THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
STAR PHLOX. | 
Description sf Fiewerse 
MIMULUS. 
May be Sown during this Month. 
Cyclamen. 
Gyclamens (order Primulaces) are not 
so universally grown as they might be, 
presumably because they are regarded as 
the care of the specialist gardener i in shade 
or glass houses. ‘This: is a good reason, 
too, inasmuch as the amateur gardener 
can hardly give the time and patience to 
them that they require, although | the 
nurserymen assert that they are easily 
grown. Onithe other‘hand: it’ must: ‘be 
borne in mind that once-the Cyclamen i8 
established very little further trouble is 
needed, It fact it is sad that the: tubers 
will last for twenty, years. Being com- 
paratively rare in ordinary gardens their 
presence when in full bloom is always 
hailed with delight by lovers of flowers. 
The peculiar structures of the blooms is 
at ounce attractive in their'rich setting of 
good foliage, while their perfume is delicate 
and sweet. 
They will grow in Berets sheltered 
and well drained beds, but do not give 
the fine results that can be obtained from - 
them aspot plants. They ‘can be: praised 
from seeds, but require a certain amoun ” 
of detail care. known only to those who 
study the cultivation. The, better . plan 
for amateur gardener>'is fo'get the seedling 
plants from the nurseries, where slso 
instructions can be obtained about the 
particular kind of light turfy loam, peat 
‘Hill Pioneer is a 
The white flowers of this strain 
carry a distinct feathered ‘crest of the 
“same color, upon the face of éach ‘petal, 
: Thistis regarded as. the forerunner: of an 
the feathers a and the petals. 
leafy mould, or decayed manure froin th® 
cow yard, in which to plant them. TI,. 
potted in autumn’ the spring blooms 
will make a lovely show after the corms 
have been growing about two years. If 
this is too long to wait and watch, the 
next best, and may be the first best, plan 
is to buy the tubers, although they run 
into extra expense. The first expense is 
practically the only one. 
The name of Sowbread given to them 
seems peculiar to sucha wraceful and 
modest specimen of one of Nature’s 
beauties, but it originated from the round 
bread like shape of the tuber, greedily 
eaten by the boars of Sicily, the native 
habitat of the flower. _ 
Several varieties of the Persicum 
straw, both single and double, are worth 
cultivating. A beautiful snow-white 
is the Giganteum album, and the Purple 
‘King and Crimson King are superb 
-The Salmon Queen is a lovely 
In specialities the Bush 
feathered 
blooms. 
salmon tint. 
rill, new 
variety. 
entirely new addition to! ‘culturists of the 
Cyclamen, the, feather adding - ‘largely to 
the scope of interchanging the scolors of 
TAt 
Mimulus. 
Mimulus, or Monkeyflower, from 
mimo,fan ape, referring to the gaping 
mouth. Best treated as annuals in a. 
moist spot in the garden. They make. 
beautiful pot plants. The prevailing 
colour is yellow, but the Nobilis crimson 
is.a brilliant flower, and also the scarlet 
Cardinalis. The berbaceous Alatus is 
described as a light blue, but rarely 
grown. The spotted duplex Tigrinus is a 
novel variety. They are easily grown in 
a damp soil, either from seeds, cuttings, or 
divisions. 
Phlox. 
Phlox, meaning a flame, ranks high as. 
a favourite, and a few flowers have better 
claim to admiration. The coloring of the 
blooms is intensely rich, varying down to. 
the most delicate tints, and the flowers 
stood out gaily i in profusion above the 
foliage. The growth is most favored as 
seedlings pricked out in winter. The 
species grown by almost everybody is — 
Drummondii. because of the various 
number of varieties, In fact one 
need hardly énquire for varieties outside 
of this species for beautiful bloomers, large 
asthe choice may be, As perennials a 
number of varieties give intense’ satis- 
faction to specialists who can produce 
beautiful blooms all through the year. 
Their cultivation from divisions and 
cuttings require perhaps more than usual 
attention, especially during the hottest 
part of the summer heat, when they should 
be growing ‘strong. Specialists differ upon 
the best system to be adopted, and we 
-shall be glad to publish the experiences 
of growers upon their particular methods 
of cultivations. 
Polyanthus. 
Polyanthus isa race of-Primulas derived 
from a class between the Primrose and 
the Cowslip. 
They require sheltered 
positions. Their pretty foliage and dwarf 
“habits make them. favored for edgingss 
‘and. also as pot Plants for the “heats 
chouse- ¢ 
