February 18. 1905. 
THE GARDENING 
WORLD. 
139 
Lithospermum rosmarinifolium. 
How to grow good Celery. 
Notwithstanding the many fine species at command lovers 
f har( jy plants have seemed contented with one or two ot tlie 
m ore common species such as L. prostratum and L. purpureo- 
caeruleum. More recently, however, some attention has been 
„iven to L. graminii'olium, figured in The Gardening W orld, 
Vol XXI p. 668. More recently also a yellow flowered 
i species has been re-introduced to cultivation named L. cane- 
scens. * . . 
The species to which we allude on this occasion differs 
entirely in habit from any of those previously named. It is 
really ‘a small shrub, of branching, upright habit, varying 
from 6 in. to 2 ft. in height, according to the age of the 
I hllt The flowers are bright blue, and produced in succession 
from one-sided racemes, terminating the stems and branches. 
They are of a rich blue, with five pale or white spots 
in the throat, about J in. in diameter, and in the 
open air are produced from June to September. The 
narrowly linear leaves are rolled back at the edges, 
very much like those of the Rosemary, and range 
from 1 in. to 2 in. in length. The upper surface 
is thinly hairy, while the lower surface is more 
densely covered with adpressed hairs, giving them 
| a grey or hoary appearance. The species is a 
native of Italy and Greece, from the former of which 
the plant was introduced in 1833. It has, however, 
been greatly neglected, and is a remarkably pretty 
[ and interesting little shrub for the rockwork. Being 
of upright habit it is perfectly distinct from L. pros¬ 
tratum, which has broader leaves and long procum¬ 
bent stems, covering the surface of the ground. 
Our photograph was taken from a plant in bloom 
in the collection of Messrs. T. S. Ware, Limited, Hale 
Farm Nurseries, Feltham, Middlessex. Being in 
pots the plants were kept in cold frames, but we were 
assured they had kept up a succession of flowers from 
November till January 25th, when the plant shown 
in our illustration was photographed. Even then 
only a few of the flowers were open, the rest being 
in bud. 
The best known forms of Gromwell in gardens are 
grown in fairly good loamy soil upon the rockery. 
The chief difficulty with such as L. prostratum in 
the south consists of the evil effects which droughty 
weather has upon the foliage during warm seasons 
when planted in dry exposed positions. In such 
cases it would be well to select a cool, somewhat 
shady position, the shade being produced by a tree 
sufficiently far off not to overhang the spot or keep 
off the rainfall from the plant. In the northern 
part of Britain no difficulty whatever is experienced 
with it, and when planted upon good .loam with 
sufficient sand to ensure drainage the plant succeeds 
splendidly, and produces a wealth of blue flowers as 
rich as that of a Gentian during the late spring and 
early summer. 
Celery, like many other vegetables, is nothing if not 
properly grown, but while a great many know how to <ji <, , 
to perfection, there are many others who fail. This is to L>- 
regretted, as it is beyond doubt, one of the mo-t wholesorm- 
vegetables in the garden. I shall therefore lie pleased to ex¬ 
plain in this article how I grow good Celery. 
When a very early supply is required, a sowing should be 
made the first week in February in a pan of light, rich soil. 
Water through a line rose and allow to become settled bel'oie 
sowing, after which place a sheet of glass over and put in a 
house or pit where there is a nice bottom heat and a tem¬ 
perature of not less than fin deg., shading from the sun until 
the seedlings appear, when the glass should be removed, and 
in a day or two they should be placed as near the glass as 
Lithospermum rosmarinifolium : Flowers Blue. 
The species which we now describe under the name 
ot L. rosmarinifolium comes from two countries in 
the south of Europe bordering upon the Mediterranean, where 
the climate is drier not only in summer, but also in winter. 
A warm, well-drained situation should therefore be selected 
for it when about to plant it on the rockery. Sand should 
also be freely used in the compost, and that will ensure perfect 
drainage in winter, when the plant should be resting. In the 
summer time when growth is being made a liberal supply of 
water would help the plant immensely. After it goes out of 
bloom, however, or at least by the end of August, no more 
water should be given so as to encourage the ripening of the 
shoots made, and enable the plant to pass safely through our 
■"inter. It is damp rather than frost that is likely to damage 
this plant. If planted out in this way flowering would not 
commence so early as when sheltered bv means of a cold 
frame. 
possible. When the seedlings have three leaves they should 
be pricked out into boxes containing equal parts well decom¬ 
posed dung, leaf-mould and loam and a little sand, shading 
(as in all cases of transplanting) until the young plants have 
recommenced rooting, when they should be transferred to 
cooler quarters, and from this time onward they should be 
gradually hardened off. These remarks apply to all sowings 
made in heat. The next sowing should be made the first week 
in March, another three weeks later, this last in an unheated 
pit or frame. When large enough to handle, a shallow port¬ 
able frame should be got ready, putting about 3 in. of well 
decomposed dung at the bottom, and the same depth of nice 
rich soil on the top. Make fairly firm, and plant in rows 4 in. 
apart each wav. When the seedlings have made a fresh start 
the lights should be pushed back bv day on all favourable 
