574 
THE GARDENING WORLD , 
July 4, 1903. 
Readers’ Competition—continued. 
Campanula Allioni. 
If asked to select the choicest species from the great genus 
Campanula this would have that honour if tlie collection was left 
to me. It has so many points in its favour. Its flowers are 
exceedingly showy, the habit of the plant is quite unique, and 
altogether it may claim to be one of the best types of rockery 
plants grown. The plant is seldom more than 6in. high, yet it 
produces flowers equal in size to those of the Canterbury Bell, 
and if prevented from seeding they are produced over a protracted 
period. As it grows in crevices in mountain sides it is necessary 
to provide it with well-drained positions when grown under 
cultivation. An ideal position is in fa- crevice Between two 
pocks on a part of the rockery where it will be shaded for an 
hour or two during the middle of the day. It resenrt-s lime in the 
soil, and therefore when adding opening material avoid the use 
of lime rubble. A good compost is two parts sandy loam to 1 one 
of old leaf soil. It is difficult and risky to- divide) the. plant 
owing to its slender habit, but it seeds very freely, and if the seed 
is sown in pans of light soil in cool frames as soon as ripe, it 
will quickly produce fine plants if guarded against damp. A 
plant established on a- rocky bank will often seed and clothe the 
whole of the bank in a year or two. The colour of the- true type 
is blue with a shade of purple in it, but pure, white forms are 
obtainable. Pkm 
Conservatory Decoration. 
It is difficult at times, to keep this important structure in an 
incessant blaze of bloom—a house indispensable in gardens, to 
be seen attached to almost every villa, rural and suburban, in 
some shape or form. We find ourselves at variance to create a 
change from the old run of stuff, evidently existing in the house 
since its formation. Tire introduction! of a few showy subjects 
is appreciated and attractive to the lover of flowers. A plant of 
exceptional merit- for effect in the conservatory or greenhouse 
is Saxifraga pyramidalis, sparsely in cultivation, for this work 
at least, yet extremely easy of culture. We find this the most 
suitable time to get a stock of it. Procure off-sets, or suckers, 
from old plants;trim these into nice cuttings, if roots are not 
there when detached from the parent plant. Insert, these into 
pans or boxes of sandy soil, and stand in a shaded place outdoors. 
In a very short period these will be ready for potting into thumb 
loots. You can now stand them in a cold frame, only replacing 
the lights when heavy deluges of rain frequent us, which I 
must confess have not been of late in this locality. Shift on the 
plants as the roots admit of that, removing all side suckers, 
allowing one crown only, versus one spike of bloom. To keep the 
plants fairly dry at the roots in winter, and exclude frost, it 
will necessitate the lights to be kept on, allowing ventilation on 
all favourable occasions. From 4 in. to 5 in. pots will be suffi¬ 
ciently large to flower S. pyramidalis. We will be amply 
recompensed for our labour now with spikes 2 ft. to 3 ft. high. 
An erect stem, with panicles of white flowers in great profusion, 
lasting in flower from May to July, witli beautiful foliage and 
silvery serrated edges, entirely obscuring the pot from view. 
Interspersed with other plants of the house, their graceful and 
light appearance makes them very commendable. The compost 
for the final shift would be. loam and leaf soil, with a fair amount 
of broken crocks through it, stagnation being very detrimental 
to their benefit at any stage. We might apply the same rule 
to artificial stimulants. Suckers taken now will not flower 
next season, hut the succeeding one. For a succession insert 
cuttings every summer, destroying the old plants when out 
of flower. It would be imprudent to exclude this now pojiular 
class of annuals from the embellishment of our conservatories, 
viz., Schizanthus pinna,tus, the old variety, which has got 
slightly superseded by the introduction of that new variety, 
Wisetonensis, illustrated lately in this paper. It has the habit of 
the old class, but larger in flower, picturesque in markings, 
eclipsing that of Oncidiums. It is a more compact plant, and 
improvement in every way. Schizanthus are of easy culture.- 
•Seed sown in a gentle heat in spring will be in flower presently. 
In fact, these may be had in flower both summer and winter. 
