ALPINES AND DAFFODILS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23221, 19 June 1937, Page 7

ALPINES AND DAFFODILS

By I. C

The enthusiasm of the last decade for alpine and rock-plant gardening continues to grow. The Alpine Garden Society's membership has increased to 1600 in seven years. The society issues a quarterly bulletin illustrated with photographs of rare or interesting species. It is proposed to organise this summer a tour to the Alps to collect plants and observe them in their natural setting. In Scotland, 100. great interest is now taken in this phase of amateur gardening, much stimulus coming from the magnificent collection of plants in Edinburgh Botanic Garden Both Glasgow and Aberdeen have had their alpint plant exhibitions this spring, and Edinburgh had one in late April. The miniature nature of the subjects displayed was reflected in the fact that only half of the usual space in the Waverley Market used for flower shows was screened off for the exhibition. Even so, the amateurs' competitive exhibits would have made a comparatively poor display without the generous support given by the large nursery firms whose colourful stands were crowded by people eager for noyelties and rarities. The natural anxiety of the nurserymen to meet that demand results m plants being offered which are no better than rare weeds; —for example, a daisy with ugly leaves marked in dull yellow lines, something like an ancuba, is sold under the imposing name of Beilis ancubifolia. Fancy names are also too liberally bestowed on seedling aubretias, saxifrages, and sun-roses. Anybody can raise these things by the score from good seed I liked Aubretia Carnival both for its size and distinct colour, and have never seen anything quite the same from seed. I shall not name any plants that are not decorative and intrinsically worth-while. On the stand of the Alpine Nurseries Company, of Winborne, Primula nutans was shown in perfect condition, and a most lovely flower it is. It should I think, be grown either in a very sheltered place or in the alpine house. It is one of those frail things that look too miserable when buffeted by wind and rain. The Bartley strain of Primula pulverulenta, also grown in pots, showed charming shades of crimson, salmon and pink , richly covered with farina. Morisia hypogaea comes from Sardinia. It has fresh, green, divided foliage and delightful yellow flowers of a bright, clear shade sitting close to the leaves. Androsace Crisantiaca is a very dwarf species, with pure white flowers: its home 1 cannot discover. Here also were two desirable saxifrages, a mossy. General Sir D. Haig, very deep crimson, perhaps the darkest, and Sax. Faldonside, which belongs to the Kabscia section and ■ produces freely yellow flowers of pleasing size and form. Messrs Laird and Dickson, of Edinburgh, showed Anemone apennina in perfect condition, with deep blue flowers and white stamens —a precious little plant and easy to naturalise. Saxifraga rochelliana lutea is a tiny mat of spiky foliage bearing citron yellow blooms. Uvularia grandiflora is described as the golden-flowered Solomon’s seal. The foliage is just reminiscent of that well-known plant, but this species is dwarf and the flowers very large, long and pointed, gracefully drooping and yellow. This is a flower that will enhance the interest of that difficult, shady part of the rock garden Anemone ranunculoidcs superba (what a word!) has blooms of deep yellow and is dwarf and good. Tulipa Naufmanniana, like Uvularia, mentioned above, is useful for relieving the flatness of so many alpines It does not, like other tulips, affront the colour scheme. Soft yellow, pale rod outside, decorate a refined and slender form. Mr T. Smith, of Newry, had, besides a good display of alpines, two shrubs of great merit —Magnolia stellata and Camellia reticulata. ■ The former is well known; the latter should be. Camellia reticulata combines the most gracious form of flower with exquisite colour —a lovely shade of salmon pink and stamens of deep gold. The petals are very large and, unlike those of the typical stiff form, beautifully waved, the shrub needs a warm, sheltered corner, but it is well worth all the care it asks for. Peter Aitken, of Bathgate, showed a remarkably fine specimen of Primula nivalis covered with its snowy white flowers. This is the so-called “ nivalis of gardens” to distinguish it from the true species. Sanguinaria canadensis, or Blood Root, was here also; a very good plant in its major form with blooms like white crocuses and the fine glaucous foliage characteristic of the poppy family. Among the competitive exhibits a first prize was awarded to a good pan of Schizocodon soldanelloides which really does look like a clear pink Soldanella, as its name implies. Its dainty bells are very deeply fringed and pendant. Another prize-winner was the famous Erytrichium nanurri, a rare and extremely difficult high alpine. Farren goes into rhapsodies over it—“ woollyhair the dwarf,” as he translates the name—a flower perfect and undefiled Its colour is, in fact, a very lovely, soft, “absolute blue” without the hint of harshness which myosotis (forget-me-not) has, but one would need to see it as Farren did in large masses reflecting the glorious sunshine of the Meiden Pass 10,000 feet or so aboye sea level to judge whether or not it deserves that long chapter of adoration in "My Rock Garden.” Another difficult gem is Shortia galacifolia, not really an alpine, but a woodland plant from Carolina, resembling a Goldanella with white, fringed flowers turning to pale rose with age. It also, with Lewisia, Well's Hybrid, was shown in pans, and alongside was the most glorious mass of Primula rosea I have overseen—pure pink flowers in perfect cultivation. There is not a trace of blue in this lovely species. It comes from the Himalayas, where it grows in stations right up to the snow-line. The daffodils were almost exclusively from three trading Arms, that of Messrs Barr and Sons being outstanding for quality and variety. The large incomparabilis John Evelyn continues to be a favourite with exhibitors. Its thick, overlapping yellow perianth and deeply-coloured and fringed corona make a very handsome and decorative flower. Here, as at the London Show. I was impressed by the imposing apoearancc of many old favourites when grown to their full stature. Among these I noted Macebearer, Mrs Krelage. King Alfred, Firetail. and Kingdom. Messrs Barr showed New Moon, which is reminiscent of Mr Guy Wilson’s Mystic. The perianth is pure white, slightly green at the centre. The crown, too, is white, and narrowly edged in a charming way .with a shade difficult to define; perhaps apricot orange would do. Indian Prince is a wonderful bit of colour. The whole crown is of a deep scarlet-orange, but the perianth, as shown. lacks quality. Red Abbot is one of the new giant incomparabilis varieties of brilliant colouring, a really splendid flower Its perianth is of the pointed type, flat and pure white, and the corona a wonderful glowing red. Folly has good texture and, like the last, has a pointed perianth and a largo expanding crown of rich red shading to orange at the centre; has an A.M and first-class Wisley certificate.

