Hardy Perennials and Old Fashioned Flowers Part 37

This subject may be planted in any part of the garden where a constant blooming and cheerful yellow flower is required; it is pretty but not showy; its best quality, perhaps, is its neatness. It enjoys a vegetable soil well drained, and propagates itself by its creeping roots, which push up shoots or suckers at short s.p.a.ces from the parent stock.

Flowering period, summer to early frosts.

Pratia Repens.

_Syn._ LOBELIA PRATIANA; CREEPING PRATIA; _sometimes called_ LOBELIA REPENS; _Nat. Ord._ LOBELIACEae.

In October this small creeper is a very pretty object on rockwork, when the earlier bloom has become changed into oval fruit-pods. These berry-like capsules are large for so small a plant, and of a bright and pleasing colour. These, together with the few flowers that linger, backed up, as they are, with a dense bed of foliage, interlaced with its numerous filiform stems, present this subject in its most interesting and, perhaps, its prettiest form.

The flowers may be called white, but they have a violet tint, and are over half-an-inch in length. The calyx is adnate in relation to the ovarium, limb very short, but free and five-toothed; the corolla is funnel-shaped, but split at the back, causing it to appear one-sided.

The solitary flowers are produced on rather long stems from the axils of the leaves. As they fade the calyces become fleshy and much enlarged, and resemble the fruit of the hawthorn when ripe. The leaves are distantly arranged on the creeping stems, in. long, oval, roundly toothed and undulated, fleshy, somewhat glaucous and petiolate. The habit of the plant is to root as it creeps, and the thread-like stems intersect each other in a pleasing way. They are to be seen distinctly, as the leaves are not only small, but distant, and seem to rest on a lattice-work of stems. This species comes from the Falkland Islands, and is of recent introduction.

It is herbaceous and perennial, and proves hardy in this climate if planted on a well-drained soil of a vegetable character. It not only enjoys such a position as the slope of rockwork, but, when so placed, it may be seen to advantage. It should be free from shade, or the fruit will not colour well. It will therefore be seen that this is a rock plant, so far as its decorative qualities are concerned. It may, however, be grown well on flat beds of peat soil, where its fruit will mature finely, but it cannot be so well seen. It is self-propagating.

Transplantings should be made in spring, or tufts may be placed in pots, during the autumn, and put in cold frames, as then they would not suffer displacement by frosts.

Flowering period, June to frosts.

Primula Acaulis.

_Syn._ P. VULGARIS, COMMON PRIMROSE; _Nat. Ord._ PRIMULACEae.

This common native flower needs no description, growing everywhere, yet we all seem to enjoy its company in our gardens, though it may, perhaps, be seen wild close by. It is a flower of more interest than ordinary, and to the florist of some importance. The great variety of double and single primroses have all sprung from this, the modest form found in our woods and damp hedgerows, and the number is being added to year by year.

The generic name is in allusion to a quality--that of early or first flowering. The specific name, _acaulis_, is in reference to its stemlessness, which is its main distinguishing feature from the Polyanthus and Oxlip (_P. veris_). I may add, that from the great variety of _P. acaulis_ and _P. veris_, and their mutual resemblance in many instances, the casual observer may often find in this feature a ready means by which to identify a specimen. Of course, there are other points by which the different species can be recognised, even when the scape is out of sight, but I am now speaking of their general likeness to each other in early spring.

Common Cowslips or Paigles (_P. veris_), great Cowslips or Oxlips (_P.

elatior_), field primrose or large-flowered primrose (_P. acaulis_), were all in olden times called by the general name of primrose, the literal meaning of which is first-rose. Old authorities give us many synonymous names for this plant, as _P. grandiflora_, _P. vulgaris_, _P.

sylvestris_, and _P. veris_. The last is given by three authorities, including Linnaeus. As this seems to clash hard with the name as applied to the Cowslip species, I may at once state that Linnaeus has only that one name for the three species, viz: _P. acaulis_, _P. elatior_, _P.

veris_; the name _P. vulgaris_, by another authority, is explained by the same rule; Curtis (_Flora Londinensis_) is the authority for the name _P. acaulis_.

