THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 8, iyo3. 
G7G 
The Best Flowering Plants at Kew. 
“There are more plants in the garden than ye wot of. 
Dendrobinm formosum giganteum. 
The best forms of this plant are obtained from the Andaman 
Islands, where it occurs in the mangrove swamps in proximity 
to the sea-shore, in which situation it has scarcely any resting 
period, and is frequently sprinkled with sea-spray, which 
accounts for a. cultural method—that of damping stages and 
floors with water in which salt has been, diluted—employed by 
seme successful cultivators. It is the largest of white-flowered 
Dendrobesi, frequently having petals 2 in. broad, whilst the 
funnel-shaped lip is 4 in. broad. Stems as thick as a little 
Anger, cylindrical, 18 in high. Leaves, amplexicaul, 5 in. 
long, from the axils of the uppermost of which fascicles of three 
to five white flowers, having an orange blotch on the lip. are 
produced. 
Angraecum eichlerianum. 
As seen in the Orchid house, this is decidedly a handsome 
plant of horticultural value, and well worthy extended cultiva¬ 
tion. Its tall, leafy stems are clothed with distant, oblique, 
obtuse leaves. The' large solitary flowers produced have lanceo¬ 
late sepals and petals of a light green hue, and a pure white 
obcordate spreading lip, with a triangular apiculus in the notch 
and an erect conical spur as long as sepals. Native of Loango, 
West Africa. 
Lagerstroemia indica. 
In a warm intermediate house this forms a showy bush plant, 
particularly effective when it can, be planted in a border. In 
general appearance it . somewhat resembles a robust Ligusitrum. 
(Privet), producing at the termination of its annual wand-likei 
shoots large, many-flowered panicles. The flowers, which are 
soft pink, have the margins of the spreading long-clawed petals 
beautifully crisped. China. 
Abutilon Golden Fleece. 
A most desirable variety for greenhouse decoration. In 
habit it is robust, and can be employed as,a climber trained 
on the roof, when, it is most effective, as; its drooping, globular, 
rich yellow flowers can then be seen to advantage. 
Lonicera Etrusca. 
Where the protection, of a cool house can be afforded to this 
plant, it amply repays for the protection, producing in great 
profusion over a long season verticillate heads of flowers which 
are pale on opening, fading to a deep yellow colour. It is a 
robust grower and nearly hardy, but. in the open, rarely seen to 
advantage. 
Romneya Coulteri or Californian Poppy. 
A half-hardv herbaceous, branching perennial, with glabrous 
pinnatifid leaves and large white flowers, borne at the ends of 
the branches, either solitary or in, corymbs. Protected during 
winter by a hand-light they give general satisfaction in the 
open, where, when in flower, they form quite a feature. Native 
of California. 
Clerodendron fallax. 
An exceedingly handsome shrub frequently accorded stove 
treatment, which, grown in an intermediate temperature in 
6 in. pots, gives useful material for furnishing the greenhouse 
when in flower, where its large terminal panicles of deep scarlet- 
flowers and ample, cordate, deep green leaves give colour and 
tone to the stages. Native of Java. 
Begonia kewensis. 
A very floriferous form, of garden origin, which, a-s a basket 
plant, gives excellent results. Its arching stems produce 
numerous small white flowers on pendent short footstalks. 
Veronica speciosa. 
According to Allan Cunningham, this, of all New Zealand 
shrubby plants, is, from a horticultural point of view, the most 
desirable. Unfortunately it is not hardy, but by growing it 
in pots in a cool greenhouse during winter, and plunging them 
out in early summer, they form, massed in beds, a feature in 
the landscape, whilst as specimens for conservatory omation 
they are equally as well adapted. As grown, they form dense 
branching shrubs 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, and fully as much across, 
with shining green oblong, sessile leaves, and numerous 
axillary erect racemes fully 4 in. long. Of this species there 
are many varieties which are an improvement on the type ; 
possibly " Constellation,” a pink form, is the best. Mine. 
Cl;retin, deep blue, is also an excellent variety. 
Spartium junceum or Spanish Broom. 
The golden-yellow fragrant flowers of this Broom are effective 
in any shrubbery, but especially so when growing on poor 
gravelly soil, to which it is adapted, amongst the other stunted 
vegetation. It is a rapid grower, and easily raised from seed. 
Trachelospermum crocostomum. 
This species closely resembles jasminoides in habit, and 
general appearance, differing in its slightly smaller flowers, 
which are buff or pale orange-coloured, and its smaller leaves, 
combined with its hardier constitution. On a wall, where at 
present it is one of the features of the garden, it forms a dense 
mass of twining branches, so dense as to completely hide the 
wall, and attaining a height of fully 10 ft. Concomitant with 
being highly ornamental when smothered with its rotate 
flowers, it is, being evergreen, always an object of beauty. 
Supposed to be a native of China. 
Astragalus pontic; s 
A bold, handsome herbaceous plant, which from near the 
base of its stems to their apex, a height of nearly 4 ft., globose 
dense heads 3 in. in circumference, of greenish canary-yellow 
flowers are produced in the axil of each leaf. The leaves are 
glaucous, tapering from a breadth of fully 2 in. at base to less 
than | in. at the apex, imparpinnate, 10 in. to 14 in. long. 
Native of Asia Minor. 
Coronilla varia. 
A herbaceous plant of exceptional floriferous habit, 
whose stems, some 2£ ft. long, horizontally inclined, are 
covered with umbels of rosy-purple flowers. 
Pentstemon heterophyllus. 
Notice of this, a small flowering form, is chiefly taken be¬ 
cause of the intense colour of its flowers, which are deep blue 
tinged with rosy-purple when fading. Forming plants 10 in. 
to 12 in. high, they, massed in beds or‘borders, are very 
effective. Native of N. America. 
Rhynchostylis retusa. 
This, a beautiful and attractive basket plant, is one of the 
most widely distributed of Indian epiphytical Orchids, par¬ 
ticularly abundant in moist regions. It forms a. small plant, 
producing for its size a comparatively long pendent raceme 
about 12 in. in length, in which the small flowers are densely 
packed, resembling a 'cylindrical spike. The segments of 
the flower are white spotted with amethyst purple, whilst the 
deeply saccate lip is wholly purple. 
The Alpine Garden. 
PLANTS IN BLOOM. 
Spiraea labata. 
Very few would associate a Spiraea with an alpine garden, 
but the above is quite a miniature type compared with the 
giants most closely allied to- the common Meadow Sweet. The 
stems are usually 9 in. to 12 in. high, and terminate in a cyme 
of flowers; that are rosy in the bud state and pink when fully 
expanded. By comparing it to a miniature S. palmata will 
perhaps give a better idea of it than by description. The 
leaves are much smaller, however, the terminal leaflet being 
five to- seven lobed, while the rest are gradually smaller 
towards the base. Like all the rest of the Spiraeas in this 
type, it should be accorded a. fairly moist position on the rock- 
work, by selecting a situation not much exposed to' sunshine 
during any part of the day, though it should be fully exposed 
to diffuse light. 
Spiraea Filipendula fl. pi. 
The; double-flowered form of the Dropwort has been very 
handsome for some time in gardens where it is accorded space 
