June  9,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
495 
Campanula  grandis. 
Fine  as  Campanula  grandis  undoubtedly  is,  it  loses  some  of 
its  attractions  for  the  many  because  of  the  paucity  of  its  flowers 
as  compared  with  the  space  a  plant  will  occupy.  In  this  respect 
it  compares  unfavourably  witli  such  Bellflowers  as  C.  persici- 
folia,  which  is  so  free  as  a  rule.  Campanula  grandis,  however, 
grows  so  freely  and  produces  so  many  barren  rosettes  of  leaves 
that  in  the  course  of  a  year  or  two  it  will  form  a  spreading 
mass  of  leaves  from  which  only  a  few  flowering  stalks  will  be 
sent  up.  This  induces  many  people  to  think  that  the  soil  of 
their  gardens  or  the  treatment  they  are  giving  the  plants  is 
not  what  they  require.  But  this  is  a  natural  feature  of 
C.  grandis,  and,  do  what  you  i^lease,  no  other  results  are  attain¬ 
able  from  it.  Yet  it  is  so  fine  when  in  flower  that  this  may  be 
forgiven  for  the  sake  of  the  fine  spikes  from  two  to  three  feet 
high,  or  even  more,  which  have  large,  somewhat  salver-shaped 
flowers  closely  set  on  the  spike. 
There  are  two  varieties,  one  with  bluish-lilac  or  pale  blue 
I  Chilian  Evening  Primpose  (CEnothera  taraxacifoiia). 
The  true  night-blooming  Evening  Primroses  have  about 
j  them  an  interest  and  a  fascination  not  possessed  by  their  sister 
flowers,  which  prefer  the  garish  light  of  the  day,  and  care  not 
for  the  grey  twilight  and  the  cooler  airs  of  the  evening.  It 
delights  one  to  see  that  fast-closed  bud  gradually  unfolding  as 
the  afternoon  draws  to  its  close,  and  eventually  exposing  the 
glorious  flower.s  some  of  the  CEnotheras  display.  There  may  be 
some  finer  species  than  the  Chilian  or  Dandelioii-leaved  Evening 
Primrose,  but  to  those  who  know  it  there  are  none  more  attrac¬ 
tive  ;  while  its  cultivation  presents  fewer  difficulties  than  tliat 
of  the  magnificent  Q5.  marginata,  perhaps  the  queen  of 
QHnotheras.  It  is  true  that  it  is  hardly  ever  long-lived,  except 
in  warm  soils  and  sheltered  gardens,  but  it  is  so  readily  raised 
from  seeds  that  it  gives  little  trouble  to  renew  if  lo.st  at  any  time. 
The  only  trouble  of  consequence  is  caused  by  the  reseniblance 
of  the  foliage  to  that  of  a  deeply-cut  Dandelion  leaf,  so  that 
a  keen  eye  must  be  kept  on  the  weeders  when  in  the  neighbour- 
Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons’  Group  of  Foliage  Plants  at  the  Temple  Show. 
flowers,  and  one  with  white  ones.  Although  these  flowers  in¬ 
dividually  do  not  last  long,  if  they  are  pinched  off  when  they 
are  past,  fresh  ones  will  be  produced  from  the  base  of  the  old 
pedicels.  In  this  it  is  like  a  few  of  the  other  tall  Bellflowers. 
Its  ijroiier  time  for  flowering  is  June  and  July,  but  the  pinch¬ 
ing  process  already  referred  to  will  prolong  the  period  consider¬ 
ably.  Campanula  grandis  is  not  at  all  particular  as  to  soil; 
and  I  have  seen  it  doing  well  in  light  and  poor  soil,  as  well  as 
in  that  of  a  heavy  nature.  The  exact  position  to  plant  it  in 
depends  large! v  upon  the  character  of  the  soil,  but  unless  it  is 
wet  a  little  sliade  should  be  given.  Indeed,  wherever  it  is 
jjossible  to  give  a  little  shade,  it  should  be  done,  as  in  strong 
sun,  particularly  after  rain  during  the  previous  night,  the 
blooms  last  a  very  short  time.  As  may  be  expected  with  a  plant 
which  produces  offshoots  so  freely,  C.  grandis  is  easily  pro¬ 
pagated  by  division,  but  seeds  are  obtainable  fi’om  some  seeds¬ 
men,  and  these  should  be  sov'n  under  glass  in  March  or  April, 
or  in  the  open  in  a  small  reserve  bed  in  May  or  June.  Cam¬ 
panula  grandis  is  perfectly  hardy.— S.  Aunott. 
hood  of  the  plants,  or  they  will  be  destroyed  as  pestilent  weeds. 
More  than  once  has  this  happened  here,  and  one  could  only 
regret  the  excess  of  zeal  on  tne  part  of  the  weeder,  or  one’s 
ow'n  forgetfulness  in  not  warning  that  useful  individual  of  the 
presence  of  a  mimic  of  the  Dandelion.  The  foliage  is,  as  already 
said,  very  like  that  of  the  Dandelion,  though  a  knowledge  of 
the  plants  will  soon  teach  one  to  spare  the  CEnothera.  It  is 
prettily  cut  and  a  study  in  itself.  The  flowers,  which  open 
pure  white,  are  large  and  beautiful ;  so  large  are  thev,  indeed, 
that  they  seem  even  almost  too  great  for  the  low^  plant  upon 
wdiich  they  grow.  Of  course,  this  size  is  one  of  the  means  by 
which  the  flower  attracts  the  night-flying  moths  and  other 
creatures  which  fertilise  its  flowers,  and  wdiich  miglit  miss 
seeing  a  small  bloom.  They  generally  open  about  four  o’clock 
wdth  me,  and  are  as  much  as  Sin  across.  After  being  open  for 
some  time  they  gradually  assume  a  deep  pink  colour,  and  wdien 
morning  comes  soon  pass  away  altogether.  Seeds  are  easily 
obtained  from  most  seedsmen,  and  tliese  germinate  readily  under 
ordinary  treatment.— Solway  Fihth. 
