Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-28

Ill Now for Three Busy Closing Days of July Clearance!
BLOOMS OF ORIENT
GROW WELL IN us.
Oriental Bulb, With Others
From East, Thrives
With Care.
BY THE GARDENER.

BY THE GARDENER.
GIory-of- tle-snow is a Spring flower
ing bulb which accompanies the snow
drop, sQuill and crocuS in March and
early April, and, with the latter two,
furnishes garden color for those months.
The variety gigantea Is one Of the many
forms OF chionodoxa luciliae from the
mountains of Asia Minor and Crete.
The variety differs from the species
principally In the number Of flowers
borne on a single scape, having usually
two or rarely three, while G. luciliae
has five or more. 1t also differs in the
color and larger size of the flowers.
introduced in England in 1887.
This plant was introduced into Eng
fish gardens from Smyrna In 1887.
Bulbs were collected in the mountains
s5SSe Allah Chr 9the h ancient tnd Ph ma
$ributed in England. It is quite hardly
and its blooms appear uniformly a
glistening carpet of light blue.
The bulb Is found far below the sur
face, where the plant has been long es-
tablished, leaving a nearly colorlesS
portion of the scape and leaves under
ground.
Unlike the Siberian squill, which has
nodding flowers, the large-flowered
glory-of-the-snow opens its flowers up
ward.
The bulbs should be planted about
three inches deep and two or three
inches apart. They flourish in any fer
tile SOIL and are suitable for use in
grassy places. Like many other Spring
bulbs they improve with succeeding
seasons until the sixth or seventh, when
it may be necessary to renew them.
Seeds are formed freely, and may be
used to propagate new plants.
Toad-L1y q Fall Flower.
The toad-lily is a rare Fall flower.
tributed its rediScovery to Mr.. For
tune, who sent 1t from Japan to Eng
lish nurserymen in 1863 Later botan-
lists have found 1t to be a rather COM
mon. flower In Japanese woods. Re-
lated species have been found in China,
Korea and Formosa.
Tried In a Cambridge, Mass. garden
In 1890, 1t proved hardy. G. w. Oliver,
the distinguished horticulturist found
the protracted drought Of the vicinity
of Washington. D. c., were unfavorable
TO plant which natures and flowers SO
late in the season. BY November /,
when the flowers are at their best, the
leaves may be considerably Drowned
The curious perianth and stamen
and style arrangement attracted atten-
ton. The brown or purple spotted ap-
pearance suggests the common name.
The late blooming period, which corre-
spends with that Of the Tartarian aster,
the many-spiked knotweed and the
American witch-hazel, constitutes an
other point in its favor.
Saxifrages for the Rock Garden.
The thick-leaved saxifrages. COM
prising some half-dozen species and
several varieties, are some of our best
rock garden plants. All of the species
serve the same purpose. Their differ
ences are not very well marked, but
the Raiah and Strachey varieties have
more attractive, cleaner and healthier
leaves. Their Towering scapes when
mature stand well above the ground,
while some other sorts remain hidden
among the leaves.
Propagation Of these plants is best
effected by division of the root stocks.
AS border subjects they present bold
foliage effects, but do not bloom so
profisely as when grown in open rock
crevices or pockets in the rockery.
protection in Winter. The foliage will
not stand heavy protective covering
in early Spring, as it is susceptible to
burning at that time.
Bellfiower From Far East.
As early as IT'S great Asiatic bell
flower was grown in the Botanic Gar
den at Vienna from seeds sent to
,Jacuuin from Siberia. He described 1t
as Companula grandifora. A few years
later similar plants were introduced
into England from Japan. various
forms. such as autumnalis. chinensis
and sinesis, were sent in from Korea,
China. Japan. Manchuria and Siberia.
They are now considered to be forms
of the same species.
In 1343 Fortune introduced into
England a duplex owever dorm, which
1y
horticultural publications. Mares col
Iacted a dwarf, large-flowered form for
Veitch's nursery, and this, known as
veriety Mariesi, is now in cultivation.
Some of the other forms are OF hortl-
cultural origin. while Others appear
to be geographical varieties: the jap
anese call platycodon "kikio."
The Japanese bellflower and It's va
rieties are most satisfactory garden
perennials. Bushy, hardy plants which
bloom freely in Summer and early Fan.
they form a permanent feature OF the
hardy garden.
Flowers Are of Firm Texture.
The flowers are large. blue or white,
Of firm texture and strongly veined.
Especially interesting is the corolla be-
fore the five lobes separate to destroy
the balloon-like bud.
of a firm texture and strongly velneo.
Especially interesting is the corolla be-
fore the five lobes separate 70 destroy
the balloon like bud.
The best method Of propagation Is
by means of seeds sown in the green
house or hotbed. The seeds terminate
readily, and If sown too thickly the
seedlings are liable to damp of from
crowding Division of the crowns Is
not readily effected as the root-system
is cumbersome, fieshy and brittle.
Another perennial which should be
grown more is the Japonese Bugbane
This plant has been cultivated for
some time. It is strong growing pc:
rennial, thriving in full sun or partial
shade The foliage Is attractive during
the Summer, and the graceful spikes OF
flowers come in September or October
iuici If