334 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  22,  1897. 
OUR  HARDY  PLANT  BORDER. 
(Continued  from  page  309.) 
||i“ Snapdragons are  trnly  old-fashioned  plants  that  are  both 
ornamental  and  useful  as  many  have  proved,  and  certainly  they 
have  been  quite  as  much  admired  as  any  of  the  other  occupants  of 
our  borders.  My  earliest  memories  in  gardening  matters  are 
associated  with  these  plants,  for  I  assisted  in  the  propagation  of 
three  choice  varieties,  by  making  and  inserting  some  thousands  of 
cuttings,  and  well  do  I  remember  the  pride  with  which  the  flowering 
of  the  plants  thus  obtained  was  observed.  The  varieties  were  pure 
white,  deep  clear  yellow,  and  an  intensely  rich  maroon,  and  either 
in  beds  or  lines  they  had  a  most  beautiful  effect.  It  has  seemed 
that  I  have  never  since  found  varieties  equal  to  the  yellow  and 
dark  forms  ;  but  these  early  formed  ideas  are  often  more  vivid 
than  subsequent  impressions.  A  few  years  ago,  however,  I  saw  in 
one  of  the  princely  gardens  of  the  Rothschild  family  a  most 
harmonious  arrangement  of  flowering  plants,  in  which  shades  of 
yellow  were  the  predominant  feature,  and  amongst  these  a  rich 
yellow  Antirrhinum  was  employed  in  large  quantities,  and  with 
excellent  effect.  This  was  the  nearest  approach  to  the  favourite 
variety  of  my  younger  days,  and  I  have  since  succeeded  in 
procuring  some  of  the  same  strain. 
Antirrhinums  have  shared  with  other  popular  plants  the 
attention  of  seedsmen,  who  have  been  so  busily  engaged  during  the 
present  century  in  improving  the  different  flowering  plants  which 
come  within  their  scope.  Some  time  since  business  took  me  to 
several  seed  farms  in  various  districts  of  England,  and  I  was  sur¬ 
prised  to  find  what  numbers  of  distinct  strains  have  been  formed, 
especially  amongst  the  dwarf  types  of  “  Snapdragons."  These  come 
as  true  from  seed  as  could  be  wished,  the  divergencies  being  not 
more  numerous  in  many  cases  than  the  losses  in  raising  varieties 
from  cuttings,  and  it  is  obvious  which  is  the  quicker  and  more 
economical  method  of  obtaining  a  large  stock.  They  can  be  had 
in  separate  colours  or  mixed,  while  the  striped  or  parti-coloured 
varieties  are  also  very  attractive,  though  I  have  a  preference  for 
the  single  tint  flowers. 
The  purpose  for  which  they  were  intended  in  our  border  was 
to  constitute  masses  at  intervals  in  contrast  with  the  other 
occupants,  and  for  this  reason  it  was  decided  to  start  with  seed  of 
the  best  mixed  strain  obtainable.  In  this  we  were  fortunate,  for 
the  seedlings  raised  proved  most  satisfactory,  and  formed  some 
beautiful  beds,  including  an  astonishing  variety  of  bright  or  delicate 
colours— maroon,  crimson,  purple,  pink,  mauve,  yellow,  cream,  and 
pure  white  were  all  represented  in  fair  proportions,  the  spikes 
closely  furnished  with  large  flowers,  and  the  general  habit  of  the 
plants  bushy.  The  flowers  are  produced  during  a  good  portion  of 
the  summer  months,  and  last  a  considerable  time,  except  in  very 
dry  weather,  when  the  buds  soon  become  disfigured  by  the  seed¬ 
bearing  stems.  From  the  most  distinct  of  the  varieties  we  have 
selected  a  few  for  increase  by  cuttings,  and  thus  we  have  all  that 
are  required,  either  for  special  positions  or  mixed  beds. 