Prince Fushima used to be a favourite of mine for decorative purposes, but I was surprised to see it here presented as a good exhibition (lower. It is certainly very distinct. The cup is

.ergo and globular coloured apricot shading lo cream, and elegantly crinkled. The perianth is irregularly twisted, but that adds to its decorative value. It holds the degree A.M., R.H.S St. Nicholas is a Barrii with rounded perianth Us snow-white petals have nod solid substance and the (lat yellow emona has a rnargfti of very dark scarlet Basilia is a Giant Leedsu with a while perianth which measures four inches in diameter, and a corona of cream correspondingly large, the edges frilled; all points producing a flower if bold aspect In Red Sea we are back again to the popular dark red crowns The perianth is good, deep cream smooth and solid, A.M. R.H.S

Royal Scot is a splendid variety, large in size, and of good texture. The creamy-white petals overlap one another and the crown, which is unusually bright, is mainly yellow, the edge only being orange-rcct Fortune’s Queen, one of the Brodie’s productions, is a (lower of outstanding size and colour. Its perianth is broad, of a creamy shade, and subtending a

corona of flaming apricot-orange elegantly frilled at the edge. In the hope or being able to describe the famous garden where this and many other fine daffodils have originated, I called there in early April, but the season was weeks late and not a flower was in bloom. I am sure all New Zealand daffodil lovers will feel deep sympathy with the Brodie of Brodie, whose name is well known wherever this flower is grown, in the loss of his son and heir through a deplorable motoring accident.