124 
The Garden Magazine, April, 1924 
golds (one of the annuals that always succeed with me despite 
drought) the Buddleia, or Butterfly-bush as it is aptly named, 
gives a wonderful mass of bloom which attracts every butterfly 
in the neighborhood, particularly the black and red monarchs 
who hover in constant attendance. 
A chief standby for a dry garden is the Gaillardia, so reliable 
that 1 always give it a big bed in order to be sure of flowers all 
summer no matter what happens. The Gaillardia delights in a 
warm, dry soil and from June until killing frost it is never out of 
bloom, its colors being particularly brilliant in the cool days of 
fall. Its foliage is very inferior and untidy looking, however, 
and to furbish the bed a little I have alternated clumps of 
Columbine with an occasional clump of that fine Meadowrue, 
Thalictrum dipterocarpum, whose delicate lavender spikes of 
bloom and foliage, rivalling the Maidenhair Fern, form a picture 
in themselves in June. Also an occasional clump of Iris pallida 
dalmatica among the Gaillardias around which they may cluster 
and sprawl. 
The Columbines and I ris are out of bloom early and the flower 
stems should be cut down before the Gaillardias are in full 
flower. While we cannot import the wonderful, named Gail¬ 
lardias, fine strains may be established by sowing liberal quanti¬ 
ties of seed and selecting the best types. There will be a great 
variation in the size and shape of the flowers as well as the 
amount of red in the bloom. Only one cultural warning is 
necessary—do not transplant in the fall. It is very hardy and 
persistent in my light soil, but I am told that in cold, heavy soils 
it often winter-kills. In such situations drainage should be 
provided. 
In addition to the plants already named there are the Golden- 
rods in numerous variety and the Heleniums, both the native 
yellow and the garden varieties, in red and orange, which are 
well worth growing in any garden. 
By gradually eliminating the plants which I find will not thrive 
satisfactorily and supplanting them with the sturdier kinds 1 
managed last summer to have plenty of color the entire season. 
SOIL FACTS FOR READY REFERENCE 
—Sandy soils should receive frequent small applications of 
manure rather than a heavy dose at any time. 
—It is more costly to bring up fertility in the soil than it is 
to keep it up. 
—The most practical and economical way to build up the 
productiveness of sandy soils, is to plow under green crops. 
—If the soil pulverizes and retains its granular texture, it 
is in ideal condition for crops. 
—Subsoiling is not generally profitable, but there are many 
soils that subsoiling would help reclaim. 
-—A chalk soil does not absorb the solar heat, and therefore 
is cold to the roots of plants. 
A DAY-LILY WHICH LIKES 
BOTH SUN AND SHADE 
H. C. DOWNER 
Garden Superintendent at Vassar College 
The Old-fashioned Funkia or Plantain-lily Makes Itself at Home in Many Places 
Editors’ Note: These Day-lilies offer an excellent example of the troubles of plant nomenclature and have been known at one time or another variously as 
Aletris, Hemerocallis, Hosta, Niobe, Funkia, to say nothing of the mistaken identities of individual species about which the less said here the better, perhaps. The 
two earlier names had to be abandoned because the plants proved to belong in neither genus. Hosta was given in 1812 and about the same time Niobe was proposed. 
There was some dispute about that name being available, as having been previously used elsewhere, and Funkia was given five years later, and has become popular¬ 
ized in gardens. However, the earlier name Hosta is now regarded as having been properly given when it was applied, and the subsequent names Funkia and Niobe 
have had to give way because of priority. Therefore Hosta is the accepted name of the popular garden Day-lily familiar as Funkia. 
B ROM IN ENT among good-natured plants which make 
themselves at home under quite varied conditions are 
the Plantain-lilies, erstwhile Day-lilies, sometimes re¬ 
ferred to under the generic name of Hosta (as in Bailey’s 
“Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture”) but more generally 
known as Funkia. As a matter of fact it is a genus which has 
been over-burdened with synonyms even as to the species as 
well and consequently the nomenclature is more or less con¬ 
fused though, fortunately, that does not detract from their 
value in the garden. 
In locations where the roots can always find moisture the 
growth of the Plantain-lilies is most luxuriant and it matters 
not if the sun shines on them all day long. On the other hand, 
not many plants can equal them in putting up a good appearance 
in a dry and shaded situation, such as often prevails near a 
dwelling or under trees. The accompanying photograph shows 
the familiar Funkia subcordata grandiflora (properly blosta 
plantaginea) thriving very well in a rather difficult situation 
beneath a large White Pine. At the time the picture was 
taken the plants had grown undisturbed for many years. They 
have since been taken up and divided, which has resulted in still 
more vigorous growth. The foliage effect is good all through 
the season and in August and September the fragrant white 
flowers make an attractive showing. 
Funkia lancifolia (properly Hosta japonica) also thrives in 
dry shady places and is most free flowering, making a fine display 
when massed, with its lavender colored ilowers carried well 
above the leaves. The variety alba-marginata gives a very 
pretty foliage effect with its long narrow leaves edged white. Of 
the variegated kinds the white margined form of the plant now 
called Hosta undulata, but long known in cultivation as Funkia 
lancifolia undulata medio-picta seems to be the most generally 
planted. Propagation is easily effected by division of the crowns 
in fall or spring. Seeds sown in coldframes in the fall usually 
germinate very well the next spring, but are slow growing. Varie¬ 
gated forms are not to be depended upon for coming true from 
seed. Funkia ovata (Hosta caerulea) also has bluish flowers 
and broad green leaves. 
The strongest growing of all is Funkia (Hosta) Sieboldiana 
with large leaves of steely blue and lilac colored flowers. It 
needs a good, rich soil to attain its best development and is very 
well placed along the water-side. 
