and E. Characias, 2 to 3 ft., with green bracts, are fine plants for rockwork or sheltered, corners.
Ferula.—Gigantic umbelliferous plants, with magnificent foliage, adapted for shrubbery borders or open spots on lawns. They have thick fleshy roots, deeply penetrating, and therefore requiring deep soil, which should be of a light or sandy character. F. communis, F. glauca, and F. tingitana, the last with glossy lozenge-shaped leaflets, grow 8 to 10 ft. high; F. Ferulago, with more finely cut leaves, grows 5 to 6 ft. high. They flower in early spring, and all have a fine appearance when in bloom, on account of their large showy umbels of yellow flowers.
Fritillaria.—A large genus of liliaceous bulbs, the best known of which is the crown imperial (F. imperialis) and the snake’s head (F. Meleagris). There are many charming species grown, such as aurea, pudica, recurva, sewerzowi, askabadensis, &c.
Funkia.—Pretty liliaceous plants, with simple conspicuously longitudinal-ribbed leaves, the racemose flowers funnel-shaped and deflexed. F. Sieboldiana, 1 ft., has lilac flowers; F. grandiflora, 18 in., is white and fragrant; F. coerulea, 18 in., is violet-blue; F. albo-marginata, 15 in., has the leaves edged with white, and the flowers lilac. Rich garden soil.
Gaillardia.—Showy composite plants, thriving in good garden soil. G. aristata, 2 ft., has large yellow flower-heads, 2 or 3 in. across, in summer; G. Baeselari and G. Loiselii have the lower part of the ray-florets red, the upper part yellow.
Galanthus.—The Snowdrop. Early spring-flowering amaryllidaceous bulbs, with pretty drooping flowers, snow-white, having the tips of the enclosed petals green. The common sort is G. nivalis, which blossoms on the first break of the winter frosts; G. Imperoti, G. Elwesi and G. plicatus have larger flowers.
Galax aphylla.—A neat little rock plant, 6 to 8 in. high, with pretty round leaves and white flowers. Requires moist peaty soil.
Galega officinalis.—A strong-growing leguminous plant, 2 to 5 ft. high, with pinnate leaves, and masses of pinkish purple pea-like flowers. Also a white variety. Grows anywhere.
Galtonia candicans.—~A fine bulbous plant, 3 to 4 ft. high, with drooping white flowers.
Gaura.—G. Lindheimeri, 3 to 5 ft., is much branched, with elegant white and red flowers of the onagraceous type, in long slender ramose spikes during the late summer and autumn months. Light garden soil; not long-lived.
Gentiana.—Beautiful tufted erect-stemmed plants preferring a strong rich loamy soil. G. acaulis, known as the Gentianella, forms a close carpet of shining leaves, and in summer bears large erect tubular deep blue flowers. G. Andrewsii, 1 ft., has, during summer, large deep blue flowers in clusters, the corollas closed at the mouth; G. asclepiadea, 18 in., purplish-blue, flowers in July.
Geranium.—Showy border flowers, mostly growing to a height of 112 or 2 ft., having deeply cut leaves, and abundant saucer-shaped blossoms of considerable size. G. ibericum, platypetalum, armenum and Endressi are desirable purple- and rose-flowered sorts; G. sanguineum, a tufted grower, has the flowers a deep rose colour; and the double-flowered white and blue forms of G. pratense and G. sylvaticum make pretty summer flowers. Good garden soil.
Gerbera.—A South African genus of composites requiring very warm sunny spots and rich gritty soil. G. Jamesoni, with large scarlet marguerite-like flowers, and G. viridiflora, with white flowers tinged with lilac, are best known. Numerous hybrids have been raised, varying in colour from creamy white to salmon, pink, yellow, red and orange.
Geum.—Pretty rosaceous plants. The single and double flowered forms of G. chiloense and its varieties grandiflorum and miniatum, 2 ft., with brilliant scarlet flowers; G. coccineum, 6 to 12 in., scarlet, and G. montana, 9 in., yellow, are among the best sorts. Good garden soil.
Gillenia trifoliata.—A pretty rosaceous plant about 2 ft. high. Flowers white in graceful panicles; flourishes in a mixture of sandy peat and loam.
Gunnera.—Remarkable rhubarb-like plants with huge lobed leaves, often 6 ft. across. They should be grown near water as they like much moisture, and a good loamy soil. G. manicata and G. scabra are the two kinds grown.
Gynerium.—The Pampas-Grass, a noble species, introduced from Buenos Aires; it forms huge tussocks, 4 or 5 ft. high, above which towards autumn rise the bold dense silvery plumes of the inflorescence. It does best in sheltered nooks.
Gypsophila.—Interesting caryophyllaceous plants, thriving in dryish situations. G. paniculata, 2 ft., from Siberia, forms a dense semi-globular mass of small white flowers from July onwards till autumn, and is very useful for cutting.
Haberlea rhodopensis.—A pretty rock plant with dense tufts of leaves and bluish-lilac flowers. It likes fibrous peat in fissures of the rocks.
Helenium.—Showy composites of free growth in lightish soil. H. autumnale, 4 ft., bears a profusion of yellow-rayed flower-heads in August and September.
Helianthemum.—Dwarf subshrubby plants well suited for rockwork, and called Sun-Roses from their blossoms resembling small wild roses and their thriving best in sunny spots. Some of the handsomest are H. roseum, mutabile, cupreum and rhodanthum, with red flowers; H. vulgare flore-pleno, grandiflorum and stramineum, with yellow flowers; and H. macranthum and papyraceum, with the flowers white.
