June  8,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
465 
ANEMONE  SYLVESTRIS  FLORE-PLENO. 
The  many  dozens  of  species  and  varieties  of  Anemones  that  are 
grown  in  gardens  for  various  purposes  are  exceedingly  valuable,  and 
afford  a  rich  diversity  in  colour,  form,  and  time  of  flowering.  The  Temple 
Show  brought  forth  an  addition  to  the  list,  and  one  that  will  certainly 
meet  with  wide  aporobation.  This  is  A.  sylvestris  florc-pleno  ffig.  10:5), 
which  was  shown  by  Messrs.  G.  .lackman  &  Son,  Woking.  As  in  the 
well-known  type,  the  habit  of  the  plant  is  dwarf,  and  from  the  green 
leafage  rise  on  tall  footstalks  the  double  pure  white  flowers.  These  are 
about  the  size  of  small  Pompon  Dahlias,  and  are  composed  of  very 
numerous  narrow  petals,  which  have  a  green  tinge  towards  the  central 
crown  of  the  flower.  The  Floral  Committee  recommended  that 
A.  sylvestris  fl.;pl.  sho'uld  have  an  award  of  merit. 
CHOISYA  TERNATA. 
This  beautiful  shrub  may  be  described  as  an  enlarged  form  of  Rue  in 
habit,  densely  branched  and  compact,  though  much  freer  and  bolder  in 
growth.  It  is  an  evergreen,  loaves  opposite,  ternate,  stalked,  bright 
shining  green,  full  of  pellucid  dots.  Flowers  white,  sweet-scented, 
produced  in  axillary  peduncles  at  the  tops  of  the  branches,  simple  or 
branched,  with  bracts,  at  the  divisions  under  the  pedicels,  which  are 
channelled  beneath.  The  shrub  grows  to  a  height  of  about  6  feet, 
is  a  native  of  Mexico,  and  was  introduced  into  this  country  in  the 
year  1825. 
Though  relatively  an  old  plant,  Choisya  ternata  is  not  often  met  with 
in  gardens.  For  many  years  it  was  treated  as  a  greenhouse  plant,  grown 
in  a  pot,  and  not  often  seen  in  flower,  or  very  sparsely  blossomed. 
Planted  out  in  a  cool  conservatory  border  it  charmed  everybody  by  its 
delicious  fragrance,  the  fine  heads  of  white  Jasmine-like  flowers,  set  off 
by  bright  green  foliage,  being  singularly  lovely.  Not  many  of  such 
examples  were,  or  are  now,  seen  in  cool  greenhouses  or  conservatories, 
but  no  plant  is  more  appropriate,  especially  when  planted  out  in  a  bed  of 
loam,  or  loam  and  peat,  with  a  small  quantity  of  leaf  mould  and  sand 
added,  over  thorough  drainage.  It  requires  abundance  of  air,  and  all  the 
light  our  climate  affords,  then  it  does  splendidly  in  a  cool  or  even  unhea'ed 
house,  and  the  flowers  surpass,  because  they  can  be  had  by  everyone, 
those  of  the  Orange,  and  even  rival  the  Stephanotis  in  pureness  of  white 
and  delicious  fragrance. 
But  the  Choisya  has  been  requisitioned  as  a  window  plant  for  its 
beautiful  green  ternate  foliage.  It  may  sometimes  be  seen  struggling  for 
existence  in  “  bays”  with  a  north  aspect,  and  may  flower  once  ia  a  w  hile 
when  given  a  western  or  southern  exposure.  Few  are  aware  of  its  great 
intrinsic  value  for  outdoor  adornment,  and  coddle,  or  rather  starve,  it  in  a 
pot  wherein  and  in  present  quarters,  that  of  windows,  it  can  never,  or 
very  seldom,  do  more  than  display  half  its  beauties. 
For  walls  of  6  to  8  feet  in  height  Choisya  ternata  has  peculiar  fitness. 
It  is,  as  before  stated,  evergreen,  hence  effective  at  all  seasons,  but  when 
in  flower  quite  delightful,  having  that  rare  essential  of  pleasing  everybody. 
It  grows  in  any  well-drained  soil,  partially  sheltered  and  relatively  dry 
situation,  being  quite  hardy  in  the  southern  counties  of  England,  and 
even  m  the  Midlands  with  the  protection  of  a  wall  facing  the  south  or 
south-west.  In  such  position  it  flowers  in  the  early  summer  months — 
May  to  July. 
