T • 
viarch 28, 1908. THE GARDENING WORLD. 
■ 
L bd to illustrate a mass of these autumn 
,r late summer-flowering annuals, al- 
hJgh we cannot endow the picture with 
h: galaxy of hue and colour that ap- 
)t rs in the original. This plant has one 
rrit virtue over many another dwarf 
irual, and that is, it will transplant 
i,- ( [ even when in flower. Thus, if a 
be planted with young stock, and 
o.e of these fall a prey to the dreaded 
y-;r disease, their places may be filled 
)\ others from the reserve border. In- 
led, a summer bed may be entirely re¬ 
flated, the Asters taking the place of 
o.e earlier flowering thing. There is 
ic end of variety now in the cultivated 
Tna Aster, but the dwarf, branching 
ons, with firm, fiattish flowers, are per¬ 
ns the best adapted for a display, 
fl.srs. Webb and Sons at their Kinver 
pnnds have quite a special collection, 
11 bestow great care upon them. 
edding Asters are a strain of dwarf 
n branching habit, which has been very 
;\aly selected, the only differences be- 
:ven the varieties being colour. Six of 
:he varieties have rose, dark crimson, 
vte, pink, purple, and light blue 
Vers respectively. These may be had 
r mixture or separately. The finest 
Acts are. of course, obtained by sowing 
tl seeds separately, and, after rearing 
:1m to proper size, planting them out in 
0 ad bands or masses of a colour. The 
pnts all bloom at the same time, and, 
bjng of the same height, namely 1 ft., 
thy can be planted in one bed. A large 
bed would enable the grower to plant 
each variety in a broad band and thereby 
obtain harmonies of colour. An edging 
of Lobelias would give a slightly more 
finished appearance, but as the flowers of 
the lower branches come close to the 
ground the Asters make a complete pic¬ 
ture by themselves. The large size of the 
flowers hides the foliage and gives a bed 
the appearance of a grand piece of mosaic 
upon the grass. 
-- 
A Charming Dwarf . . 
- Gonvolvalus. - 
Silvery leaves and rose-pink flowers, to 
say nothing of a perfectly hardy con¬ 
stitution and excellent habit, render Con¬ 
volvulus althaeoides a unique and wholly 
desirable plant. It is a native of South 
Europe, and, although introduced into 
cultivation more than 300 years ago, is 
very little known to gardeners, either 
amateur or otherwise. Whether this de¬ 
plorable fact is due to apathy on the part 
of gardeners, who do not trouble to try 
afresh old subjects, or to the fact that 
nurserymen in general fail to draw atten¬ 
tion to species of unusual merit, we can¬ 
not decide. One thing is certain, we 
know of no plant which can take the 
place of this beautiful trailing Bindweed. 
It will grow anywhere except in water¬ 
logged soil. A lover of sunshine, it de¬ 
lights in a sunny crevice on the rockery, 
and is quite at home on all old walls. 
The elegant growths may be allowed to 
trail over the stones or on the ground, but 
when grown in the border amongst other 
hardy perennials, a charming group is 
formed if a few twiggy branches, about 
2 ft. long, be given for the twining stems 
to cling to. 
The roots are long and fleshy, very im¬ 
patient of disturbance. They travel for 
yards amongst the stony crevices in an 
old wall, flattening out like a wedge. It 
is impossible to transplant old specimens. 
Seeds may be sown two or three together 
wherever the plants are desired. They 
grow freely and will bloom the first year 
in sunny positions. The plant is long- 
lived. Specimens five or six years old 
will cover several square yards with 
masses of pretty silvery leaves, daintily 
shaped, and thousands of bright rose- 
coloured flowers from June until Septem¬ 
ber. The common British species C. 
arvensis makes a good hanging plant for 
baskets and pots. It is more than pro¬ 
bable that the Mallow Bindweed would 
grow quite as well and prove more orna¬ 
mental. Erica. 
-♦-M'- 
Dendrobium Cybele Gatton Park Var. 
In size, the blooms of this variety are 
comparable to the best forms of D. war- 
dianum. The sepals and petals are of a 
lively rose-purple, passing into white at 
the base. The lip has a maroon-black 
blotch on the disc surrounded by yellow, 
white and purple bands in this order. 
First-class Certificate by the R.H.S. on 
March 3rd when shown by Sir Jeremiah 
Colman, Gatton Park, Reigate. 
We bbs’ Bedding As ters, 
= 3 
w Messrs. Webbs' kindness we are en- 
Webbs’ Bedding Asters. 
Webb and Sons. 