The  cultural  requirements  of  these  plants  are  simple  enough  to 
bring  them  within  the  reach  of  all  who  have  a  garden  ;  in  fact, 
Antirrhinum  majus  as  a  wild  British  plant  is  found  growing  in 
similar  situations  to  the  common  Wallflower,  often  on  old  walls  or 
in  situations  where  the  soil  is  greatly  inferior  in  fertility  to  that  of 
the  most  ordinary  garden.  This  is  an  indication  that  a  rich  soil  is 
not  essential,  although  of  course  there  is  a  marked  difference 
between  the  vigour  and  floral  size  of  the  wild  plant  and  its  culti¬ 
vated  descendant. 
Though  Antirrhinums  will  grow  in  almost  all  soils,  one  well- 
drained,  not  too  dry,  that  has  been  thoroughly  dug,  and  dressed 
with  old  decayed  farmyard  or  stable  manure,  suits  the  plants 
admirably.  The  seed  can  be  sown  in  early  autumn  or  in  April 
and  May,  but  the  sowings  made  in  April,  provided  the  soil  is 
in  the  right  condition,  have  given  us  the  best  results,  particularly 
where  the  seed  has  been  sown  broadcast,  and  after  a  suitable 
thinning  to  allow  the  seedlings  room  to  develop,  they  have 
been  left  undisturbed  until  they  flowered.  If  the  seed  is  sown 
later  in  the  season  it  must  be  done  sufficiently  early  to  have 
the  seedlings  transplanted  and  well  established  before  winter. 
They  in  either  case  can  be  placed  out  6  inches  apart,  and  they  will 
make  a  full  bed  the  first  season,  and  they  should  be  transplanted 
the  next  season  to  9  inches  or  a  foot  apart,  trimming  the  shoots  in 
at  the  time,  as  they  will  grow  freely  and  become  bushy  little 
specimens.  Superphosphate,  at  the  rate  of  1  oz.  to  the  square  yard, 
has  produced  the  most  marked  effects  with  these  plants  ;  the 
nitrogenous  manures  encourage  too  much  stem  and  leaf  growth, 
but  the  superphosphate  unquestionably  improves  the  size,  colour, 
and  numbers  of  the  flowers. 
As  a  margin  to  paths  and  roads,  or  for  planting  on  banks  or 
rockery  borders,  there  are  few  hardy  plants  to  equal  the  Aubrietia 
for  spring  flowering.  Sufficient  to  stock  a  large  garden  can  be 
procured  for  a  very  moderate  expenditure  in  seed,  and  when  the 
plants  have  made  a  year’s  growth  they  will  be  compact  tufts 
covered  with  purple  flowers,  and  seen  in  large  masses  or  lines  they 
have  a  most  pleasing  effect.  Several  forms  of  Aubrietia  of  deep 
or  brighter  hues  than  the  common  type  are  sold  under  special 
names,  but  from  the  seedlings  we  have  raised  six  very  distinct 
forms  have  been  selected,  ranging  from  dark  purplish  blue  to 
nearly  white,  and  these  are  being  increased  by  division.  Amongst 
many  thousand  seedlings  raised,  however,  there  are  very  few  that 
would  be  discarded  for  imperfection  in  colouring,  and  though  the 
size  of  the  flowers  varies  also,  yet  the  majority  are  quite  satis¬ 
factory. 
Certainly  in  growth  and  floriferousness  they  leave  nothing 
to  be  desired,  and  the  beauty  of  plants  a  foot  in  diameter 
bearing  countless  flowers  can  be  imagined,  especially  when  they 
are  contrasted  with  some  other  early  flowering  plant.  Through 
March  and  April  they  continue  attractive,  while  in  some  seasons 
the  flowering  is  prolonged  into  May.  We  prefer  sowing  the  seed 
about  the  middle  of  April,  transplanting  the  seedlings  as  soon  as 
they  are  large  enough  to  handle  conveniently,  and  scarcely  any 
after  attention  is  required.  Ordinary  soil  suits  them,  and  we  have 
not  found  any  appreciable  advantage  from  the  use  of  artificial 
manures  except  superphosphate,  a  very  small  quantity  (about  half 
that  named  for  Antirrhinums)  improving  the  colour  of  the  flowers 
slightly. — A  Countryman. 
(To  be  continued.) 
AUBRIETIAS. 
