960 
THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 
December 20, 1913. 
THE JAPANESE WINDFLOWER. | 
To Japan, that land of blossom, we are 
under a heavy obligation. Its flowering 
trees and shrubs are the glory of the gar¬ 
den ill spring ; a number of alpines of great 
beauty come from thence, and Japan gives 
us in Anemone japonica a plant of incom¬ 
parable loveliness wherewith to grace our 
gardens in autumn. This remark applies 
most literally to the white form, for al¬ 
though the type was known to gardens as 
manner. As illustrating its capacity for 
increase, I came upon an old garden in 
Surrey this year where at least twenty 
yards of a border had become overrun from 
what was originally but two clumps. Any 
bit of root having a crown will grow, but 
it r^uires some years to establish itself and 
disclose its fullest beauty. 
The Japanese anemone is a subject to 
conjure with in any scheme of garden de¬ 
sense was conspicuously absent and 
manure never deamt of; yet under’ these 
apparently adverse conditions it developed 
luxuriant masses of leafage two feet in 
height, and the flower stems were never 
less than four feet high. 
Beside the type, with its flowers of rose- 
carmine, there are others in which this 
colour varies. Mont Hose has received the 
imprimatur of the Royal Horticultural So- 
ciety, and it is practically a double flower 
or largest size, coloured silvery-rose with 
lilac iwerse; Koenigin Charlotte has semi 
double flowers over three inches across tlie 
segments coloured flesh-pink, and deepen 
mg to a pale shade of rose; frinoe Hein¬ 
rich is another semi-double form,not so tall 
as the type, but with larger flowers of a 
deep, rich carmine-red. 
A BEAUTIFUL BED OF THE JAPANESE WINDFLOWER (ANEMONE JAPONICA). 
far back as 1844, it was some years later 
before the white variety originated as a 
sport, while at present probably quite a 
dozen or more forms have been given dis¬ 
tinctive names. 
The Japanese Windflower is a familiar 
subject. The leaves spring in whorls from 
the woody rootstock, and are ternate or 
triangular in outline, the lobes being un¬ 
equal and the segments toothed. Above 
these, often to the height of three feet or 
four feet, rise the stilf, wdry stems that 
invariably carry a whorl of small leaves, 
which form a common centre, from whence 
spring the footstalks that carry the flowers. 
These latter are of good size, frequently 
three inches across, with the floral 
segments spread out. Their substance is 
wax-like and lustrous, and the cluster 
of anthers in the centre is like a boss of 
gold. 
The rootstock of Anemone japonica 
spreads underground in a most insidious 
coration where a late display is wanted. I 
like to have it well in front in border 
planting, for it imparts that boldness and 
dignity that we commonly associate with 
the lupin and delphinium. For a like 
reason its presence is invaluable among 
shrubs, as the anemone flowers are well dis¬ 
played against the flowerless branches. It 
is, however, when opportunity occurs for 
planting on a lavish scale, as in wild 
gardeniiiig, that Anemone japonica 
merits to the fullest its popular name 
of Windflower. Then it presents a spec¬ 
tacle of such beauty that one would travel 
far to see. 
Under any of these conditions the ground 
should be deeply worked before planting, 
incorporating a moderate dressing of old 
farmyard manure, and some light material 
where the natural soil is inclined to heavi¬ 
ness. The ideal soil for Anemone japonica 
is a chalky one. I have known it flourish 
in this material, w^here soil, in the ordinary 
The white forms are most chastely beau¬ 
tiful, as even in the bud stage these look 
like inverted pearl-drops. Alba, also known 
as Honorine Joubert, was the earliest white 
form, and is still worthy of a place in the 
garden, as it flowers freely, and continues 
right up to the time it is cut down by 
frost; Lady Ardilaun is one of the best, 
with large flowers, having thick segments 
of purest white arranged so as to form a 
faultless flower; Lord Ardilaun is also 
white, semi-double, compact in growth, and 
with darker foliage; Whirlwind is 
in habit, flowers semi-double, surrounded 
by green bracts; Geante des Blanches is a 
single white of the largest size, and re¬ 
garded as one of the best of recent addi¬ 
tions ; Coup d’Argent has several rows or 
wavy segments, coloured creaniy-white- 
Other kinds show slight variations, bin 
those named embrace the best of the old 
and newer varieties. Thomas Smith* 
Coombe Court Gardens. 
