Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-25
OLD-FASHIONED FLOWERS
RETURN TO POPULARITY

growing joyously and manifesting
every symptom of content. often
growing in the same yards or the
same gardens with the cockscomb is
the cone-fiower, most of the flowers
with yellow rays, but sometimes with
crimson. If you want to address the
cone-fiower by its family name you
should call it "rudebeckia" but there
are two kinds of rudebeckia growing
in Washington-rudeha hirta and
rudebeckia triloba-and you should
know which you are addressing. One
of the yellowest and showiest flowers in
Washington is known golden glow.
and this is also rudebeckia.
The cone-flower should not be con-
fused with the corn-fiower, a member
of different family and which very old
people called when they were little
children blue bottled" or ragged
sailor" One of the old-time flowers
which has maintained it's popularity
throughout all the time and changes in
flower fashions is the cosmos, and il is
growing in thousands of Washington's
gardens and making ready to unfold it's
dainty blossoms in the late summer and
early fall.
You will see, If you are on the lookout
for them, screens of four o'clocks, and
beds of fox glove and forget not.
evening primrose, gaillardia, larkspur
lobelia, marigold. mignonette phlox
sweet william. portulaca, snap dragon.
verbena and zinnia, another name for
which is youth-and-oldage.'
For some reason. but for which the
flower itself is not to blame, the holly
hook, despite its radiance and many vir
lures. is not often found in expensive
gardens. 1t is a much neglected flower,
but IL you give it welcome and en-
couragement it fully repays you for
your courtesy. Other flowers which
do not prosper in certain sections of
the city are the morning glory and
the moon flower.
The flowers which are now enjoying
a high degree of popularity in Wash
ington gardens are sweet peas, scarlet
sage, nasturtiums, pansies and petu-
Mas.
If you have not planted flowers in
tenderness toward them. it might i'm
prove your disposition and make you
feel better to read the following lines
written several years ago by L. c.
Corbett, horticulturist of the bureau of
plant industry of the Department of
Agriculture:
plants are missionaries Of nature
constantly at work attempting to cover
up some ugly scar which civilized man
has made in his struggle to wrest from
the earth the living which he claims
she owes him. If you will but give
in ths form fore of fe% cSoss seeds sfs
will paint for you the rich shades of
the pansy or the phlox; she will carpet
your floor with a velvet rug Of green
and strew upon its surface in bold con-
trast the golden disks of the dandelion
or the bright, saucy faces of the
crucus. She will drape your walls with
a festoon OF green and hide therein
rich gems of purple. of crimson. and
of white. and. il you ask it. she will
screen one apartment from another
with barriers of green which may or
may not carry bright floral gems.
while flowers are primarily uttlita-
rian in purpose, the end Is attained by
attractive and alluring means. The
beauty, fragrance and sweetness of the
flower are not vain attributes; each
is designed for subtle purpose. The
bright colors are the gala-day attire
of these natural fairies to attract and
allure the passerby, be he insect. bird.
or man.
Beautiful plants and flowers nat
urally grouped are pleasing because
they are restful. Association with ma
ture is soothing because the crudities
Of mans invention. in which friction is
such a large factor. are all eliminated.
The sounds in the woods are musical.
harmonious and rythmical, soothing
and pleasing IN effect, while the colors
are beautifully blended, holding the
eye and the attention without effort
and without fatigue. Nature in such
moods is reStful'