540 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
•April 20, 1901. 
||ints for ||mateurs. 
A GARDEN OF NATIVE PLANTS. 
At the present day there is such a craze for foreign 
plants that the beauties of our English flora are 
quite overlooked by most people. I hope that now 
the fashion is to have wild gardens instead of the 
formal arrangement, that our own plants will not be 
overlooked, for really beautiful gardens can be made 
containing nothing but native plants. In such a 
garden there are always a great many interesting 
features, and the plants recall many pleasant excur¬ 
sions into different parts of the country. What can 
be more pleasing when showing a friend round the 
garden than to say "This little Heath I collected 
when in Scotland; this tiny rock Fern I found 
growing in the Peak district; this is a native Orchid 
which I found growing on the Surrey hills, etc.” 
By collecting and growing plants in this manner 
each will have a history and thus be as a living 
souvenir of some place of interest visited. 
In gardens close to London, where the atmosphere 
is nearly always laden with sulphurous smoke no 
plants can be expected to thrive for long, and gener¬ 
ally the owner of a small garden finds plenty of 
ways for the dispensation of his means without 
having to frequently renew the supply of plants in 
the flower beds. When this is the case the use of 
wild flowers and bushes for the adornment of the 
garden will be found to be both inexpensive and 
effective. When on a trip into the country a large 
number of suitable plants may be collected. What 
can look better in a garden in the springtime than a 
nice bed of Primroses’, Violets or Bluebells. It is 
best to get the roots in the early spring before 
growth has commenced ; or if the roots of many of 
our pretty little " natives ” cannot be obtained seed 
may be gathered and sown in the autumn. Some of 
our wild Geraniums are very handsome, especially 
the deep blue of Geranium pratense. The wild Rose, 
Brambles and that beautiful climber Clematis 
Vitalba, known in the country by many different 
names, often as The Traveller’s Joy, Old Man’s 
Beard, Bocky, etc., look very nice rambling about of 
their own free will, and although smoke begrimed 
they look happier than many of their foreign friends 
do when growing under the same conditions, If the 
Primroses can have a little shade they will grow 
much better. The Bluebells also are shade loving 
plants and also moisture loving. 
Country Gardens.—In gardens where the atmo¬ 
sphere is pure, and there is plenty of space at com¬ 
mand, with good soil to grow plants in, an extensive 
collection can be made and rare plants grown and 
cared for. If the collection is to be a very varied 
one the garden will require making up according to 
their different requirements. If Ferns are to be 
grown moisture and shade must be provided, and a 
light peaty or leafy soil made up. The position 
most suitable for Ferns is on a low rockery. There 
are many rare Ferns to be found in Britain. Some 
of the best are to be found in the Peak district, the 
Welsh hills and Tunbridge Wells. There are many 
beautiful bog plants that may be easily grown if 
sufficient moisture is obtainable. For large, stately 
foliage nothing can beat the Great Water Dock, and 
the larger Carices. Equisetums or Horse-tails, Caltha 
palustris or Marsh Marigold and the large flowered 
Forget-me-not are all easy to procure and easy to 
cultivate. If aquatics are desired tubs may be sunk 
into the ground for their requirements if a pond is 
not to be obtained. The best plants that can be 
used for growing thus are a pretty little crested 
yellow Water Lily, Limnanthemum peltatum, Sagit- 
tarias and Utricularias or Bladder-worts, pretty and 
Interesting insectivorous plants. 
A dry part must also be reserved for plants re¬ 
quiring such conditions. When a plant is collected 
the conditions under which it is found thriving in 
Nature must be noted and followed out as near as 
possible when planted in the garden at home. If a 
shade loving plant, shade must be given or it cannot 
be expected to thrive For climbing over fences, 
arbours, etc., nothing can surpass the beauty of the 
Clematis Vitalba. It is a very rapid grower and 
soon makes a large plant when once established. 
