauca is bronzy above, glaucous beneath, and 
accompanied by deep rose flowers. The massive 
white blooms of Magnolia grandiflora continue to 
open, and are accompanied with fine foliage. 
Berberis Darwini keeps green the memory of its 
great namesake with deep golden flowers even in 
winter. Flowers of Hypericum calycinum are very 
unusual at this period,yet here they are. Rosemary 
and Lavender refuse to go sleep ; and the bunches of 
bracts, red and black berries of Leycesteria formosa 
are marvellous for the period. The common Myrtle 
is flowering, and so are a large number of Fuchsias, 
including F. Ricartoni, F. fulgens, and several 
garden varieties with large red and also light coloured 
flowers. The wild Bramble is also flowering and 
fruiting, and to this list the Greater Periwinkle may 
be added. 
Hardy herbaceous annuals and perennials are 
pretty plentiful, including three varieties of Godetias 
still fresh and beautiful. The same applies to the 
closely allied Oenothera fruticosa, also to Myosotis 
dissitiflora, the common Borage, Pentstemons, 
Antirrhinums, Veronica longifolia, Digitalis lutea, 
the Ivy-leaved Toadflax and Salvia azurea grandi- 
flora (Pitcheri); the rich blue flowers of the Salvia 
were quite fresh, and it seems that S. acuminata 
Betheli and S. splendens are also flowering grandly 
in the neighbourhood. The spring-flowering 
Polyanthus seems to have mistaken the season. The 
spikes of Polygonum affine are deep red, fresh and 
showy, and the same may be said of the popular 
annual Love Lies Bleeding. The massive spikes of 
the black, pulpy fruits of Phytolacca decandra are 
as fresh and conspucious as they might be in 
September. The orange flowers of Montbretia 
Potsii still continue to expand their blossoms, 
Anemone japonica alba has not yet given over, and 
A. coronaria keeps it company. Honesty (Lunaria 
biennis) is flowering and fruiting as are sweet-scented 
Violets, Virginian Stock, Corydalis lutea, Carnations, 
Pinks, and many-hued Pansies. 
Composites are well represented, including the 
black-centred Rudbeckia speciosa, the Pot-Marigold 
(Calendula) in variety, Helenium pumilum. 
Coreopsis lanceolata, C. tinctoria, the red, mountain 
Cornflower (Centaurea montana rubra) essentially 
an early summer flower, and the Heath-like Aster 
(A. ericoides). Here also may be mentioned 
Matricaria Parthenium and a double form of it as 
well as the wild Milfoil. The Ragworts are repre¬ 
sented by Senecio erucaefolius and the showy S. 
pulcher with numerous, large, rosy purple flower 
heads. Chrysanthemums are well to the front with 
numerous varieties of C. sinense, also C. frutescens 
(Marguerites) C. lacustre and C. Leucanthemum or 
Ox-eye Daisy. The wild Strawberry is flowering 
and fruiting as if it were August instead of the last 
week of November. 
The condition in which bedding plants continue 
is remarkable. Having never been cut down by 
frost, they were left undisturbed, and at present cut 
flowers of scarlet Cactus, and rose and purple pom¬ 
pon Dahlias are being obtained in clean and fresh 
condition. Armfuls of Gladioli have been cut 
for many weeks past and still they come. The beds 
are still yellow with Calceolarias, and a crimson 
variety is equally fresh, Petunias and Phlox Drum- 
mondi continue to develop flowers ; and the freedom 
with which Cuphea ignea (platycentra) and bedding 
Lobelias continue to blossom is something to bear in 
mind in the severe winters of the future. The foliage 
of Cineraria maritima is perfectly fresh. Mignonette 
looks healthy and its fragrance has not lost its force, 
while its wild congener Reseda luteola is flowering 
and fruiting. The bronzy yellow blooms of a variety 
of Wallflower are large and sweet, while single 
white, double white and purple Stocks prolong their 
season. Pelargoniums were also left in the beds and 
both zonal and Ivy-leaved kinds continue to put 
forth scarlet and semi-double pink flowers respec¬ 
tively. Their wild relative Herb Robert also 
declines to go to rest in such mild weather. Vari¬ 
ously coloured Tropaeolums, notwithstanding their 
susceptibility to frost, also remain in flower. Mr. 
Bousie has not yet had to fall back upon his indoor 
stock for a supply of cut flowers, and is to be 
congratulated upon his highly favoured situation in 
sight of the Bristol Channel. 
-- 
KITCHEN HERBS FOR WINTER. 
Parsley. —Steps should betaken without delay to lift 
a number of roots of Parsley, and to plant these in a 
frame or pit near the glass. In most gardens during 
the winter there is a great demand for Parsley, and 
in very many cases the supply is anything but 
adequate to the demand. It is not a particularly 
pleasant operation to delve amongst a foot or more 
of frozen snow, a bitter wind blowing the while, to 
obtain the requisite leaves. Besides the personal 
discomfort attending this task, in very many instances 
it is directly responsible for the death of such a 
large proportion of the plants during winter. If 
indeed, the plants are not killed, they at least sustain 
such a severe check that the spring is well advanced 
before they recover themselves sufficiently 
to yield anything like a supply of this much esteemed 
herb. Plants treated in the way described will 
furnish all that is necessary during hard and 
inclement weather, of course the plants left out¬ 
doors will supply sufficient quantities whilst the 
weather continues mild. 