Helianthus.—The Sunflower genus, of which there are several ornamental kinds. H. multiflorus, 4 ft., and its double-flowered varieties, bear showy golden yellow flower-heads in profusion, and are well adapted for shrubbery borders; H. orgyalis, 8 ft., has drooping willow-like leaves. Many other showy species.
Helichrysum.—Composite plants, with the flower-heads of the scarious character known as Everlastings. H. arenarium, 6 to 8 in., is a pretty species, of dwarf spreading habit, with woolly leaves and corymbs of golden yellow flowers, about July.
Helleborus.—Charming very early blooming dwarf ranunculaceous herbs. H. niger or Christmas Rose, the finest variety of which is called maximus, has white showy saucer-shaped flowers; H. orientalis, 1 ft., rose-coloured; H. atrorubens, 1 ft., purplish-red; and H. colchicus, 1 ft., deep purple. Deep rich loam.
Hemerocallis.—The name of the day lilies of which H. fulva, H. disticha, H. flava, H. Dumortieri and H. aurantiaca major are the most showy, all with yellow or orange flowers. They flourish in any garden soil.
Hepatica.—Charming little tufted plants requiring good loamy soil, and sometimes included with Anemone. H. triloba, 4 in., has three-lobed leaves, and a profusion of small white, blue, or pink single or double flowers, from February onwards; H. angulosa, from Transylvania, 6 to 8 in., is a larger plant, with sky-blue flowers.
Hesperis.—H. matronalis, 1 to 2 ft., is the old garden Rocket, of which some double forms with white and purplish blossoms are amongst the choicest of border flowers. They require a rich loamy soil, not too dry, and should be divided and transplanted into fresh soil annually or every second year, in the early autumn season.
Heuchera.—H. sanguinea and its varieties are charming and brilliant border plants with scarlet flowers in long racemes. Rich and well-drained soil.
Hibiscus.—Showy malvaceous plants. H. Moscheutos, rose-coloured, and H. palustris, purple, both North American herbs, 3 to 5 ft. high, are suitable for moist borders or for boggy places near the margin of lakes.
Iberis.—The Candytuft, of which several dwarf spreading subshrubby species are amongst the best of rock plants, clothing the surface with tufts of green shoots, and flowering in masses during May and June. The best are I. saxatilis, 6 to 10 in.; I. sempervirens, 12 to 15 in.; and I. Pruitii (variously called coriacea, carnosa, correaefolia), 12 in.
Incarvillea.—I. Delavayi is the best species for the open air. It grows 2 ft. high and has large tubular rosy carmine blossoms. It likes rich sandy loam and sunny spots.
Lathyrus.—Handsome climbing herbs, increased by seeds or division. L. grandiflorus, 3 ft., has large rose-coloured flowers with purplish-crimson wings, in June; L. latifolius, the everlasting pea, 6 ft., has bright rosy flowers in the late summer and autumn; the vars. albus, white, and superbus, deep rose, are distinct. Ordinary garden soil.
Lavatera.—L. thuringiaca, 4 ft., is a fine erect-growing malvaceous plant, producing rosy-pink blossoms freely, about August and September. Good garden soil.
Leucojum.—Snowflake. Pretty early-blooming bulbs, quite hardy. L. vernum, 6 in., blooms shortly after the snowdrop, and should have a light rich soil and sheltered position; L. carpaticum, flowers about a month later; L. pulchellum, 112 ft., blooms in April and May; and L. aestivum, 2 ft., in May. All have white pendant flowers, tipped with green.
Liatris.—Pretty composites with the flower-heads collected into spikes. L. pumila, 1 ft., L. squarrosa, 2 to 3 ft., L. spicata, 3 to 4 ft., L. pycnostachya, 3 to 4 ft., all have rosy-purplish flowers. Deep, cool, and moist soil.
Lilium.—See Lily.
Linaria.—Toadflax. Pretty scrophulariads, of which L. alpina, 3 to 6 in., with bluish-violet flowers having a brilliant orange spot, is suitable for rockwork; L. dalmatica, 4 ft., and L. genistifolia, 3 ft., both yellow-flowered, are good border plants; L. vulgaris, the common British toad-flax, and its regular peloriate form, are very handsome and free flowering during the summer months.
Linum.—Flax. L. alpinum, 6 in., large, dark blue; L. narbonnense, 112 ft., large, blue; L. perenne, 112 ft., cobalt blue; and L. arboreum (flavum), 1 ft., yellow, are all pretty. The last is liable to suffer from damp during winter, and some spare plants should be wintered in a frame. It is really shrubby in character.
Lithospermum.—L. prostratum, 3 in., is a trailing evergreen herb, with narrow hairy leaves, and paniculate brilliant blue flowers in May and June. Well adapted for rockwork or banks of sandy soil.
Lupinus.—Showy erect-growing plants with papilionaceous flowers, thriving in good deep garden soil. L. polyphyllus, 3 ft., forms noble tufts of palmate leaves, and long spikes of bluish-purple or white flowers in June and July; L. arboreus is subshrubby, and has yellow flowers.
Lychnis.—Brilliant erect-growing caryophyllaceous plants, thriving best in beds of peat earth or of deep sandy loam. L. chalcedonica, 3 ft., has dense heads of bright scarlet flowers, both single and double, in June and July; L. fulgens, 1 ft., vermilion; L. Haageana,
