f 64 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 17, 1899 
|flNTS FOR ||mATEURS. 
I do not think our space could be better used this 
week than by giving a list of what I have selected 
as the brightest and best varieties or species of 
plants from many of the various groups set up at the 
recent Temple show. Having grouped them into 
their classes let us see what’s what. 
Alpines and Herbaceous Plants are represented 
in the first instance, by Erigeron aurantiacum, a 
Composite flower with bright orange heads, growing 
to some 9 in. in height. It can be raised from seeds 
and is suitable for rockery or border. Erinus alpinus 
is lovely for draping dry banks, rockeries, &c. The 
plant forms a dense cushion of dwarf habit with 
purple flowers. It can be got from seeds. Armeria 
cephalotes rubra is probably well known by sight if 
not by name. The deep rosy flower-heads of dry 
petaled blooms last well as cut flowers. They are 
borne on long, wiry stalks, S' in. long. It is propa¬ 
gated by seeds or division, and very suitable as a 
border edging plant. Anemone Pulsatilla is a 
beautifully flowered plant, and now that it is past 
blooming the ovaries form the attraction by the 
" mop ” of soft gray hairs they bear. 
Tulip Picotee was seen in an absolutely new form, 
for instead of a neat pink edge only, it had flushed 
all its petals deeply pink. They were large flowers 
too, and many people wondered, at the first glance, 
what they really were. Campanula glomerata 
dahurica, about 18 in. high, and bearing dark violet 
clusters was in fine contrast to the snow-white purity 
of the tall, beady flower-spikes of Saxifraga granulata 
plena. A bushy form of yellow Wallflower named 
" Harpur Crewe ” shows the type we very soon will 
have for use in bedding. For close carpeting, it 
must do well. A careful hybridist could do much if 
he took the Wallflowers in hand. Aquilegia Stuartii 
obtained a ready sale, or rather many orders, and 
so did A. caerulea, the Rocky Mountain Columbine. 
They are both just the essence of loveliness, being 
each of a blue and white composition. Give them 
ordinary garden soil and plant them out at once. 
Ramondia pyrenaica is now becoming well known, 
but has still to make much headway. The dark rugged 
foliage forms a compact rosette, the blue flowers, 
somewhat like a hardy Cyclamen, being erected 
quite proudly. It does well in a peaty soil in the 
shady part of a rockery. Then we saw the so-called 
Star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum arabicum, a 
bulbous plant which shoots into bloom at this time, 
the flowers coming in umbels, being pure white 
with a jet black ovary. It is a lovely bloom on 
long stalks. Plant in autumn in rich, light soil, 4 in. 
deep. 
Then that sweet Pink, named hybridus floribun- 
dus, very likely a hybrid between Dianthus barbatus 
and one of our perennial garden Pinks, was seen to 
much effect. It is worth securing because of the 
abundance of its flowers and their fine lilac-pink 
colour. Centaurea montana alba and C m rubra, 
and also C. Cyanus, when in such good form as seen 
at the show, are simply splendid. Eremurus elwesi- 
anus and E. hymalaicus might be planted by those 
who wish a tall flowered plant which takes up very 
little space. For planting at the back of herbaceous 
borders nothing could be better, and they keep on 
flowering, with their spikes of pink and white, for a 
very long period. 
Of Shrubs, the tri-coloured Beech was an acquisi¬ 
tion — Fagus sylvatica purpurata tricolor is its 
botanical name. Genista purpurea was rather too 
dull to take well, but it had lots of admirers all the 
same. It is perfectly hardy and flowers in great 
profusion. Sambucus foliis lacinatis aureis is also 
very fine. It is a dwarf, frail form of the golden 
Elder. 
Ferns.—Asplenium Trichomanes incisum is a very 
light and graceful Fern suitable for an unheated 
greenhouse. Adiantum pedatum is different from 
the typical Maidenhair Ferns. It has long dark 
stems and branching, beautifully curved green 
pinnae, or leaflets. It is also of use for a cool house. 