I need not here go into any of the varieties, beyond giving a cursory glance at them as a whole. The double kinds are all beautiful, some superb and rare, as the ruby and crimson; the white, sulphur, mauve, magenta, and other less distinct double forms are more easily grown, and in some parts are very plentiful. The single kinds have even a more extensive range in colour. We have now fine reds and what are called blue primrose; the latter variety is not a blue, but certainly a near approach to it. It is an interesting occupation to raise the coloured primroses from seed, not only because of the pleasing kinds which may be so obtained, but under cultivation, as in a wild state, seedlings are always seen to be the more vigorous plants; self-sown seed springs up freely on short gra.s.s, sandy walks, and in half-shaded borders; but when it is sought to improve the strain, not only should seedlings be regularly raised, but it should be done systematically, when it will be necessary, during the blooming season, to look over the flowers daily and remove inferior kinds as soon as proved, so that neither their seed nor pollen can escape and be disseminated. This part of the operation alone will, in a few years, where strictly carried out, cause a garden to become famous for its primroses. Seasonable sowing, protection from slugs, and liberal treatment are also of the utmost importance.

Briefly stated, the _modus operandi_ should be as follows: Sow the seed at the natural season, soon as ripe, on moist vegetable soil; do not cover it with more than a mere dash of sand; the aspect should be north, but with a little shade any other will do; the seedlings will be pretty strong by the time of the early frosts; about that time they should, on dry days, have three or four slight dressings of soot and quicklime; it should be dusted over them with a "dredge" or sieve; this may be expected to clear them of the slug pest, after which a dressing of sand and half-rotten leaves may be scattered over them; this will not only keep them fresh and plump during winter, but also protect them from the effects of wet succeeded by frost, which often lifts such things entirely out of the earth. In March, plant out in well enriched loam, in shady quarters; many will flower in late spring. Another plan would be to leave them in the seed bed if not too rank, where most would flower; in either case, the seed bed might be left furnished with undisturbed seedlings. The main crop of bloom should not be looked for until the second spring after the summer sowing.

The double forms are not only less vigorous, but the means of propagation are limited; offsets of only healthy stock should be taken in early summer. A rich retentive loam suits them, or moist vegetable soil would do: shade, however, is the great desideratum; exposure to full sunshine harms them, even if well moistened at the roots; besides, in such positions red spider is sure to attack them. This mode of propagation is applicable to desirable single varieties, as they cannot be relied upon to produce stock true to themselves from seed. In planting offsets it is a good practice to put them in rather deeply; not only are the new roots emitted from above the old ones, but the heart of the offset seems to be sustained during the warm and, perhaps, dry weather, by being set a trifle below the surface. This I have ever proved to be a sure and quick method in the open garden.

Flowering period, February to June.

Primula Capitata.

ROUND-HEADED PRIMULA; _Nat. Ord._ PRIMULACEae.

Hardy, herbaceous, and perennial. Before referring to this Primula in particular, I would say a word or two respecting hardy and alpine Primulae in general. It may appear strange and, on my part, somewhat presumptuous, when I state that this section of the Primula family is little known. Gardeners, both old and young, who have seen them in collections, have asked what they were as they stood over them admiring their lovely flowers. They are, however, very distinct on the one hand from the primrose (_Primula vulgaris_ or _acaulis_) and polyanthus (_Primula elatior_) sections; and also from the _P. sinensis_ section--the species with so many fine double and single varieties, much grown in our greenhouses, and which, of course, are not hardy. The hardy and distinct species to which I now allude are mostly from alpine habitats, of stunted but neat forms, widely distinct, and very beautiful.

The British representatives of this cla.s.s are _Primula farinosa_ and _P.

Scotica_, but from nearly all parts of the temperate zone these lovely subjects have been imported. It may not be out of place to name some of them: _P. Allioni_, France; _P. amoena_, Caucasus; _P. auricula_, Switzerland; _P. Carniolica_, Carniola; _P. decora_, South Europe; _P.

glaucescens_ and _P. grandis_, Switzerland; _P. glutinosa_, South Europe; _P. latifolia_, Pyrenees; _P. longifolia_, Levant; _P.

marginata_, Switzerland; _P. minima_, South Europe; _P. nivalis_, Dahuria; _P. villosa_, Switzerland; _P. viscosa_, Piedmont; _P.

