HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

J ByJ. Gbbbw.

PHLOX NELSOHI. The well-known annual Phlox drummondi has produced varieties enough to alone furnish a garden with almost evety shade in colour, while tho perennial species are very numerous and present a great variety in colour and habit. The species Nelsoni is a spring flowering plant of mossy, growth prcducing great quantities of snow-white flowers for a considerable time, and is a lovely plant for tho garden or rockwork. Phlox subulata is a variety of similar habit not exceeding 6in in height, and producing flowers of a majenta colour. Both varieties are well worth growing. HEUCHFRA SANGUINEA. Our gardeDs are being- continually enriched by the introduction of new plants from various parts of the globe. Some of these aie of interest only to the botanist, .while others are valuable from a decorative point of view. Of late years our nurserymen have been providing for modern tacte by introducing a class of plants which will keep our beds and borders gay for the greater part of the year. The subject of this note, Heuchera sanguines, is a handionie plant with a>neat bushy habit, dense near the ground, from which rise numerous loose and graceful flower- spikes about 12in in heignt and covered with blossoms of a coral -scarlet colour. It is a native of North Mexico, is quite hardy, and grows with, surprising robustness in the open border, and is easily increased by division. WF.IGELAS, or diervill&s, as they are aUo called, are in full bloom with us at the present time. They are free flowering and. essily grown, but like many other good and showy shrubs they are somewhat neglected owirg to their being of a d'.ctduous habit. W. rosea. ona of the first introduced, is one of tho fi c: i; pp'irg flowering shiubs wepcs ; e3i.'. W. hurt* ii?iaii;vi:a h*s J^rge, bold foliage, and lh<u»u its hibit is somewhat loose and spreading whin laden with large white flowers, it is really a grand shrub, W. candid* is another white flowered variety, of compact and bushy growth, similar to rosea. W. lavellei is one of the best of its colour (deop crimson clareb), and is a very strong grower. W. amabilis, with light rose-coloured flowers, is also very fine. We have a specimen measuring Bft high, and as much through — a dense mess of bloom, and highly attractive. Tiwy all delight

I in a good fre9 soil, and are easily raised from cuttings taken off when doimant and inserted I in the open ground. TIARELLA COROIFOLIA. This is a conspicuous object during the spring monthi, being furnished with many epikes of pure white flowers like a white mignonette. It grows about the same height, but more compact, and is a very effective plant. It likes a deep soil, and thrives well near water. B.iog a native of North America, it is quite hardy. There it is known as the foam flower. HEBBACEOUS BOBDERS. There is always something to interest lovers of hardy plants in our borders. Large masses of the red and white valerian have been in bloom for some time, and are splendid plants for large borders. Oriental poppies, w'.th their immense blooms, are very telling among other things. So, also, are the many varieties of German iris, of which we have a greab many shades of colour. Among these are celmisias, Scotch roses of various colours, pinks, Dielytra eximia (a plant of f mailer growth than D. spectabiles, and wfth finely-divided foliage), Anchusa captnse (with flowers rotetnbling a forget-me-nob), and a good strain of foxgloves with their tall spikes of bloom, which look well amidst their surroundings. Trollius and pyrethruma help to fornieh the border. These plants are now in bloom, and as the ground between them is planted with later-flowering subjects a continual floral display will be maintained until the winter frosts return. Public Garden?, Oanaaru.