Polystichum angulare gracile and Chielanthes tenuis 
are also chosen because of their perfect grace and 
comparative hardiness. Davallia fijensis elegans is 
another nice Fern, but needs more warmth. Gym- 
nogramme schizophylla superba could not be ex¬ 
celled for beauty, or for use as a house decorator. 
Asplenium Hillii might safely be recommended to 
anyone, being sturdy and beautiful. Pteris tricolor 
and P. rubricaulis are both nice Ferns. Lastrea 
lepida, like the last three, was another of the hand¬ 
some Ferns. The Spanish Irises embraced La 
Coquette, a mixture of yellow and blue; Lemon 
Queen, pale yellow, clear and beautiful; Canary 
Bird, of a slightly deeper yellow; Cantab, lavender 
with a clear blotch of yellow on the lower petal; 
The Moor, purplish-brown ; Snow Queen, pure 
white, lower petal deep yellow. 
Oenothera frutlcosa Youngli we believe to be the 
best of all the Oenotheras for a showy and useful 
plant. The flower cups are a pale Buttercup-yellow, 
and the buds open freely down the brown stems. It 
is only i ft. tall; but a mass of flowers wherever 
grown. 
Pap aver orientale is that large perennial Poppy 
with the great scarlet flowers and a dark centre, 
which so soon sheds the petals, leaving very orna¬ 
mental ovaries, however. If the ovaries be slightly 
slit in various forms, opium, a thick, milky fluid 
flows out and sets, turning black in a short while and 
leaving the resemblance of a Chinaman’s face, or 
whatever other form was traced out. This plant is 
ornamental in beds at the end of long walks or 
vistas, for the scarlet flowers attract one a long way 
off. 
Physalis Alkekengi has taken a new place, or 
rather a more prominent one in the minds of gar¬ 
deners and others. The flowers are not worthy of 
notice, but the fruits or “ cherries " fix anyone, and 
then the accrescent calyx forms an object of so great 
beauty that no other hardy plant is equal to it, is 
not finer, at any rate, by the time they are at 
maturity, being as they are of a deep brick-orange 
colour. The plant is perennial, but may be grown 
as an annual; plenty of flat seeds are produced by 
one plant. It likes a good loamy soil, moist and 
open. 
Then we have various Ranunculuses, Bachelor's 
Buttons, for instance, which jis named R. aconiti- 
folius Sore pleno, and is another great favourite with 
the older folks. It does well in the shade, and no 
doubt quite as well in sunshine. Its height runs to 
ij ft, and the flowers are like yellowish-white beads 
or buttons rising above dark dissected foliage. 
Begonias. — I would here refer for a moment to 
the variety B Gloire de Lorraine. Anyone with a 
glasshouse, and who is able to uphold a tempera¬ 
ture of 58° or thereabouts, will want to grow this 
fine plant. It can be had in bloom all the year 
round, and is of a colour well appreciated, i.e., a 
rosy-pink in dense clouds. When the flowering 
period is waning, say in February, allow the plants 
some rest, and a cooler temperature. Six or eight 
weeks afterwards place them again in heat, to pro¬ 
duce cuttings, and root them, when they throw up, 
in a propagating case, round the sides of 4-in. pots, 
using sandy compost. Keep them well watered, and 
when rooted knock them out by inverting the pot 
with the fingers placed to support the ball of 
soil. Pot them into 4-in. or 5-in. pots, giving them 
a compost of two shares each of loam and peat, 
some Mushroom duDg or cow manure in a dry state, 
and an addition of sand. The final potting may be 
given at the end of June. They must be constantly 
pinched to form bushy specimens by the end of 
September, and the flower buds may be kept from 
developing till shortly before flowers are wanted. 
They like a light position, but shade from too hot 
sun. When they are established give them soot- 
water or liquid manure up till the time that bud 
pinching ceases. This Begonia makes a splendid 
hanging pot plant.— Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
"Amateurs' Page " on the top of their letters. 
Monkey Puzzle. — J. W. : Provided you buy a 
plant which has been grown in a pot, you may plant 
the Monkey Puzzle, also known as the Chili Pine, 
and botanically as Araucaria imbricata, at any time. 
