Evening star., 1941-09-13

Walter Faxon. Among the reds
Richard Carvel and Philippe Ri
voire are outstanding, although
more gardens in this vicinity have
Karl RoSenfield and Felix Grouse.
There is one other type of peony
that always intrigues me-the tree
peony. The ordinary peony is a
perennial and dies in the ground
each fall. The tree peony is shrub
like increasing in size each year
until it is mature bush three to
four feet high and producing many,
many flowers, sometimes 100 or
more blooms. They are hardy, al
though needing a protected situa-
ton. Because of their slow growth,
and difficulty in propagation they
are more costly than the common
types. Moutan, a Wine-colored sin
gle is recommended for the begin
ner.
The above listed varieties, given
ordinary care, will provide a full
range of color and are thoroughly
dependable. They are listed to give
the beginner a start. This does
not imply that there are not others
of fine color, form and dependable
ity. Buy standard three to five eye
roots and plant them in a deeply
dug, well-enriched soil where they
will receive sun at least half the
day. Too deep planting is the most
common cause of failure to bloom.
See that the buds are not more
than 2 inches below the surface
after settling. Peonies will not
tolerate standing water, but neither
| do they do their best in a very dry
soil. If humus is incorporated in
the hole at planting time and
drainage provided they should do
very well. Plant in September and
early october.
1t is difficult to keep any list of
daffodlls short. In the first place
| there are II main divisions of this
family based on the form and size
of flowers. However, few garden
ers plant bulbs of more than Z or 8
of the divisions. Secondly, nearly
all varieties do well in this area.
They may be depended upon to
flower and increase in any situa-
ton that is not too wet.
The most widely planted are the
trumpet daffodils trumpet as long
as or longer than the perianth seq
ments) and here we may name such
varieties as: King Alfred. Emperor,
Dawson City, and Lord Wellington
among the yelloWS. Those with a
white perianth and yellow trumpet
are Empress, Mrs. John Hoog, and
Glory Of SeSsenheim. White trum-
pets are not so plentiful-Mrs. E. H.
Krelage, Beersheba, and Imperator
or La VeStale.
The second division - Incompa-
rabiliS has shorter trumpetS mot
less than one-third, but less than
equal to the length of the perianth
segments, with yellow or red trum-
pets and yellow or white perianth).
Among the yellow incomparabilis
are Sir Watkin, yellow Poppy,
CroeSuS, and Killigrew. In the BIZ
color section of this division Alceste,
Bernardino, John Evelyn, and Will
Scarlet are worthy of mention.
The third division Barrii have
still shorter trumpets Qess than
one-third the length of the petals
and are brighter colored. Among the
yellow Barrii are Alcida, Baths
Flame. Barrii Conspicuous, Beacon,
and Diana Kasner. The Bicolor
Barrii varieties are-Firetail, Lady
Diana Manners, Queen of Hearts,
and SunStar.
The fourth division-Leedsii Is
the counterpart of the Incompa-
rabilis and Barrii except for color.
The perianth is white and the crown
or cup (trumpeD is white, cream
or pale citron. Of the large-crowned
Leedsii Lord Kitchener, Mitylene
and Tenedos are outstanding. The
varieties of the small crowned
Leedsii include Mrs Nette OMel-
veny, Queen of the North, and
White Lady.
We will skip divisions 5 CTri-
andrunS hybrids) and 6 (Cyclami-
neus hybrids) and go on to division
7, Jonquilla hybrids. They have one
or more yellow flowers on round
reedlike stems and foliage. They
are delightfully."- fragrant. Jonquilla,
the sWeet-scented species, Orange
Queen and Golden Sceptre are fine.
Division 8. is best known for
the Poetaz varieties-several flowers,
either yellow or yellow and white
and very fragrant, or stiff stem.
Cheerfulness, Helios, and Medusa
are all good varieties.
Division 9, the Poeticus are tall
and late Towering, the fiat cups
edged with crimson, stand out clear
ly against the white perianth.
Thelnla, Eecurvus, Homer, knave of
Diamonds and Actaea are well
known.
Division 10 contains the double
varieties, although I prefer to list
the double Poetaz under division 8.
This group for a considerable period
received very little attention as most
gardeners thought only of the old
greenish-yellow colored Van Zion.
There are several splendid varieties
available now, including the Pearl
and Twink. The English growers
have several others that may be
available to us now.
Division II includes all other
species and types. Other than for
the specialist and rock garden en-
thusiast they are seldom planted.
Daffodils should be planted in an
ordinary well-drained soil in sun
or shade in the early fall If disease
free, sound bulbs are obtained they
may be depended upon the flower
freely and to last many years. They
do especially well in front of shrub