September !), 1905.] 
MOTTO FOR THE WEEK 
The ruddy Nectarine, and dark beneath his ample leaf, the luscious Fig.”— Thomson 
shown itself of good 
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AN AMATEUR'S LETTER 
TO AMATEURS. 
By the author of “ The Garden Decorative 
etc., etc. 
V. 
New Varieties uersus Old. 
The autumn -work in our main borders is 
upon us. Planting and transplanting, filling 
gaps, dividing roots, taking cuttings— 
these are some of the many operations 
waiting to be done. It is at this season 
when we do well to be on the look out for 
fresh subjects, for it is the greatest mistake 
possible to go on year after year with 
exactly the same plan's. It may be, we 
have Michaelmas Daisies, Phloxes, 
Delphiniums and other perennial plants 
that we have possessed ior many years, and 
I would put the question : Is it not a ! pity 
to give no welcome to the many beauiful 
varieties that have been introduced during 
recent years 1 Far be it from me to advise 
my readers to fill their gardens with the 
mmynoveltes that are continually being 
brought to our notice. But the gardening 
world has made such wonderful strides that 
wl^en a plant has 
constitution and in other ways excellent, 
then I think it is often a pity to grow 
really old varieties of plants, if, at the same 
time, they are inferior to the newer intro¬ 
ductions. And then, again, how it increases 
our interest in our gardens to have fresh 
subjects growing there, to be watched and 
tended with much expectation and keen 
anxiety until their flowers are matured and 
we see them in all their glory. 
Indispensable Perennials. 
I want to-day to call attention to a dozen 
of what I may say are first-class border 
plants for summer flowering, either on 
account of their beauty, their long period 
of flowering, or the particular time that 
sees them in blossom. All these things have 
to be considered ; and it is just because the 
novice has not always made a sufficient study 
of these points that his garden frequently 
is one month a veritable mass of gay colour, 
and a few weeks later perhaps woefully 
deficient. 
For June and July flowering that 
delightful Anthemis tinctoria is invaluable. 
. Truly old fashioned is this plant, 
and it must be conceded that the modern 
strains are wonderfully beautiful. We have 
not a great number of yellow-flowered per¬ 
ennials for the particular time that this 
Anthemis is in blossom, and therefore it 
fills a real want. Nine gardens out of ten 
sadly lack yellow in the mixed border in 
June and July. Besides the variety men¬ 
tioned there is also A. tinctoria Ivelwayii, 
which is just as free-flowering but bears 
blossom of a paler tint. These plants may 
be established in the autumn : they are not 
at all particular as to soil, and will often do 
well on a hot, dry border where other sub¬ 
jects that flower as late.as this fail altogether. 
I should add that the plants attain about two 
and a half feet, and they continue in flower 
over a very long period. I do not think we 
can over-estimate the value of that last 
point, and in many cases I would put it 
equal with, if not before, beauty. It 
makes all the difference to the display 
and decorative effect of our borders if such 
and such a space yields us blossom, which of 
course means colour for a week or two or 
for a month or two. 
Galega officinalis. 
The Galega should find a place in all but 
the very smallest gardens. A plant that 
rears itself three or four feet, and then, in 
the long, hot days, covers itself with the cool¬ 
est and most refreshing-looking of mauve 
flowers is grandly decorative. Like the pre¬ 
ceding it will flower in a hot, dry position ; 
and we have only to look at the roots to be 
assured of that. But, of course, both it and 
the Anthemis are very much finer, and 
flower longer in an aspect where they are 
supplied with sufficient moisture, and I only 
mention them for the hot and parched bor¬ 
der because almost everyone is possessed of 
such a border and is only too glad to make 
use of there plants which will flower with any 
show of success at all during the summer. 
Dianthus Napoleon III. 
And now we come to a plant of dwarfer 
growth, but a grand addition to the summer 
garden. Dianthus Napoleon III. is of 
comparatively recent introduction, though 
not a novelty. It has been with us long 
enough to prove its worth, The blossom is 
splendidly double and of a brilliant scarlet- 
crimson so glowing and intense that it 
makes one of the brightest spots in the 
garden. Indeed, as a class, I fear these 
Dianthuses receive far less attention than 
they should. Many of them are wonder- 
fully decorative and of fine and brilliant 
colouring—the very making of the rock 
garden after the spring flowering plants have 
lost their beauty. Such a variety, for 
instance, as D. Crimson Beauty is a 
splendid addition. Even a plant or two 
established one year may in a season or two 
be largely increased by seasonable propaga¬ 
tion. 
Veronica subsessilis and V. virginica 
I was once taking notice of all the 
Veronicas that were in flower at the begin¬ 
ning of August in Kew Gardens. There 
was little doubt that far and away the most 
effective was Veronica subsessilis. Now in 
buying this plant it is sometimes necessary 
to be sure that one gets it. The length of 
the deep yet bright blue flowering stem is 
longer than is the case with many varieties, 
and the individual flowers are large and 
closely placed. If this plant is given a good 
loamy soil, and care is taken that it does 
not suffer for lack of moisture either before 
or during its flowering season, then the 
garden gains one of its showiest summer blue 
flowers. It should attain at least two feet 
and sometimes more, and I may add it is 
grea' ly benefited by a top dressing of decayed 
stable manure round about it and applied 
in good time, that is to say, before 
the summer dryness has become in any way 
distressful. For those who appreciate a 
white flowered Veronica an excellent com¬ 
panion plant may be secured in virginica, 
The straight upstanding stems of these 
Veronicas have a charming effect of neatness 
that makes them stand out with distinctness 
and character from other perennial plants, 
and for th ! s reason they seem to me to fill 
a particular need. Where well grown, which 
