PLATE 4. 
DIERVILLA FLORIDA "EVA RATHKE.” 
The genus Diervilla was founded by the French botanist, Tournefort 
(1656-1708), who dedicated it to a French surgeon named Dierville. It consists 
of several species and varieties of ornamental flowering shrubs characterised 
by having opposite leaves and showy bell-shaped blossoms. Most of the 
plants in cultivation are still generally known under the name of Weigela 
or Weigelia, which, however, has been discarded for many years by botanical 
authorities. 
The variety “ Eva Rathke,” shown on plate 4, is one of the handsomest 
and most attractive varieties known at present. It is a form of D. fiorida , 
otherwise perhaps better known as D. rosea and D. amabilis. The original 
species was introduced from China in 1845 by Robert Fortune under the 
name of Weigela rosea, and during the 60 years that have elapsed since then 
the Diervilla has become one of the best known and most useful of decorative 
garden shrubs. The bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers vary from white to 
pink, rose, and deep crimson. There are several dark coloured forms, such as 
“ Dr. Baillon,” and “ Saturn,” but “ Eva Rathke ” is universally considered to 
be the finest of the group. It was first shown at the R.H.S. Show held at 
the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, on August 29th, 1893, by Messrs. A. 
Waterer & Sons, Woking, when it received an “ Award of Merit.” 
Diervilla fiorida and its varieties are easily grown shrubs. They attain 
an average height of four to six feet, and flourish in any good garden soil 
that is well drained and contains plenty of well-decomposed manure. They 
are perfectly hardy in most parts of the United Kingdom, although when 
first introduced from China they were treated as greenhouse plants. 
As a rule the Diervilla is grown as a bush, and perhaps in this way it 
displays its clusters of flowers on arching shoots during the early summer 
months to greater advantage than in any other form. The plants, however, 
lend themselves well to being trained on walls or trellises, but when grown 
in this way they need a little more attention to pruning than they usually 
receive. 
Another method of growing Diervillas is in the form of standards. 
A strong erect shoot is selected to form the main stem from young plants 
raised from cuttings. When sufficiently tall, the top is pinched out so as 
to encourage buds lower down to develop and form the framework of the 
head of the plant. In this way the plants may be used for decorative 
purposes much in the same way as Standard Roses, and if properly pruned 
each year will produce large numbers of beautiful blossoms during the 
season. Of course all shoots lower down the stem than those forming the 