A great many things can be, and have to be, planted 
out of season, and with exceptions they will succeed 
if, just after planting, shade be afforded and water, 
in reasonable amount be supplied to the roots, with 
light sprayings to the foliage. As you say this plant 
is singularly ornamental and one that cannot be 
easily stolen away. 
Yiolas dying off. —Thomas Brownlee : It is apparent 
that having planted out your Violas and watered 
them while the strong sun rays were scorching down, 
you have “ stewed " them, as the specialists say. 
The term is most appropriate, for it really is a case 
of stewing, the outer cells of the stems having 
first abnormally swelled, then ruptured and 
decomposed. Water your Violas and such plants in 
the evening. 
Lily of the Yalley. —Miss Biddulph : You had 
better delay the making of a plantation or bed until 
September. The plants are just in flower at this 
time and after this they will be plumping up new 
crowns and growths for next season’s flowering. 
You may be preparing the ground, making it mellow 
and rich. 
Palm for Outdoor. — Daughter: You will find 
Chamaerops excelsa, and Phoenix sylvestris, two of 
the best ornamental Palms for placing out of doors. 
They are not to be recommended for permanent 
planting, unless perhaps in the warm, moist, west 
coasts. 
Window Box. — Daddy, London : It is generally 
understood that beautiful foliage plants are more 
suitable for town window boxes than flowering plants. 
The latter may look well at first but they often lose 
their blooms and make only half a show afterwards. 
In the way of foliage plants we suggest, Grevillea 
robusta, Abutilon Thompsonii, Funkia ovata varie- 
gata, small Acers of which there are many suitable; 
Coleus, if they are toughly grown. Ferns of the 
hardy sorts ; Tussalago farfara variegata, Lobelias, 
Alternantheras, Echeveras, Sedums, &c. 
Currant leaves devoured. — J. T., Cornwall: From 
the descriptions of the caterpillar and its havoc we 
conclude your trees have fallen aprey to the larvaeof 
the Gooseberry aod Currant sawfly—Nematus ribesii 
—of which J.H.D. gave warning and preventive 
measures at page 571, May 6th. Hand-pickiDg is 
the surest plan of any, and should be started when 
the first larvae appear. 
Standard bedding plants. — Rothesay : Helio- 
tropiums, Cannas, Ricinus Gibsonii, Fuchsias, 
Lavatera arborea varietaga, and L. trimestris are 
suitable. See also, “ The Flower Garden,” p. 603, 
May 20th. 
Pruning Ivy. — J. Gloag : It is too late for pruning 
Ivy this year. Wait till next April, and prune it just 
before growth starts. 
Honesty —Constant : Lunaria biennis is the bot¬ 
anical name for this plant. As you have not yet 
sown seeds you canDOt hope to raise your own plants 
for flowering this year. You must either buy plants 
from the market men or secure some from a friend. 
They sell at 2d. or 3d. apiece. Plant them in rich 
light soil, using the precaution given to J. W. 
Wistaria Chinensls. — J. Brewer, Norfolk : Yon 
say your Wistaria has gone over the wall and is 
yielding its blossoms in your neighbour’s garden, and 
you ask if it would break away were you to cut it 
back. Seeing the plant is only a young one and 
vigorous it would break all right if you cut it back 
about March of next year. The better plan, how¬ 
ever, would be to unfasten the whole plant and layer 
the young shoots this summer. Make a cut half 
through at a joint of the young half-ripened shoots, 
and then a clean cut upward so as to form a cleft or 
tongue. Keep this cleft open and carefully bend the 
shoot down to the soil, make it firm and keep the soil 
moist. 
Increasing Dwarf Phloxes — J. H. D., Melrose: 
March or April was the time for this work but these 
beautiful little plants are hardy and vigorous. Cut 
off the shoots about 4 in. back, which you find lying 
against the soil around the outside of the plants. 
Place these slopingly and firmly in warm, moist, 
light borders, in tufts. Shade them slightly till they 
begin to grow, 
