Vol. 38 Fall 1980 No. 4 The Bulletin Editor Emeritus DR. EDGAR T. WHERRY, Philadelphia, Pa. Editor LAURA LOUISE FOSTER, Falls Village, Conn. 06031 Assistant Editor HARRY DEWEY, 4605 Brandon Lane, Beltsville, Md. 20705 Contributing Editors: Roy Davidson Anita Kistler H. Lincoln Foster Owen Pearce H. N. Porter Layout Designer: BUFFY PARKER Business Manager ANITA KISTLER, 1421 Ship Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19380 Contents Vol. 38 No. 4 Fall 1980 Trilliums Western Style—Edith Dusek 157 New Trillium Species Named 167 Growing Trilliums in Arkansas—John C. Lambert 169 Collector's Notebook—Roy Davidson 171 The Joys and Problems of Our Seed Exchange—Willaim C. Dilger 172 The Show Bench: Annual Meeting 1980 Plant Show 179 Champion of Native Flora: M. Walter Pesman—Wes Woodward 181 Book Reviews: Meet the Natives by M. Walter Pesman; Revision of Trillium Subgenus Phylantherum (Liliaceae) by John D. Freeman; The Princi• ples of Gardening by Hugh Johnson 184 The Little Snowflakes—W. J. Hamilton, Jr 188 The Joy of Bulbs —Francis H. Cabot 192 In Praise of Daphne Arbuscula—Dr. Alexej B. Borkovec 200 Of Cabbages and Kings: Note on Robin Hill Azaleas Dorothea De Vault 201 Front Cover Picture—Trillium parviflorum—Laura Louise Foster, Falls Village, Conn.

Published quarterly by the AMERICAN ROCK GARDEN SOCIETY, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey. You are invited to join. Annual dues (Bulletin included) are: Ordinary Membership, $9.00; Family Membership (two per family), $10.00; Overseas Mem• bership, $8.00 each to be submitted in U.S. funds or International Postal Money Order; Patron's Membership, $25; Life Membership, $250. Optional 1st cl. delivery, U.S. and Canada, $3.00 additional annually. Optional air delivery overseas, $6.00 additional annually. Member• ship inquiries and dues should be sent to Donald M. Peach, Secretary, Rte. 1 Box 282, Mena, Ark. 71953. The office of publication is located at Rte. 1 Box 282, Mena, Ark. 71953. Address editorial matters pertaining to the Bulletin to the Editor, Laura Louise Foster, Falls Village, Conn. 06031. Address advertising matters to the Business Manager at 1421 Ship Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19380. Second class postage paid in Mena, Ark. and additional offices. Bulletin of the American Rock Garden Society (ISSN 0003-0863.) Date of Publication: October 15, 1980 Vol. 38 Fall 1980 No. 4

Bulletin of the American Rock Garden Societu

TRILLIUMS WESTERN STYLE

EDITH DUSEK Graham, Washington Photographs by the author Drawings by L. L. Foster

When it comes to species of trilliums, name of its own. we Westerners got a bit short-changed; After tracking T. ovatum over a con• of the fifty or so recognized species, by siderable portion of its range, I find that far the greatest number of which are any given stand may show either marked American, we have only about eight. Of uniformity or an extreme range of forms, these, perhaps three are stemmed. The many comparing favorably with the best "perhaps" in the foregoing sentence owes of the eastern T. grandiflorum. Generally its being largely to Trillium ovatum, a speaking, plants from moist areas are stemmed and extremely polymorphic spe• more robust and with larger blossoms cies, which is found from California to than those from dry situations. Canada and east into Montana and Col• Here in the Tacoma area, ovatums orado. Some would carve it into several thrive in a thin layer of duff over hard- species, while others opt for mere forms pan. On a recent spring visit to the or subspecies. There are those who would Cispus drainage of Mt. Adams, we found toss the tiny Trillium hibbersonii, found them growing under rather different con• in British Columbia, into the ovatum pot; ditions. The more recent tummy upsets of others consider it worthy of a specific the mountain have provided large quan-

