flowers

Professor Pallas, the celebrated Russian naturalist, discovered this species of Sedum in Siberia, and in the year 1780, introduced it to the royal garden at Kew, the younger Linn?us describes it minutely in his Suppl. Plantarum, and observes, that in its general form it much resembles the Saxifraga rotundifolia.Its leaves are flat as in many of the other species, and when the plant grows in an open situation, exposed to the sun, they become as well as the stalks of a bright red colour, which adds much to its beauty.It is the only hardy Sedum cultivated, in our gardens with a shrubby stalk, its leaves however are deciduous, so that in the winter it loses its verdure, it flowers in July and August, and is readily increased by cuttings.As most of this tribe grow readily, and many of them naturally on rocks and walls, they may be in general regarded as proper rock plants, some of them however are apt by the quickness of their growth to extend over and destroy plants of more value, this fault, if such it may be deemed, is not imputable to the populifolius.Some not knowing its native place of growth, keep it in the green house.

There is a neatness in the appearance of this plant, which joined to the singular form of its foliage, varying also from the general hue, entitles it to a place in the green house.Mr. Masson discovered it at the Cape, and introduced it here in 1774. Ait. Kew.It flowers from May to August, grows freely, and is usually propagated by cuttings.

Of the genus Polygonum, the present well known native of the East, as well as of India, is the principal one cultivated in our gardens for ornament, and is distinguished not less for its superior stature than the brilliancy of its flowers, it will frequently grow to the height of eight or ten feet, and become a formidable rival to the gigantic sun flower.There is a dwarf variety of it, and another with white flowers, it has been observed to vary also in point of hairiness.

It flowers from July to October, and produces abundance of seed, which, falling on the borders, generally comes up spontaneously in the spring, but it is most commonly sown in the spring with other annuals when the seedlings appear, they should be thinned so as to stand a foot apart. This plant requires very little care, and will bear the smoke of London better than many others.Was cultivated by the Dutchess of Beaufort, in 1707. Ait. Kew.The Stipul? on the stalk are deserving of notice, being unusual in their form, and making it look as if beruffled.

About the year 1786, we received from Philadelphia, seeds of a plant collected at a considerable distance from that city, announced to us as new and rare, and which produced the present species of Dracocephalum Mr. Watson, Nurseryman at Islington, obtained the same plant from Carolina, about the same period.It is a hardy perennial, multiplying considerably by its roots, which creep somewhat, it must be planted in a moist soil, and shady situation, for such it affects, and in such only will it thrive.It flowers in August and September.It bears a considerable affinity to the Dracocephalum virginianum, to which, though a much rarer plant, it is inferior in point of beauty, it spreads more on the ground, its flowering stems are not altogether so upright, nor so tall, the leaves are broader, and the flowers in the spikes less numerous.

In giving a representation of this species of Ranunculus, we have made a slight deviation from the strict letter of our plan, as expressed in the title page, which confines us to the figuring of foreign plants only, we have thought, however, that it would not be inconsistent with the spirit of the Flower Garden Displayed, were we occasionally to introduce such English plants as have double flowers, and which, on that account, are thought worthy of a place in every garden, they are but few in number, and we flatter ourselves that this trifling alteration will be approved by our numerous readers.

The Ranunculus acris is the first that we offer of these, a plant, in its wild and single state, common in all our rich meadows, and in its improved, or to speak more botanically, in its monstrous state (all double flowers being monsters, for the most part formed from the preternatural multiplication of their petals) it has long been cultivated in gardens abroad, as well as here.

There are certain ornamental plants of the perennial kind, which, if once introduced, will succeed with the least possible trouble, and therefore suit such as have little time to bestow on their flower gardens, the present plant is one of those if the soil in which we plant it be moist, it will grow most readily, and flower during the months of June and July, and it is easily increased, by parting its roots in autumn.

