28G 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  24,  1903. 
w  liicli  have  proved  the  hardiest  and  most  ornamental  at  Kew  : 
Phyllostachys  Henonis,  P.  viridi-glaucescens,  P.  flexnosa,  P.  nigra, 
P.  boryana,  P.  sulphurea,  P.  Maiiiacea,  P.  ruscifolia,  P.  Ca.stil- 
lonis,  Arundinaria  nitida,  A.  japonica,  A.  auriooma,  A.  fastuosa, 
A.  Simoni,  A.  Fortunei,  A.  anceps,  A.  Hindsi  var.  graminea, 
Pambusa  palmata,  B.  tessellata,  and  B.  marmorea. 
Solanum  crispiim  is  a  trifle  tender  I  believe ;  but  vhere  it 
succeeds,  such  as  in  the  Bath  Botanic  Garden,  it  is  undoubtedly 
a  charming  subject.  The  clustered  flowers  are  pale  lavender- 
blue,  and  the  bush  has  a  close  furnished  habit  of  growth.  Against 
a  wall  it  does  well  in  less  favoured  districts.  Also  of  a  shrubby 
nature  is  the  Southernwood  or  American  Sage  (Santolina  viridis), 
a  huge  plant  of  whicli  all  but  covered  one  of  the  rockery  mounds 
bore.  The  flowers  are  mere  yellow  disks,  like  so  many  golden 
balls  held  forth  on  green  stakes.  The  plant,  of  course,  is  odorous, 
like  others  of  its  kind. 
Passing  by  one  of  the  numerous  hedges  which  serve  as  divisions 
to  the  brakes  and  shelter  screens  as  well,  a  glorious  show  was 
furnished  by  the  Flame-flower,  Tropseolum  s23eciosum.  The  roots 
are  set  on  the  north  side,  the  growth  running  through  the  hedge, 
climbing  up  and  flowering  on  the  south  side.  The  hedge  is 
Thuya  Lobbi. 
The  Ei-yngiums  are  a  host  in  themselves,  and  one  of  the  best 
of  them  is  the  true  amethystinum.  Oliveriauum  (amethystinum  of 
some)  lasts  better  than  alpinum,  which  has  lighter  bracts  than 
the  foregoing.  E.  planum  grows  18in  high,  and  has  white  and 
blue  stems.  The  rounded  blue  inflorescences  are  numerously 
borne.  Lastly,  we  may  note  E.  Bourgati,  growing  to  2ft,  and  has 
beautiful  light  blue  bracts,  making  it  certainly  one  of  the  finest. 
Platyoodon  grandiflorum  album  will  be  prized  by  all  who  know 
or  grow  the  blue  form.  It  is  rather  scarce,  therefore  all  the 
more  valuable.  Somewhat  in  the  same  line  is  the  double  white 
flowered  nettle-leaved  Campanula,  which,  I  feel  sure,  is  less  grown 
than  its  merits  warrant.  It  is  a  real  good  border  plant.  One 
of  the  best  of  the  Rudbeckias,  too,  is  maxima,  with  long  “  cones  ” 
and  yellow  ray  petals.  Altogether  it  is  very  handsome. 
To  mention  another  plant  of  much  refined  beauty,  and  hitherto 
overlooked,  one  need  but  name  Digitalis  ferruginea,  one  of  the 
Foxgloves.  The  tubes  are  of  a  peculiar,  quiet,  greyish  brown, 
the  lip  or  front  of  each  being  pure  white,  and  as  the  plant  grows 
2ft  high  this  would  make  a  pretty  addition  to  vases  or  glasses 
of  cut  flowers.  It  flowers  in  July  and  August. 
The  Snow  Queen  variety  of  Lupinus  arboreus  is  one  of  the  best 
shrubby  border  plants  we  have  had  during  recent  years,  and  some 
fine  samples  were  seen  here.  Dianthus  Walkeri  and  D.  coronaria 
alba  are  both  gems  of  their  types  ;  while  Potentilla  Hopwoodiana, 
a  lovely  variety  (hybrid?),  with  quantities  of  salmon-pink  flowers, 
was  much  adjiiired  and  chosen  from  amongst  others.  Potentilla 
verveana  is  also  a  telling  .sort,  having  brilliant  orange-scarlet 
flowers.  Phj'geJius  capensrs  is  good  in  its  way,  with  drooping 
crimsnn  flowers,  and  is  fairly  well  known. 
\Miile  referring  to  Eudbeckia  maxima  I  omitted  to  notice 
K.  hirta,  which  flowers  a  month  earlier  than  R.  speciosa ;  and 
R.  digitata  and  triloba,  each  of  which  are  very  good. 
One  might  go  on  for  a  long  time  naming  hardy  plant  gems 
froin  the  St.  John’s  Nurseries,  but  these  notes  are  already  be¬ 
coming  lengthy.  Brief  references  must  suffice  for  what  remains. 
There  are  the  crimson  berried  spikes  of  Actsea  spicata,  a  fine 
subject,  with  foliage  like  Spiraea  japonica.  Prunella  Webbiana 
has  handsome  rosy  flowers,  making  it  valuable  along  with  the 
purple-blue  type.  Ligularia  (Senecio)  thyrsoides,  with  its 
Cabbage-like  leaves  and  handsome  flowers,  is  another  capital  wild 
garden  plant.  Chrysanthemum  leucanthemum  lacustre  seems  to 
be  an  improved  form  of  latifolia.  It  is  taller,  and  has  hand.some, 
pure  white  flowers,  and  robust  growth.  Cimicifuga  racemosa 
is  a  favourite  everywhere,  and  is  a  distinctive  plant. 
