222 
THE GARDENERS- MAGAZINE. 
Makch 29, 1913^ 
The merest mention of spirajiis and 
astilbes bring to mind summer-tide pic¬ 
tures of garden beauty, and one’s thoughits 
are raphlly conveyed to the bog garden and 
the environ>: of tlie water garden^ the places 
“ par excellence ” for the successful culture 
of these two distinct^ beautiful, and easily- 
grown classes of plants. 
Taking the spireeas first, I would urge 
upon all who have a sufficiency of garden 
space to cultivate S. gigaptea and S. gigan- 
tea rosea. Idiese are striking plants of 
noble appearance, often attaining a height 
plumes it makes a most attractive subject 
for massing by the watersides. 
The free-growing native S. Ulmaria is 
best represented by the fine snowy-white 
double form, known as flore pleno. This 
makes a bold group, but I do not advise 
the single form for garden planting. S. 
palmata produces an unsurpassed glow of 
rosy-red colouring. It is best planted in 
drifts by the sides of a stream, or in a 
selected spot in the bog garelen. The pure 
w'hite form of this, palmata alba, is first- 
rate for contrasting, though, of course, not 
or l^avidi, and the white-flowered grand: 
winning their way into popular faW' 
have opened the way for the new AreZ' 
hybrids, and Messrs. Lemoines fine int^ 
ducrt^ns. The coming of those spleirfid 
astilbes. Queen Alexandra, rose-pink and 
Peach Blossom, also materially assist'ed in 
the work of popularising the genus 
Of the Arendsi group I may briefly cou;. 
mend Ceres, a pretty rosy-pink; Salmoc 
Queen, a splendid tall salmon-pink of 
cided beauty; Pink Pearl, a soft pleasing 
pink; Venus, a deep pink, with almost a 
tone of purple in it; and Cream Pearl a 
pretty creamy variety of pleasing appear- 
ance There is much of the character of 
Davidi m many of these varieties, but all 
are wnrtliy of the garden-lover’s attention. 
A few of the more notable of Messrs. 
Lemoine’s introduction are, briefly, as fol¬ 
lows: Oarminea is a tall pleasing Wrinine 
variety, with just a touch of violet in its 
. . ASITLBE RUBELLA. 
A auti ul ivbrid with bold spikes of pink flowers, as growing in the nurseries of Messrs. Wallace and Co., Colchester. 
ranging from eight to ten feet. The 
foliage is bold and effective, while the bios 
sonis of the former are white, and rosea 
carries a pleasing pink colour. S. venusta 
or lobatn, is a very pretty rosy-hued spe¬ 
cies, tall and stately in growth, and of 
exceeding merit; it is essentially a species 
for all gardens. Several good varietal 
forms are in existence, and of these I may 
note Magnifica, with larger blossoms and 
richer colouring than the type; Blushing 
Bride, a. pretty white, tinged with pink, 
and having showy red anthers; and Alba’ 
pure white, the snowy heads being relieved 
by the rosy-hued anthers. 
The Gkiat’s-beard Spirfea, S. arnncus is 
a bold, imposing plant, rather more fond 
of shade than the majority of spiraeas. The 
variety 8. Kneiffi is dwarfer, but in 
many ways is more beautiful. ’ The ele¬ 
gant leafage is daintiness supreme, and 
with its mass of feathery, branching flower 
so valuable as the more brilliant type. S. 
filipendula, and the double-flowered S. fili- 
pcndula plena, give snow^y drifts of white 
blossom above the pretty ferny foliage, but 
these can only be used where the superior 
height and vigour are not desired, but for 
a miniature water-side they are delightful. 
Astilbes are even more popular than the 
spiraeas, and are being largely planted for 
effect, a point vrorth noting by all intend- 
ing planters. Big bold masses and really 
telling breadths of each variety are neces- 
saiy if one is to gain the .fullest effect . When 
established, and in full blossom, the beauty 
of the masses of dainty spires, in white, 
rose, w'ith the rich greenery of 
the foliage as a setting, is almost inde¬ 
scribable. 
IS pracxicauy no 
1 he arrival, a few seasons ago, of 
Uav^i and A. grandis marked a new 
tor the genus. The deep rosy-red pin 
composition; Rubella, a bright rich rosy- 
pink, is a splendid plant, and produces » 
heavy crop of blossom; Rutilans, 
“shining astilbe,” is capable of exquisite 
effects,its rosy-carmine colouring being verv 
appealing to the eye; Olympic gives tal 
spikes of soft rosy-pink, a pretty g^fjU 
Mousseline is a dainty, compact, rosy-li^ 
form ; Gerbe de Neige is a grand pure whU^ 
of fine appearance, and has splendid spiK 
of blossom. . 
Of other astilbes, such as the 
of A. rivularis. of which gigant^, a sP 
did erect creamy-white, and 
showy pure white, are about the best, a 
the extremely useful A. chinensis ® ^ 
ling decorative subject, together , 
varied forms of A. japonica, A. J 
etc. (a group wiiich are often roforred 
spiraeas), are all of first-rate 
for the moist margins of the water gar 
P. S. Haywabp. 