Many very pretty Geraniums may be found about 
the country that are well worth cultivating, especi¬ 
ally Geranium pratense and G. sylvaticum. Genista 
aDglica is a neat little free flowering shrub common 
in the south of England. It thrives in a light posi¬ 
tion when under cultivation. For covering arches 
and also for growing as a low bush the wild Rose 
makes a good display. The Ivies must not be 
forgotten as they are so useful for covering unsightly 
walls or for making clumps. There are many 
varieties, some prefering to climb upon trees, others 
choosing the ground ; being evergreen they are very 
useful in the winter when other plants are bare. 
Heaths require a peaty soil and plenty of light. 
There are many varieties found in the North on the 
moors. There is. always something fascinating 
about Orchid growing as their requirements are so 
different to those of most plants. There are several 
species of Orchids to be found in Britain, all of 
which are rather difficult to manage when under 
cultivation. Some refuse to be cultivated, but these 
are not of much beauty. It is those that are 
parasitic on the roots of trees that refuse to be 
shifted from their natural habitat. The best way to 
grow them is to devote a piece of ground entirely to 
them. The soil should be a good meadow loam 
with plenty of chalk worked into it, as they are found 
growing best where the soil is chalky. If some 
short, stubby grass is planted amongst them it will 
keep the surface in a good condition in the summer 
and afford protection during the winter. When 
they are taken up to be planted in the garden great 
care must be exercised to avoid breaking their fleshy 
roots, as they are very sensitive to injury, and in 
planting the soil must be pressed round them very 
gently. Orchis maculata, when once established, 
makes fine plants. It prefers rather more moisture 
than the others, except Epipactis palustris, which 
likes a very moist soil. One of the best of our 
British Orchids has been exterminated as a native 
and is now only to be found under cultivation, the 
plants being imported from the Continent where it 
still flourishes. It is a Cypripedium and is equal to 
many of the species from warmer countries. It is 
known as Cypripedium Calceolus. It prefers a 
moist, loamy soil, with plenty of limestone added. 
It goes under the common name of Slipper Orchid. 
One of the best districts for Orchid collecting in 
Britain is on the Surrey hills and in Kent, where 
large quantities may be seen in bloom in summer. 
Hollyhocks.—In many places it is impossible to 
grow these plants as they become crippled by the 
Hollyhock disease and soon go off. Where they will 
grow without disease nothing makes a more imposing 
sight in the garden than a group of these plants 
when well grown and in full bloom. The single 
Hollyhock is very easy to manage and only requires 
a moderately rich soil to grow in. It is best propa¬ 
gated from seed which should be sown in pans of 
light, sandy loam early in October, and placed in a 
house or frame where they can have a gentle heat. 
When large enough they should be pricked out, and 
ultimately hardened off in a cool frame to be planted 
out in the spring. The double ones are best propa¬ 
gated by cuttings to keep them true to name. The 
cuttings should be taken from the base of the 
flowering stalk about August, put into small pots and 
stood in a cool frame, where they will soon take root. 
They must be kept close to the glass to prevent them 
drawing. When in an exposed position they require 
a stout stake to secure them from breaking in the 
wind. The colours range from white to deepest red. 
— Hortus. 
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. 
Cyanus or Centaurea.— E. D. M .: The reason 
why these two names are often employed for the 
same plant is that Cyanus was at one time employed 
as a generic name, but that is very old, and botanists 
have long been agreed that the plants classed under 
various generic names are all species of Centaurea, 
and the proper way of naming the plant you mention 
is Centaurea Cyanus. 