In  Campanulas,  apart  from  those  more  generally  seen,  atten¬ 
tion  was  claimed  for  C.  Bononiensis  and  C.  alliarisefolia,  the 
latter  with  leaves  like  a  Burdock,  and  has  drooping  white  flowers 
l^in  long,  borne  in  long  racemes  at  the  ends  of  the  shoots.  The 
first  named  has  bluish-violet  flowers  in  long  racemes. 
Anthericum  graminifolium  is  graceful,  and  (Enothera  .speciosa 
is  showy.  Statice  Bonduelli  is  a  yellow  biennial  “  Sea  Lavender,” 
sometimes  grown  in  pots  for  .spring  u.se  in  conservatories.  Then 
we  have  Chelone  latifolia  or  Pentstemon  pubescens;  and  the  true 
Helianthus  mollis,  together  with  Achillea  “  Snowball,”  and  the 
blue  Delphinium  formosum  Belladonna,  are  each  verj^  choice  hardy 
border  plants. 
In  a  concluding  sentence  one  must  name  Tunica  Saxifraga, 
pink  flowers  like  tho.se  of  a  Claytonia  or  small  Dianthus,  and 
foliage  resembling  Nierembergia ;  also  Salvia  virgata  and 
S.  argentea.  All  departments  of  nursery  stock,  from  trees  and 
shrubs  and  fruits,  to  tender  exotics  under  glass,  are  grown  ex¬ 
tensively  by  Richard  Smith  and  Co. — Wandewixg  Willie. 
Jottings  for  Decorators. 
The  floral  embellishments  in  many  large  private  houses  are 
now  often  carried  out  on  a  most  extensive  scale,  too  much  so  for 
the  peace  of  mind  of  many  a  struggling  gardener,  who  is  trying 
to  accomplish  great  things  with  the  moderate  facilities  at 
command.  Under  the  nio.st  favourable'  circumstances  it  is  not  an 
easy  matter  to  hit  upon  new  ideas,  or  to  find  materials  of  the 
right  description  to  carry  them  out  successfully.  One  great 
essential,  if  not  the  greatest  essential,  in  connection  with  decora¬ 
tive  work,  that  it  must  po.ssess  elements  of  boldness  if  it 
is  to  achieve  more  than  passing  notice.  The  huge 
trumpet -shaped  vases  often  used  in  entrance  halls 
and  large  rooms,  are  capable  of  contributing  the 
nGce.ssary  boldness,  provided  they  are  well  ar¬ 
ranged  with  suitable  materials  ;  but  they  are  too 
often  dressed  with  a  total  disregard  to  proportion, 
and  few  things  look  more  incongruous  than  to  see 
a  big  vase  supporting  an  arrangement  of  flowers 
and  foliage,  so  insignificant  in  size  and  devoid  of 
striking  effect,  as  to  make  the  vase  appear  far 
more  prominent  than  the  decorations. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  all  of  us  sometimes  err 
in  this  direction,  not  through  being  unaware  of 
the  weakness,  but  because  suitable  materials  are 
not  always  at  command.  The  lake,  pond,  or  river 
bank  will,  at  this  season  of  the  year,  and  onward 
through  the  autumn  months,  helii  many  out 
of  such  difficulties,  as  Reeds  and  Rushes  of  every 
description — especially  the  Reed  Mace,  wrongly 
called  the  Bullrush — are  splendidly  adapted 
for  such  work.  I  have,  however,  quite  recently 
become  convinced  that,  with  very  little  trouble, 
gardeners  generally  might  increase  their  stock  of 
materials  suitable  for  supplying  boldness  to  their 
decorative  work.  Not  nearly  enough  use  is  made 
of  the.  various  varieties  of  Maize,  and  by  growing 
good  batches  in  pots  and  in  the  open  ground  splen¬ 
did  materials  would  be  secured  during  the  summer 
and  autumn  months.  Zea  japonica  and  its  varie¬ 
gated  form  are  often  used  for  bedding  purposes ; 
both  might,  with  advantage,  be  largely  grown  in 
pots;  but  what  I  find  to  be  still  be^tter  is  the 
strong  growing  flat-seeded  Maize. 
About  the  end  of  last  April  I  obtained  a  few 
seeds  from  a  corndealer,  and  planted  them  in  a  narrow  border 
against  the  back  wall  of  a  greenhouse.  By  the  aid  of  plenty  of 
water  and  liberal  feeding  the  resulting  plants  grew  grandly 
throughout  the  summer,  and  now  they  range  from  8ft  to  10ft  in 
height,  all  crowned  with  feathery  plumes,  and  form  some  of  the 
finest  material  I  have  ever  seen,  for  giving  boldness  to  decorative 
work.  Some  of  them  will  soon  play  a  prominent  part  in  harve.st 
festival  decorations.  If  cut  close  to  the  ground,  and  the  cut 
stems  are  plunged  at  once  into  water,  they  will  be  splendidly 
adapted  for  arranging  in  large  vases,  or  in  groups  of  plants.  Just 
at  the  present  time,  when  large  Russian  Sunflowers  are  plentiful, 
these  might  be  cut  with  stalks  from  3ft  to  6ft  in  length,  and 
arranged  in  a  trumpet  vase  with  a  single  plant  of  Indian  Corn 
I 
^  „  Toogood  and  Sons. 
Commercial  Culture  of  Hyacinth;.  (See  page  282.) 