Wulfeniana_, _P. spectabilis_, _P. denticulata_, _P. luteola_, _P.

Tirolensis_, and others, from the Himalayas and North America, all of which I have proved to be of easy culture, either on rockwork, or in pots and cold frames, where, though they may be frozen as hard as the stones amongst which their roots delight to run, they are perfectly safe. The treatment they will not endure is a confined atmosphere.

_P. capitata_, which is a native of Sikkim, is still considered to be new in this country, though it was flowered at Kew about thirty years ago, but it has only become general in its distribution during the past three or four years.

The flowers are borne on stems which are very mealy, and 6in. to 9in.

high; the head of bloom is round and dense, 1in. across. The outer pips are first developed, and as they fade the succeeding rings or tiers extend and hide them. The very smallest in the centre of the head remain covered with the farina-like substance, and form a beautiful contrast to the deep violet-blue of the opened, and the lavender-blue of the unopened pips. One head of bloom will last fully four weeks. The denseness and form of the head, combined with the fine colour of the bloom, are the chief points which go to make this Primula very distinct.

The leaves, which are arranged in rosette form, are otherwise very pretty, having a mealy covering on the under side, sometimes of a golden hue; they are also finely wrinkled and toothed, giving the appearance, in small plants, of a rosette of green feathers. Sometimes the leaves are as large as a full-grown polyanthus leaf, whilst other plants, which have flowered equally well, have not produced foliage larger than that of primroses, when having their earliest flowers.

It makes a fine pot subject, but will not endure a heated greenhouse. It should be kept in a cold frame, with plenty of air. It may be planted on rockwork where it will not get the mid-day sun. I hear that it grows like gra.s.s with a correspondent whose garden soil is stiff loam; there it seeds and increases rapidly. My first experience with it was troublesome; when dying down in the winter, the leaves, which are persistent, seemed to collect moisture at the collar and cause it to rot. I tried planting not quite so deeply, and I imagine that it has proved a remedy. So choice a garden subject should not be pa.s.sed by because it cannot be dibbled in and grown as easily as a cabbage. Old plants produce offsets which, as soon as the April showers come, may be transplanted in loamy soil and a shady situation. Propagation may also be carried on by seed when well ripened, but that has not been my experience of it hitherto.

Flowering period, April to June.

Primula Cashmerianum.

CASHMERE PRIMROSE; _Nat Ord._ PRIMULACEae.

This belongs to the large-leaved and herbaceous section, and though it comes (as its name specifies) from a much warmer climate than ours, its habitat was found at a great alt.i.tude, and it has been proved to be perfectly hardy in North Britain. This species is comparatively new to English gardens, but it has already obtained great favour and is much grown (see Fig. 76). No collection of _Primulae_ can well be without it; its boldness, even in its young state, is the first characteristic to draw attention, for with the leaf development there goes on that of the scape. For a time the foliage has the form of young cos lettuce, but the under sides are beautifully covered with a meal resembling gold dust.

This feature of the plant is best seen at the early stage of its growth, as later on the leaves bend or flatten to the ground in rosette form, the rosettes being often more than 12in. across. The golden farina varies in both quant.i.ty and depth of colour on different plants.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 76. PRIMULA CASHMERIANUM.

(One-fourth natural size.)]

The flower scape is from 9in. to 12in. high, nearly as stout as a clay pipe stem, and very mealy, thickening near the top. The flowers, which are small, of a light purple colour, and having a yellow eye, are densely arranged in globular trusses, each lasting more than a fortnight in beauty. The leaves when resting on the ground show their finely serrated edges and pleasing pale green, which contrasts oddly with the under sides of those still erect, the latter being not only of a golden colour, as already mentioned, but their edges are turned, almost rolled under.

This plant loves moisture; and it will adorn any position where it can be well grown; it will also endure any amount of sunshine if it has plenty of moisture at the roots, and almost any kind of soil will do except clay, but peat and sand are best for it, according to my experience. During winter the crown is liable to rot, from the amount of moisture which lodges therein somewhat below the ground level; latterly I have placed a piece of gla.s.s over them, and I do not remember to have lost one so treated. Offsets are but sparingly produced by this species; propagation is more easily carried out by seed, from which plants will sometimes flower the first year.

Flowering period, March to May.

Primula Denticulata.