THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
I THE BEST COLLARETTE DAHLIAS. | 
'riioiv is abundant evidence that tlie 
dahlia is rising from the obscure position 
it has held in our gardens as a decorative 
plant, and during the coming summer thou¬ 
sands will be planted in beds, borders, 
boxes, tubs, etc., not with the single idea 
of grow'ing them for exhibition but with 
the sole object of producing a brilliant dis¬ 
play of flow^ers to ‘‘liven up’’ the herba¬ 
ceous borders in the autumn months. 
garden decoration, in the ordinary sense 
of the word, and they are equally suitable 
for colour schemes, and can be plante<l 
writhout presenting that bizarre effect so 
often associated with dahlias. Their merits 
are, chiefly, their dwarf, sturdy habit, their 
fioriferousness, and their early-flowering 
popensities, while their cultural require¬ 
ments are exceedingly simple. A w^ell-cul- 
tivated soil is essential, and plenty of water 
C0LL.4RETTE DAHLIA PRINCESS LOUISE 
Flowers, deep enmson, with yellow “collar raised by Messrs. Dobbie and Cc 
Edinburgh. 
Ibis, t(K), has bi'en brought alxiiit 
articles that have apjieared in 
Gardeners Magazine, by the Dahlia ( 
terence held last February, and the 
pearance of a quite new dahlia book • 
these items have served their purpose 
arousing public interest to such an ex 
that garden lovers begin to wonder 
it is they have neglected the- dahlij 
long as a garden decorative plant. 
Those behind the scenes, i.e., the 
ducers of the plants for trade’ purpc 
are fully cognisant of the coming demj 
and are preparing to meet it by rai 
increasing numbers of the sections i 
think will be most wanted, and of t' 
the Collarette section will not be the k 
for the varieties are admirably adapted 
during a dry spell; then, w ith proper stak¬ 
ing and tying, and the constant removal 
of the seed pods, w^e have their require¬ 
ments in a nutshell. Disbudding, or even 
thinning out, are unnecessary items, and 
are best left alone, for this section is not 
improved by the production of large, 
coarse flowers. Neither is elaborate feed¬ 
ing required, as it only tends to produce 
huge succulent plants, without any cor¬ 
responding increase in the number of blos¬ 
soms. 
Although the section has only been 
brought to the notice of the public since 
the year 1910, it has apparently made rapid 
strides in their estimation, and already 
there are something like eighty varieties 
in commerce—many too much like, and 
April 19, 
others tliat are neither a credit to the ~ 
tion or likely to increase the poi.ular-- 
of It as a prden plant. Most of the Li ■ 
forms protluced gave shades of red or^i.' 
son, but It IS pleasing to note that . 
own raisers are now turning their itt . 
tion to the production of lighter sha*' 
and softer colours, so that we can look frV 
ward for almost any hue during the m x- 
few’- years. ^ ' 
In recommending the following vark-r 
I have selected those that produce thr 
finest effect in the garden, regardless of th 
actual- form of the flower: Betty, rm. 
pink, with a paler collar ; Corheille de Feir 
bright terra-cotta, yellow^ collar, one of tb' 
best for the garden, but rarelv seen ar 
shows, as it is a had traveller; "Diaman^ 
velvety-^nolet, collar light rose; Diaden 
rosy-pmk, white collar; Exposition .b 
Lyon, rosy-red ; Maurice Rivoire, crimson, 
collar white, does not exceed thirty inch.- 
in height; General de Louis, orange-scarlet, 
gold collar; Henri Farman, yellow 
blotched red, collar cream ; Leitstern. dark 
crimson, collar white; Madame Poirier, 
bluish-violet, collar white, a distinct (‘olou' 
in dahlias; Aleteor, dark crimson, edged 
and tipped gold, collar cream, flowp^^ 
rather thin, but very free; Prince d> 
Venosa, rich crimson, shaded majenta, ml. 
lar white ; Ville de Sehildt, orange, colli- 
yellow; Madame R. Crozy, pink, colla- 
white; Souvenir de Bernadeaii, old rn-. 
collar cream. I have only included th*-* 
varieties that are self-coloured, thoiipli 
many fancies are beautiful. 
Coming to the newer varieties which I 
consider w^orthy of note, and trial, ther* 
are Dainty, a yery soft pink with a pak 
lemon collar; Simplicity, w-hite, tingol 
pink, collar white; Lotus, white, shaded 
slightly w-ith red, collar w’hite (thf'- 
three varieties are a valuable addition t*' 
the section, which has hitherto lieen con¬ 
fined -to the darker shades of colour); Prin¬ 
cess Louise, deep crimson, collar yellow 
(see illustration) ; Balmoral, bright 
collar w-hite, striped rose; and Holyrocd. 
rich ruby, tipped gold, collar yellow. The 
last six varieties I can only judge by tb 
flowers as exhibited, hut they are all di^ 
tinct, and should form good additions t« 
anv collection, however large. 
Chingford. J. B. Riding. 
RONDEL ETIA CORDATA. 
Tliere are many plants commonly groirn 
in pots that, were it possible to pi**** 
them out in a prepared bed in the green¬ 
house would be seen to much 
vantage. Such a plant is this rondele^> 
an evergreen native of South 
With several other interesting snr« 
of a tender nature, it is 
out in a bed in the Kew grecnliou^ 
and under these conditions it is <1®’"^^ 
markably well. It is now' a flue j 
6ft. in height, the shoots being t o 
with stout, firm leaves, the ^ 
which are about six inches long, ana a _ 
half as much in width. Tlie 
freely borne in clusters, somewhat ® 
tive of those of the lanrustimis. 
bud state they are deep pink, 
fnlly expanded of a blush tint, ^ ^ 
yellowish centre. In every w^ay 
very desirable greenhouse shnib. 
ing examples of the nearly 
letia amoena were noted at 
of the Royal Horticultural ^ i 
March 18. Other well-known ki ^ 
R. gratissima and R. specK^a, 
being at one time a •,-Lon p®^* 
growing into specimens for exin 1 ^ 
’<»i 
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