Of the genus Cypripedium, Great Britain produces only one, America several species, of these the album here figured, (whose name is derived from the whiteness of its petals, and with which the nectary must not be confounded) is by far the most magnificent, indeed there are few flowers which to such singularity of structure add such elegance and beauty it grows spontaneously in various parts of North America, and chiefly in the woods, was introduced to the royal garden at Kew, by Mr. William Young about the year 1770, but was known to Mr. Miller, and cultivated by him at Chelsea long before that period, this intelligent and truly practical author informs us, that all the sorts of Cypripedium are with difficulty preserved and propagated in gardens, he recommends them to be planted in a loamy soil, and in a situation where they may have the morning sun only, they must, he observes, for the above reasons, be procured from the places where they naturally grow, the roots should be seldom removed, for transplanting them prevents their flowering, which usually takes place in June.

A greater proof of the difficulty of increasing these plants need not be adduced than their present scarcity, though vast numbers have been imported, how few can boast of possessing them, or of preserving them for any length of time, careful management in their cultivation will doubtless go far, but peculiarity of soil and situation would appear to be of greater importance it is well known that certain plants thrive in certain districts only, the double yellow rose, for instance, barely exists near London, yet this plant I have seen growing most luxuriantly, and producing a profusion of bloom, in the late Mr. Masons garden, Cheshunt, Herts, and in which various Orchiss also acquired nearly twice their usual size,

Buchnera is a genus of plants established by Linn?us in honour of A. E. Buchner, a German naturalist.Of this genus, nine species are enumerated in the 14th edition of the Systema Vegetabilium, by Professor Murray.We learn from Mr. Aiton, that the present species (a native of the Cape) was introduced to the royal garden at Kew in 1774.It cannot boast much beauty, yet as it occupies but little room, grows readily from cuttings, and flowers during most of the summer it obtains a place in most greenhouses.

The foliage of this plant greatly resembles that of Ground Ivy, and its branches trail on the ground somewhat in the same manner, extending to the length of several feet, but it is not on the ground that it is best seen, as its flowers are apt to be hid among the leaves it appears most advantageously when growing in a pot, placed on a pedestal, or in some elevated situation, where its branches may hang carelessly down thus treated, when fully blown, it becomes a most pleasing object.Linn?us, the son, in his Suppl. Plant. observes, that the Disandra varies extremely in the number of its stamina, as it does also in the divisions of its calyx, and corolla, in this respect,, indeed, we do not know its equal fortunately for those systems of Botany, which are formed from the number of certain parts of the fructification, few such inconstants exist.Professor Murray observes, that seven is the most prevalent number of its stamina, five the most natural.Linn?us describes it as a native of the East, Mr. Aiton informs us, that it was introduced here about the year 1771, from Madeira.It flowers during most of the summer months, in the winter it must be kept in the green house, in the summer it will bear the open air, grows readily from cuttings, should be planted in rich earth, and plentifully watered in dry weather.

The celebrated author of the Hortus Kewensis informs us, that the plant here figured is a native of the Levant, and was introduced to this country in the year 1787, by Mons. LHeritier, who first gave it the name of Michauxia, and wrote a Monographia, or particular treatise on it.We have before observed, that when a plant has been named in honour of any particular person, that name must be retained in all countries, however uncouth its pronunciation may be, and there are few of our readers but what will think the present name sufficiently so.Last summer 1792, in the month of July, we had the pleasure to see a fine plant of this sort, fully blown, in the collection of Messrs. Grimwood and Co. Kensington, though in a small pot, it grew nearly to the height of six feet, was branched almost to the bottom, and loaded with a profusion of blossoms, such as are represented on the plate, and which bore some distant resemblance to those of a passion flower.It is a biennial green house plant, and, of course, only to be raised from seeds, which we are sorry to find have not ripened in this country, though they are said to do so in France.

The Erica cerinthoides is one of the most magnificent and shewy of the genus, grows wild at the Cape, from whence it was introduced to the royal garden at Kew, by Mr. Masson, in 1774, it is the more valuable, as it flowers during most of the year its blossoms are found to vary from a deep to a very pale red. It is a hardy green house plant, and usually propagated by cuttings.To have this beautiful tribe of plants in perfection, they must be kept in pots proportioned to their size, filled with that kind of bog earth in which our British heaths grow spontaneously, finely sifted, to which it may be necessary sometimes to add a third part of the mould of rotten leaves, or choice loam, partaking more of a clayey than a sandy nature we must be careful not to let them suffer for want of water in dry hot weather, as such an omission, even for one day, may be fatal, and to give them as much air as possible at all times when the weather is mild.