Mint.— In most cases mint is needed in the 
kitchen long before the spring is sufficiently advanced 
to admit of the plants out-doors furnishing it. 
Roots should therefore be lifted in autumn, and 
placed in shallow boxes or pans with a covering of 
light soil. These may be introduced into heat 
according to the time at which the young shoots 
are required. If a hot bed is available they 
will break away very readily if the boxes or pans 
are plunged in it. Care must be taken however, 
that sufficient quantities of water are given, forif the 
roots are at all stinted in this respect the produce 
will be tough and leathery. 
Tarragon. —Winter supplies of this may be 
obtained in much the same way as are those of 
mint. The roots should be lifted in autumn and 
placed close together in boxes, and forced as 
occasion requires. Supplies of the herbs most used 
in each establishment should be dried annually and 
stored away for use during winter. These dried 
herbs will answer the same end as fresh ones for 
many kitchen purposes, and will therefore eke out 
the supply obtained by forcing to a very consider¬ 
able extent.— Foreman. 
HERBACEOUS BORDERS. 
There can be but little doubt that there are fashions 
in horticulture, as indeed there are in any thing else, 
and the extensive cultivation of the herbaceous 
element in gardens has of late years become an 
exceedingly fashionable phase of gardening. Taking 
it altogether, upon its merits as it were, we cannot 
but admit that it is a more natural system of plant 
culture, and although the herbaceous border will 
perhaps never be able to vie in brilliancy of display 
with the gorgeous mass of colour afforded by a bed 
of the tenderer and more fugitive summer subjects, 
still it has a beauty of its own that is of quite as 
distinct a character as that of these gay children of 
summer. For purposes of practical, utility too, the 
herbaceous border fairly runs away from the more 
formally arranged parts of the flower garden. From 
the immense variety of the plants which may be 
grown in it, seldom, indeed, is it that there are not 
some attractive features present. 
To the gardener who has to furnish quantities of 
cut flowers for bouquets, or for the filling of vases 
and the decoration of the dinner table, an herbaceous 
border, or, at least, a collection of herbaceous plants, 
is a horticultural necessity. From January to 
December, excepting, of course, in the event of hard 
weather, and supposing that suitable subjects are 
planted, a supply of flowers may be obtained, and 
this in itself is no small recommendation. Accord¬ 
ingly, the gardener may well hail with delight the 
fact that fashion is once again proclaiming that 
herbaceous perennials are the correct things to 
grow. 
It is a great pity that so much confusion among 
the plants exists in so very many gardens. Each 
subject should have its own allotted place in the 
border beyond which it should not be allowed to 
ramble. Where Narcissi, Cyclamen, Scillas, Snow¬ 
drops and subjects of a similar character are planted 
in the border, the place should be marked in some 
way, or else harm will be surely done the bulbs when 
digging around them, for with curious certainty the 
the digger will be almost sure to drop across 
them. Where the positions of the bulbs are care¬ 
fully marked, however, the operator is enabled to 
avoid the undue disturbing of these plants. With 
regard to the annual digging I do not consider it is 
advisable to use the spade annually, but a good 
dressing of well rotten manure applied in autumn, 
and forked well in should be the regular practice 
each year, but in any case the roots of the plants 
should not be disturbed too much, or they will ex¬ 
perience a proportionate check. In fact anything 
like a serious disturbances will infallibly result in 
the death of many tender subjects. 
As a rule it is by far the wiser plan, as " Stirling ” 
suggests, to devote a place wholly to the cultivation 
of Alpine subjects. Many odd and what might 
otherwise be ugly corners may be furnished and 
rendered exceedingly attractive by the planting of a 
few specimens of this class of plants. Besides, when 
planted upon rockwork these humble and lowly, but 
still beautiful plants, are enabled to exhibit them¬ 
selves in their true colours, and to show themselves 
off to advantage, which they could not possibly do 
if surrounded and over-shadowed by the taller and 
stronger growing plants, a state of affairs that exists 
in far too many instances. 
CRINUM ASIATICUM. 
From their large size and the resulting great amount 
of space they occupy, Crinums do not readily (with 
one or two exceptions) recommend themselves to the 
gardener who has not large and commodious houses 
wherein to grow them. When it is possible to 
accord them such a position, however, their beauty 
and effectiveness is beyond all question. C. asiati- 
cum is one of the finest plants of the whole genus, 
and the large, many-flowered u mbellate inflorescence, 
supported upon the long peduncles, which often 
attam a length of 2 ft., present a truly magnificent 
appearance. Like all the rest of the Crinums, C. 
asiaticum needs plenty of water during the growing 
period, and occasional supplies of liquid manure 
will also be of value. When potting them, a rich 
compost of good loam, manure and a little sand and 
charcoal should be used, and care should be taken 
that the thick fleshy roots are injured as little as 
possible. From the quantity of water needed it will 
necessarily follow that good and efficient drainage is 
also a most important consideration. 