Prick off the seedlings into the side of pots desired, and grow in 
any frame or pit. The seed of this is very easily saved. We 
would be correct in doing that process with the latter variety. It 
is as yet expensive obtaining a packet of it. It would appear 
that the higher price we give for seed the less we get. 
Rhodanthes are yet another class of annuals well adapted for 
pot culture. Forcing agrees with them, and they are of an ever¬ 
lasting nature. When cut and dried nothing could equal such 
for winter bouquets. Treat similarly to Schizanthus, 
but 5 in. pots will be a good size, with six to eight plants in a 
pot. There are various shades of colour. 
Celsia cretica, a very rare plant to be seen, is worthy of note— 
a biennial easily got from seed, producing spikes*of "olden 
flowers in mid-winter with stove heat; when out of flower can be 
cut down and grown on to flower in a short time. These are a 
few plants, economical and effective, coming within the means 
of the novice, and free of all pernicious habits. A. Y. M. 
Red, White, and Blue Wild Flowers in Winter. 
Midsummer does not seem a very appropriate time to describe 
a display of wild flowers in winter, yet as the following hints 
give suggestions as to how they may be procured ready at hand 
should the autumn and early winter be similar to last year's, 
the idea may not be so far-fetched after all. Last year, far into 
November, long after the “ surly blast ” in the early days of the 
month had “ laid fields and forests bare,” three species of wild 
flowers, viz., Campanula rapunculoides, Matricaria inodora, and 
the scarlet field Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas) made a very brave 
show ; indeed, in sheltered spots in East Lothian near the coast, 
and as all three were observed in close proximity to each othe 1 '. 
the effect was charming in the extreme. This was not a case of 
a few tattered specimens, but considering the time of year really 
a profusion of flowers, and as our national colours were repre¬ 
sented m the trio, their presence was all the more welcome 
amidst the deepening gloom of winter. The blue of the Cam¬ 
panula and the scarlet of the Poppy seemed more vivid than 
they were in summer, whilst the Matricaria rivalled the snow m 
purity, save for the yellow central disc, which looked radiant. 
Some who saw these lovely wildings considered that many a 
neglected corner near dwellings might be utilised by bavin * 
them installed there, and as strong seedling plants of the two 
former, where the species abound, nre now plentiful, the time is 
opportune for their transference, whilst seeds of the Poppy, 
which does not stand shifting well, could still be sown to yield 
a plentiful crop of flowers about the time stated. All that is 
needed afterwards is attention to watering for a time preven¬ 
tion of overcrowding, and eradication of weeds of a baser sort. 
In tins way the owner of such a plot, which must be designed in 
an irregular manner, not only adorns an unsightly quarter, but 
provides himself with excellent material from which to draw a 
supply of cut flowers for vases ; for though the Poppy is essen- 
Tu 3, l J& 1 e ’ ^ cut in the season and placed in water just as 
the buds are about to open it will last well for a fortnight 4 
vase failed with these common things, accompanied with a few 
leaves and grasses, is a very pretty object, and the lover of 
• ° weis w 10 is -a patriot as well can boast of possessing an 
interesting ‘floral tricolour” at a time of the year when "bril¬ 
liant hues become a desideratum. t vi 
June 24th, 1903. 
Recreation Ground fob Leyton. —A new recreation ground, 
to be known as the Coronation Gardens, was on the. 23rd ult.J 
opened at Leyton by Mr. H. Y. Chew, chairman of the Open 
Spaces Committee of the District Council. The ground, which 
was presented by Earl Cowley, is about five acres in extent, and 
adjoins Leyton High Road. It has been laid out at a total cost! 
to the district of about £5,000, a notable feature being that the 
work was almost entirely performed during the winter months 
by unemployed residents. In the centre of the ground provision 
is made for open air band performances, which will be given 
weekly during the summer months, and a large space, to be pro¬ 
vided with swings, and gymnastic appliances, is set apart as a 
children’s playground. 
*** The prize last week in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ J. K. D.” for his article on “The Culture 
of Cattleyas,” page 561. 
