April 6, 1907. 
TTTB GARDENING WORLD. 
235 
heavenly Blue 
(Muscari conicum). 
The popular name of the above bulb is 
ell deserved, considering the richness 
id brightness of the blue colour of the 
jwers. ° The richest hue is produced by 
Mbs which have been grown entirely in 
ie open air, although it is also very hand- 
,me when grown under glass. It is also 
ne of the strongest growing of the Grape 
[yacinths, well adapted for border decora- 
on or for naturalising in half-shaded 
tuations about the grounds. -It is sur- 
rising, however, how seldom we see it in 
ie garden even yet, although it has been 
1 cultivation for a considerable number 
f vears. 
Many people have difficulty in getting 
.lants to grow in their gardens, which 
re either surrounded by trees, fences, 
r buildings, and therefore get much 
hade. The bulbs would not thrive many 
ears under evergreen trees which ob- 
rruct the light and prevent-the rainfall 
:om reaching the ground, but under de- 
iduous trees this and other species of 
.luscari should give a good account of 
hemselves in the springtime, as they 
lower and nearly complete their growth 
efore the trees are much in leaf. Every 
pike of flower has a telling effect, but 
0 be seen to the best advantage a mass 
r iclump 1 of bulbs should be planted 
hen they immediately become conspicu¬ 
ous for a great distance as soon as they 
ome into bloom at the end of March or 
eginning of April. 
They might be much more employed 
a spring bedding, and in most gardens 
here are small beds that could be filled 
with the bulbs to advantage. For in- 
-tance. there are beds of Roses, standard 
Roses, Rhododendrons, or some other 
■ hrub in which the bare earth round about 
Muscari conicum. [Maclaren and Sons. 
the plants could be brightened in spring 
by the use of this hardy bulb. Whether 
it is a wild plant or has originated in 
cultivation does not seem to be known, 
and certainly no wild habitat is given for 
it. It may be a plant that is very scarce 
in a wild state, or it might have arisen 
in gardens by the crossing of two other 
allied species. Whatever its origin, it is 
one of the finest, if not the best, of all 
the Grape Hyacinths on account of the 
size of the spikes and the intensity of 
the blue colour. The accompanying illus¬ 
tration shows only a very small" patch of 
the plant, but can give rio conception of 
the colour effect when in bloom. 
The 
Sea ilfavepder 
Statice Limonum. 
[.Maclaren and Sons. 
(Statice Limonum). 
The Sea Lavender is so called because 
its blue or lilac-blue flowers have some 
resemblance to those of Lavender, especi¬ 
ally when seen at some little distance away. 
The first part of the name is given in 
allusion to the habit of the plant growing 
by the sea, and the word Limonum would 
mean that it grows in muddy places. In 
general it may be said to live in marshes 
and moist places close to the seashore, 
though not necessarily in mud. I rom 
that description one would gather that the 
plant requires much moisture in gardens 
for its welfare, but that is not particularly 
the case, as it may be grown in any garden 
border or on a rockery where the soil may 
get quite dry in summer. Indeed, the 
illustration shows a large plant which 
grew and bloomed on the rocker}' at Kew 
last year. 
It will be seen that it produces a wealth 
of slender stems and myriads of its small 
flowers. Like the other species it may 
also be cut and dried when in full bloom, 
and therefore fresh and in good condi¬ 
tion. The flowers dry much of the same 
hue as they are in the fresh state, and the 
other parts of the flowers being dry and 
the stems wiry these dried flowers may be 
used as everlastings in the winter. In 
fact, they make a very good substitute 
for those of the Cloud Plant (Gypsophila 
paniculata) which, is largely used for the 
P Some of the rocks or stones, as well as 
the broad leaved Saxifrages, may also be 
noted, which form the environment of the 
plant in question. The situation, there¬ 
fore. need not be in any way moist for 
this plant to thrive and bloom to perfec¬ 
tion. Although it may be grown m the 
ordinarv herbaceous border, it looks much 