But  everybody  has  neither  a  cool  house  nor  a  suitable  wall,  though 
they  may  have  a  potted  plant  struggling  to  make  a  show  in  a  window, 
and  it  is  on  behalf  of  such  that  I  write.  Now  is  the  time  to  plant 
it  outside.  It  will  be  accommodated  in  a  border  adjoining  the  cottage, 
villa,  or  mansion,  on  the  southern  or  western  side.  Turn  it  out  of  the 
pot,  plant  firmly  and  not  too  deeply,  about  3  feet  from  the  wall.  Water 
occasionally,  but  only  to  prevent  flagging,  until  the  roots  of  the  ball  get  a 
firm  grip  on  the  soil,  and  then  wait  the  result.  Do  not  bo  alarmed  if  the 
foliage  get  a  little  nipped  by  sharp  frosts  ia  winter,  for  this  is  only  due  to 
the  plant’s  eagerness  to  show  you  what  it  can  do — that  is,  it  grdws  rather 
freer  than  is  good  for  it  at  first,  and  the  growth  does  not  become  ripe 
enough  to  endure  sharp  frosts.  The  spring  after  planting  out  there  may 
not  be  any  return,  only  a  charming  evergreen  shrub,  choice,  and  to  some 
extent  rare,  hut  time  will  bring  a  rich  reward.  On  May  27th  there  was  a 
bush  in  full  glory,  about  4  feet  in  height,  on  the  south-west  of  a  villa  in 
Manor  Road,  St.  Albans.  The  soil  is  gravelly  calcare  us  loam,  over 
chalk  with  flints,  but  the  substratum  red  with  oxide  of  iron — a  Cherry 
and  stone  fruit  land,  also  just  the  thing  for  Hops.  The  situation  is  some 
400  feet  above  sea  level  where  the  Choisya  thrives,  and  charins  the 
inhabitants  of  the  oldest  city  in  the  British  Empire. 
Choisya  ternata  may  be  easily  propagated  by  ripened  cutt'ngs,  which 
root  freely  in  sand,  under  a  hand-glass,  in  gentle  bottom  heat,  during 
spring  and  early  summer.  The  cuttings  should  be  inserted  singly  in 
small  pots,  and  kept  moist  and  duly  shaded  they  will  not  flinch,  but  root, 
and  the  growth  being  a  flowering  one,  form  the  choicest  of  little  plants 
for  decoration  when  hardened.  There  is  the  other  plan  of  growing  plants 
outdoors,  getting  them  up  to  a  flowering  stage,  then  lift  carefully,  place 
in  pots  or  tubs,  and  flower  similar  to  other  forced  shrubs.  Really  w  e 
want  more  variety,  especially  of  the  sweetest  and  loveliest  of  spring  and 
early  summer  flowering  plants,  and  this  is  my  excuse  for  writing  these 
notes. — G.  Abbey. 
SOME  FORGOTTEN  GARDENS. 
In  this  progressive  age  we  seem  to  trr-inple  with  an  indifference 
(considering  our  mental  status,  it  must  be  unconscious)  the  memories 
that  link  us  to  the  silent  past,  and  forget  in  our  march  the  loyal  work  our 
pioneers  have  done  in  the  fertile  fields  of  horticulture. Our  debt  of 
eraiitiuie  to  the  Spanish  Arabs  mu-t  not  be  under-estimated,  remembering 
that  the  western  world  had  yet  to  learn  how  to  enjoy  the  beauties  Nature 
had  lavished  with  seemingly  reckless  profusion,  even  betoie  she  could 
enter  the  lists  with  the  dusky  Moor,  but  time  has  proved  her  aptitude. 
To  the  Moors  we  are  deeply  in  debt  for  the  finest  fruits  that  grace  our 
orchards  and  win  encomiums  for  our  gardeners,  as  well  as  the  products 
Fig.  103. — Anemone  sylvestris  flore-pleno. 
that  have  helped  us  to  take  an  advanced  position  when  traversing  that 
avenue  that  leads  to  success — namely,  rice,  sugar,  and  cotton — whilst 
Spinach  and  Saffron  hail  from  Spain. 
Apart  from  the  natural  productivity  of  the  soil,  it  was  the  custom  in 
Granada  to  have  orchards,  vineyards,  and  flower  gardens  in  every 
accessible  spot.  Some  of  the  leading  gardens  were  so  arranged  that  a 
regular  succession  of  crops  could  be  insured  all  the  year  round,  and  such 
an  impetus  did  they  give,  that  to  the  present  day  the  Orange  and  Lemon 
stand  as  dumb  witnesses.  The  most  famous  garden  or,  rather,  the 
one  that  lingers  in  the  page  of  history — was  started  by  Abdurrahman  the 
First  at  Cordova.  Neither  money  nor  brains  was  spared.  These  gardens 
were  extensively  stocked  with  the  choicest  trees  that  could  be  collected, 
celebrated  for  the  rarity  of  the  fruits  as  well  as  lor  fragrance,  not  to 
mention  it  was  he  who  introduced  the  Peach  to  us.  The  iirperfect 
description  that  we  pofsess,  and  the  ruins  which  the  spoiler  not 
destroyed,  testify  that  ornamental  or  landscape  gardening  had  reached  an 
advanced  stage,  as  seen  in  the  winding  walks  amongst  flowering  shrubs, 
the  bowers  of  Roses,  and  crypt-like  grottoes  hewn  out  of  stone,  as  well  as 
cascades  hidden  by  the  shade  of  the  mournful  Cypress.  Their  garden^ers 
boasted  of  the  gradual  blending  of  colour  in  the  plots,  while  from  their 
bedding  plants  they  managed  to  have  a  distinctive  fragrance.  A.  O  .N  eill. 