Vine Leaves with Green Blisters.— IF. T.: You 
have evidently been keeping the atmosphere of the 
house too moist during the long spell of relatively 
sunless weather we have had. The foliage and the 
atmosphere of the house should be relatively dry for 
a time once at least in every twenty-four hours. This 
can be done by syringing the vines in the morning, 
say about nine o’clock, and again after closing the 
ventilators for the day about 3, 4, or 5 p.m., accord¬ 
ing to the state of the weather and the amount of 
sunshine. Ventilation should of course be given as 
the temperature rises, as a result of sun heat; and in 
any case a little should be given about the middle of 
the day to dry and harden the foliage. If this is 
attended to the leaves that are produced after this 
time will have no green blisters upon them, while 
those already blistered will do no harm, if not 
allowed to develop further by fhe precautions just 
mentioned. 
Basket Plants for a Greenhouse.— A. K .: Several 
of the Ferns might be used for this purpose, includ¬ 
ing Asplenium lucidum, A. flaccidum, Polystichum 
angulare, and some of the Maidenhairs, such as 
Adiantum assimile, A. aemulum, and some of the 
long fronded forms of A. Capillus-Veneris. Amongst 
flowering plants some of the drooping habited 
Fuchsias are very pretty and suitable for baskets. 
Other plants are Convolvulus mauritanicus (light 
blue), Tradescantia zebrina (valued chiefly for its 
variegated foliage and trailing habit), Campanula 
isophylla, C. i. alba, and some of the drooping 
habited tuberous Begonias, which make excellent 
basket plants, if you succeed in getting the proper 
varieties which some of the raisers select for the 
purpose. Two easily grown plants for basket work 
are Nepeta Glechoma variegata and Othonna 
crassifolia, the latter having bluish, succulent 
leaves. 
Pyrethrums for Cut Flowers.— Ed. West : The 
single varieties are better adapted for vases than the 
double ones because they are more light and grace¬ 
ful ; but as you say the double ones are bolder and 
more conspicuous. All the same we consider that as 
it is a matter of taste you may employ double 
varieties for home use where only your own people 
have to be pleased; and if they are all, then the 
matter is settled. You must also be guided by taste 
as to the colour of the varieties to grow. They 
range from pure white to deep purple and crimson, 
or some shade of dark red. The dark colours may 
be found useful to contrast with the paler colours 
which are by far the more numerous in this class of 
flowers than the dark ones. 
Strelitzia Reginae.— 0 . P. : The best method of 
propagation is by suckers which are thrown up 
plentifully in the sprtDg if the plant is in a flourish¬ 
ing condition. Seeds are not often procurable, and 
when they are to be obtained they are a considerable 
time before they will produce plants strong enough 
to bear flowers. If the plant does not produce 
many suckers, progagation by division may be 
resorted to. It succeeds well when planted out in a 
good loamy soil with sufficient sand, etc., added to 
keep it open. They require a liberal supply of 
water during the summer but should be kept drier 
during the winter months. A few plants may be 
seen growing luxuriantly planted out in the Mexican 
house at Kew. After what you say about the condi¬ 
tion of your plant it would be advisable to carefully 
divide it and pot up again, placing them for a few 
weeks in a house with a little higher temperature, 
and keeping them well syringed, and taking care 
that in doing so you do not get the soil saturated. 
Cacti going off.— F .: Undoubtedly the reason for 
the unhealthy state of your plants is a too liberal 
supply of water during the past winter. If the 
temperature has not been below 50° it cannot be 
that which has caused the rotting, for a temperature 
of 50° to 55 0 in winter and a summer one of about 
70'-’ in the shade is what they require. In the winter 
they require scarcely any water and if allowed to get 
too wet it is bound to act prejudicially on their 
health and in many of the tender varieties to cause 
them to loose their roots and rot at the base. They 
are very slow growing plants so do not require much 
water at any period. When they are making their 
growth during the summer twice a week will gener¬ 
ally be sufficient. The majority of Cacti easily 
accommodate themselves to a general system of 
treatment and may be easily grown in a light win¬ 
dow. Many varieties will grow outside if afforded 
protection by mats, etc., during severe weather. It 
is not a good plan to place the whole collection out¬ 
side during the summer in consequence of the 