Lovers  of  spring  gardening — what  a  numerous  family  they  are 
— should  now  find  each  day  full  of  surprises  and  genuine  pleasure, 
for  notwithstanding  the  bitter  winds  and  driving  rains  lately 
experienced  every  day  seems  to  add  to  the  “  feast  of  beauty  ”  to  be 
seen  in  the  gardens  of  this  fair  isle.  Hyacinths,  Tulips,  Wall¬ 
flowers,  Violas,  Myosotis,  Arabis,  Limnanthes  and  Daisies  brave 
the  elements  surprisingly  well,  and  make  a  show  of  bright  fresh 
beauty  which  is  seen  to  advantage  when  the  fitful  sunshine  bursts 
out  in  sudden  splendour.  The  popular  flowers  already  named  are 
invariably  grown  in  quantity. 
Where  spring  gardening  is  a  feature  Aubrietias,  as  they  well  . 
deserve,  often  find  a  place,  but  I  think  they  ought  to  receive  a 
much  larger  share  of  attention,  seeing  how  extremely  pretty  they  are. 
For  permanent  edgings  to  large  beds  they  are  unsurpassed,  as  they 
last  a  long  time  in  flower,  and  throughout  the  summer  they  look 
fresh  as  the  foliage  is  of  an  attractive  glaucous  colour.  When 
once  established  they  give  little  trouble  for  years,  and  in  a 
geometrical  flower  garden  are  much  to  be  preferred  to  edgings  of 
Arabis  alpina.  A.  L3ichtlini  is  perhaps  the  very  best  variety, 
because  it  supplies  a  colour  (rosy  carmine)  not  very  plentiful 
among  spring  flowering  plants.  Masses  of  it,  when  in  flower,  are 
extremely  showy,  and  being  very  dwarf  in  habit  of  growth  it  is 
just  the  thing  wanted  for  some  beds  when  so  many  others  around 
are  occupied  by  taller  growing  plants.  Those  who  are  fortunate 
enough  to  possess  a  few  good  masses  ought  to  have  no  difficulty  in 
raising  a  large  stock  of  plants  to  provide  a  display  next  year. 
To  accomplish  this  every  available  cutting  should  be  secured  as 
soon  as  the  plants  have  done  flowering. 
A  good  method  of  propagation  is  to  insert  the  cuttings  in  light 
soil  in  a  frame,  which  should  be  kept  close  and  well  shaded  till  the 
cuttings  have  rooted.  Air  may  then  be  freely  admitted  till  the 
young  plants  are  large  enough  for  transplanting  in  the  reserve 
garden.  In  preparing  the  soil  for  their  reception  it  must  be  made 
light  and  rich  in  order  to  secure  strong  plants  by  the  autumn. 
Unless  this  good  culture  is  given  two  seasons  will  be  required  to 
obtain  fine  plants,  and  there  is  nothing  but  the  want  of  attention 
to  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  the  object  in  view  in  one  season. 
Aubrietias  may  also  be  raised  in  large  quantities  by  seeds  sown  at 
the  present  time. 
Although  seedlings  do  net  come  quite  true  to  colour,  they 
scarcely  vary  enough  to  make  this  a  serious  objection  against  them, 
and  after  the  first  season  of  flowering  it  is  possible  by  a  little 
selection  to  get  an  improved  strain,  even  briehter  in  colour  than 
the  present  form  of  Leichtlini.  I  find  it  a  good  plan  to  sow  the 
seeds  in  boxes,  which  are  kept  in  a  frame  till  the  plants  are  large 
enough  for  prickipg  out.  When  this  is  done  they  are  set  3  inches 
apart,  and  later  on  alternate  plants  are  removed  to  give  those 
remaining  room  to  develop.  In  this  way  fine  plants  can  be  obtained 
by  November  next. 
A.  deltoidea  and  A.  purpurea  are  good  old  varieties,  but  they 
are  quite  eclipsed  by  such  newer  ones  as  Hendersoni  and  grseca 
superba,  each  of  which  has  large,  well-shaped  flowers,  purple  or 
violet-purple  in  colour.  Aubrietias,  when  grown  in  borders  or  on 
rockwork,  will  continue  to  thrive  and  extend  for  years  without 
