NEW DAFFODILS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 120, 25 May 1925, Page 7

NEW DAFFODILS

A SPRING FLOWER SHOW

DEVELOPMENTS IN ROSES

(FKOJI OUU OWN CORItESI'ONDEXT.)

LONDON, 9th April.

Although the aristocratic orchids were a feature of the Royal Horticultural Society's Show yesterday, tho display ol narcissi and carnations was more attractive to the normal taste, for they were an indication that spring is here. . Indeed, every garden during these last lew days lias been gay with the early daffodils, and with the rush of comparatively warm weather these are bursting into flower overnight.

The firm receiving the gold medal at tho show for daffodils staged a group of seedlings which are still untamed. But there wore beautiful named varieties, such as Royal Gold yellow trumpet, Tamora white trumpet, and Croesus. Duke of Bedford, King Alfred, Monarch Cleopatra, Weardale Perfection, Van Waveren Giant are some of the more distinctive trumpet daffodils, strong flowering bulbs 01 which are priced at 16s a dozen. Several varieties possess the same characteristic of being all white, including the cup. Indeed, although they are called white, they appear to be what is termed in another industry,

"elephant's breath." The most noticeable of these delightful blooms were White City, Prince Unibria, and Empire. The last-mentioned is priced at 7s 6d each. Another distinctive bloom is Buby, the cup being of a vivid orange colour. "Loveliness," priced at 12s fad a dozen, a trumpet bloom of creamy white, appeared as graceful as any in the shew. , Among the roses the very latest development is seen in a yellow bloom named Mrs. Beatty. It is not yet on the market. One of its characteristics is that it retains a full scent. But. so far as beauty is concerned, Padre still retains a very high place. This is a flower with fine long petals of coppery scariet colouring, flushed with yellow at the base of the petals. A hybrid of the Padre has recently been developed of a yellow colour. A novelty in the dwarf varieties has a decided blue colouring. Beyond the novelty, however, it is not very desirable. The now dwarf polyantha variety named Orange King was also conspicuous. It is of deep salmon orange shade. Weeping standards of Havering Rambler and other varieties were well represented. Roselandia was another variety of interest, but perhaps the palm should be awarded to a variety called Mrs. Elisha Hicks. This, is flesh white. The blooms are carried on stiff upright stems, and it is reported that nearly every bloom becomes perfect. It also possesses an exceedingly sweet scent. Mrs. H. Stevens .is another delightful flower. It is a climbing variety, pure white, with large furling petals. DWARF RHODODENDRONS. Among the clematis class one noticed the white Marie Boisselot, the deep purple Prince of Wales, and the Crimson King. All these are large, perfectlyshaped flowers. •

There are several new American varieties of carnations. Spectrum and Gipsy are of scarlet colouring. Both of these are priced at 50s a dozen. Other novelties for 1925 are Dainty, an apricot bloom (50s a dozen), Janet, a cerise (50s), and Bed Laddie (105s per dozen). Another, striking bloom was "Shot Silk," 'a carnation, the flowers of which are a curious combination of two shades of bright and dull red, which justifies tho namt.

Among the flowering shrubs, tho most interesting were the dwarf seedling rhododendrons raised by Lord Headfort from seeds collected in China—the pale mauve R. orthocladum, the gale yellow R. muliense, and forms of R. racejnosum, with white flowers edged with pink. A remarkable group oi freesias were shown, the flowers being of rose, crimson, heliotrope, rich yellow, pale yellow, and other shades of colour, all harmonising. A group of florist's tulips comprised such standard varieties as "Le Reve," the golden yellow "Reve dOr," and the pale heliotrope "Sweet Lavender," together with two large bowls of the yellow and orange Lachenalia Nelsoni. The group of orchids contained many remarkable flowers, the odontoglossurns being represented by many striking colours. One of the finest was odontoglossum Lilian, which has crimson blotches on a rose-coloured ground. An award of merit was, granted to cymbidium Thehna, of pale rose and crimson colouring.

Another handsome variety was laelioCattleya Hassalii alba, pure white, except for the vivid crimson lip and yellow throat. An award of merit was given to two orchids, odontoglossum Cordoba and odontoglossum Clodagh, both heavily marked with reddish blotches.