March  20,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
253 
Hardy  Flowers. 
While  we  delight  in  the  search  for  novelties  among  the  hardy 
flowers,  it  does  not  do  to  neglect  those  which  have  inhabited 
British  gardens  for  many  long  years,  and  have  given 
pleasure  to  many  generations  of  kindred  tastes  to  ours.  One 
likes  to  think  of  the  gentle  women  and  the  thoughtful  men  who 
have  looked  upon  these  old  flowers  with  like  pleasure  to  ours, 
and  an  old  flower  has  thus  attractions  greater  often  than  its  mere 
intrinsic  value  would  bestow.  Among  the  old  flowers  which  have 
found  a  home  in  our  British  gardens  is  Clematis  integrifolia,  a 
very  distinct  hardy  plant  of  non-climbing  habit,  and  one  which 
climb.  The  leaves  are  a  pretty  green,  and  the  flowers  are  rather 
bell-like  in  form,  with  a  “  boss  ”  of  white  seed  plumes  in  the 
centre  of  the  deep  blue  flowers.  There  is  a  scarce  white  form. 
The  root-stock  is  very  hard,  and  not  easily  divisible,  except  by 
lifting  the  plant  and  cutting  through  with  a  spade.  This  rough 
treatment  appears  to  injure  the  plant  little,  except  that  it  is  not 
over-fond  of  removal,  and  may  be  dwarf er  for  a  year  or  two  after¬ 
wards.  Any  soil  will  grow  it,  and  it  thrives  well  in  sun  or  partial 
shade.  We  have  really  no  plant  like  it  in  summer  when  it  blooms. 
This  note  may  not  be  inappropriate,  as  it  seems  as  if  this 
flower  had  a  future  before  it  as  one  of  the  parents  of  a  class  of 
non-climbing  Clematises  which  should  be  most  valuable  in  the 
borders.  This  season  seeds  of  C.  integrifolia  hybrids  are  being 
offered,  which  are  said  to  give  plants  of  practically  all  the  colours 
generally  excites  the  interest  and  admiration  of  those  who  have 
not  seen  it  before.  Nay,  it  frequently  does  more,  for  a  wish  to 
possess  it  usually  follows — a  wish  we  who  grow  it  cannot  always 
satisfy,  inasmuch  as  it  is  not  a  plant  which  is  readily  divided 
at  any  time.  It  was  known-  in  our  gardens  as  long  ago  as  1596, 
and  survived  in  many  old  gardens  by  dint  of  its  hardiness,  the 
wave  of  neglect  which  swept  away  so  many  good  old  flow-ers. 
Maund  figured  it  in  his  “  Botanic  Garden,”  but  in  saying  that 
it  grew  2ft  high  he  was  below  the  mark,  as  it  grows  considerably 
taller,  and  even  in  a  light  border  here  grows  to  4ft  or  so,  and 
I  have  seen  it  from  4ft  to  nearly  6ft  high  in  stronger  soils.  It  is 
strictly  of  herbaceous  habit,  so  far  as  my  experience  of  it  goes, 
which  is  not  a  limited  one,  and  requires  support  against  wind, 
although  naturally  an  erect  grower  without  any  tendency  to 
in  the  genus.  The  prospect  is  an  attractive  one;  but  it  is 
increased  by  hearing  that  Messrs.  Jackman  and  Son  have  also 
engaged  in  hybridising  this  species  with  the  Jackmanni  section, 
and  that  they  are  hopeful  of  success.  C.  integrifolia  is  so  easily 
grown  that  a  race  like  it,  but  with  larger  flowers,  would  be  ot 
great  value  in  any  garden. 
Kitaibelia  Lindemuthl. 
'  Plants  with  variegated  leaves  require  to  be  used  with  co’i" 
siderable  discretion  and  caution  in  the  border,  but  that  they  have 
a  part  to  bear  in  the  decoration  of  the  garden  only  a  few  will 
deny.  Although  I  know  not  this  plant  yet  from  practical 
experience,  it  seems  to  be  a  novelty  of  considerable  interest,  and 
one  of  which  readers  of  the  Journal  may  like  to  know.  Its 
