Januaht 35, 1913. 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
65 
the papers to be read and the place of 
meeting are complete. 
The past two years cannot be described 
as good dahlia seasons, for in 1911 the dry 
weather that went on without a break week 
after week was not conducive to the rapid 
rowth so essential to the dahlia, and no 
oubt many people were disgusted with the 
results obtained after all their trouble 
w ith the water-can; 1912 was little better, 
the cold, wet, sunless summer, with an al¬ 
most Arctic August was not suited to the 
dahlia, and again the results were not so 
good as they might have been, though it 
must be admitted that show flowers were 
up to their usual form. Anyway, we are 
looking forward to a better growing season 
in 1913. 
It is advisable at the present time to look 
over the dahlia roots in their storage, for 
they did not ripen off well and naturally 
last autumn, and w’here they were lifted as 
frames protected from frosts, with little 
trouble, but the plants must be kept grow¬ 
ing, for once they get hard their prospect 
of success has gone altogether. 
J. B. Riding. 
LINDENBERGIA 
GRANDIFLORA. 
This yellow - flowered labiate, which 
was given an Aw^ard of Merit on January 
7, is of considerable decorative value, a 
great point in its favour being the fact that 
it continues to bloom during the late 
autumn and winter months. It is by no 
means a novelty, having been introduced 
about a dozen years ago, but though it 
has been several times exhibited it was 
only this year that it w^as honoured by 
an Award of Merit possiblv owing to it 
not having been submitted to the Floral 
Committee. 
after they are struck, otherwise they will 
run up weakly. Ordinary potting compost, 
such as a mixture of fibrous loam, well- 
decayed manure, leaf-mould, and sharp 
silver sand, will suit this lindenbergia. 
S. W. 
HYDRANGEAS AS TERRACE 
PLANTS. 
The use of bold specimen plants in tubs 
for terrace decoration is no new^ matter, 
but with the advent of wild gardening— 
so-called, semi-wild gardening, and a freer 
and less formal style in our methods of 
garden design and decoration, there was a 
decline in their use. Their value has, how'- 
ever, never beem lost sight of in these 
pages, and the growing popularity of 
shrubs in tubs, and specimen pot plants on 
SPECIMEN HYDRANGEAS BY THE TERRACE STEPS AT DOWNSIDE, LEATHERHEAD, 
THE RESIDENCE OF ALFRED TATE, ESQ. 
manr'*f previously, I fea 
"ot have kept well 
out It they are examined now, and the de 
caymg portions of the tubers are cut off 
loss saved, and the partia 
Even tubers will matter but little 
th^ „ turning over of the tubers will d. 
daTn if they are at al 
thev^ran^^^ if they are shrinking badh 
Til ^ back in store. 
are alre^H fo^ "ext April and Mai 
ProLeawLk®'’^®"^? cuttings in then 
tubers^ an^ * production of pot-roo 
plants’ It w1l7 usually sold as greet 
Pliasise the n as well to em 
'ug good nin growing or obtain 
and ^£e^can \7'“^^ time 
® ran be grown on steadily ii 
In a state of nature it occurs in a con¬ 
siderable tract of the Himalaya, from 
Simla to Bhotan. In this country it must 
be regarded solely as a greenhouse plant, 
and succeeds best when raised from cut¬ 
tings of the young growing shoots in the 
spring, and the young plants are grown 
on as salvias and many other subjects are. 
Bushy plants about a couple of feet in 
height will bear a large quantity of blos¬ 
soms, which are individually very much 
like those of the common musk, but con¬ 
siderably larger. 
After the plants have done flowering 
they may be cut back and kept somewhat 
drier for a short time, then with increased 
heat and moisture they will push out a 
considerable number of young shoots, and 
these taken as cuttings will strike root in 
a very short time if inserteii in pots of 
sandy soil, and placed in a close propa¬ 
gating case in a gentle heat. Care 
should be taken not bo leave them therein 
terraces, by the sides of steps, and in other 
places, where they are in keeping wdth the 
surroundings, is largely due to the continued 
advocacy of their claims in the Gardeners’ 
Magazine. Scented-leaved pelargoniums, 
agaves, agapanthus, lemon-scented ver¬ 
bena, bays, and oranges are a few of the 
more popular subjects, but fuchsias, zonal 
pelargoniums, marguerites, and chrysan¬ 
themums are often pressed into service, 
and, perhaps, hydrangeas are most popular 
of all. We have, on several occasions, indi¬ 
cated the few simple cultural details neces¬ 
sary to success, and have at various times 
given illustrations of the effective use of 
hydrangeas in tubs. In the present issue 
we show how large specimens are placed 
wdth great effect during the summer by 
the terrace steps (of grass) at Downside, 
Leatherhead, where Mr. W. Mease, gar¬ 
dener to Alfred Tate, Esq., grows roses, 
chrysanthemums, and many other things 
so well. 