157 tities of pumice grit, which is poorly up, trilliums were again absent. All the mixed with small amounts of clay. This plants of T. ovatum we found in the is topped generously with leaf mold pro• Cispus area were single stemmed except vided by the coniferous forest. The light one that apparently managed to locate in mix, when combined with steep slopes, an ideal spot at the edge of a logging makes for a very rapid drainage. In our road where there was plenty of light but area the large rhizomes tend to plunge not too much competition. It had two through the leaf mold to rest on the stout stems and broadly overlapping hardpan, but on Mt. Adams the quite leaves reminiscent of the more robust small rhizomes lay in pockets of pure plants of our lowland woods. pumice grit. Undoubtedly in summer the These slender ovatums of the Cispus grit becomes very dry thus making for drainage resembled many seen in eastern marginal conditions for the plants. These Washington, where conditions are also resembled dryland forms from eastern quite dry. The eastern plants are common Washington in being slender with rather in the mixed conifer woods but disap• narrow, well spaced leaves. pear in the dryer portions of the range. (Curiously, trilliums in this region grow under the same conditions as Calypso bulbosa, while in western Washington one does not expect to find them together. Apparently calypso is even less tolerant of competition at its level than are the trilliums. Perhaps it is for this reason that in western Washington these orchids confine themselves to heavy, old growth coniferous timber where the dense shade and dry summer conditions under the canopy excludes most undergrowth, in• cluding trilliums.) In eastern Washing• ton the general dryness reduces all vegetation so that there is more space between plants at all levels and, in con• sequence, more light and T. ovatum re• sponds to these conditions with generous stands of plants, though these are on the Seed pod of Trillium ovatum average smaller and more slender than the forms in the wet woods to the west. Where the evergreens were very large It is interesting that ovatums produce and close ranked there were no trilliums the most fragrance under dry, warm con• at all; inded, there was not much vegeta• ditions. This is most noticeable if they tion of any kind at ground level. Where are in close quarters but a stand of there was a bit more space between trees, ovatums can scent the woods with their trilliums did appear but all were slender rather acrid sweet odor. juvenile looking plants, which gave no Trillium ovatum is generally men• evidence of having flowered. Where there tioned as being white, turning to pink or was a little more light, plants were in dark red. While a true enough statement, flower, but if there was sufficient light it only touches the tip of the iceberg. As to encourage ground vegetation to build might be expected, a portion of the plants

158 appear to be true albinos, which never in which all sepals were even partly turn color as they age. The rest bear marked. Misplaced color will frequently anthocyanin, which is variously masked accompany unstable polymerism (the when the flowers are fresh. Some show production of a surplus number of parts color sooner than others and there is said but not to the extent of resulting in a to be a permanent pink even as there are fully double flower) and, as such, is a permanent pink grandiflorums. Since, as phenomenon of one season only. Among they turn, different flowers may become plants found with misplaced color an oc• various shades of pink, from a good clear casional one will repeat its performance. pink to a rather dirty old rose or to as• sorted reds, it is possible that somewhere Trillium ovation there is the genetic potential for per• manent reds. For unknown reasons, flow• ers that turn deep red tend to be smaller on the average than those otherwise col• ored. Only once have I found a large- flowered red. In addition to these, there are flowers that develop a central stripe of color, or color may be confined to one or both ends of the petals. Perhaps the most versatile plant we have so far found is a double that opens noticeably yellow towards the center, an effect that fades as the flowers change from white through stages of pink to beet red. One wonders at the array of factors involved in such a display. The condition which results in mis• placed color on petals or sepals appears to have no relationship to the controver• sial green striping effect found in T. grandiflorum. Such aberrant plants among T. ovatum are rare and in many years of hunting, I have never found two growing together. It takes a lot of walk• ing to find even one. Green markings on petals seem always to be indiscriminently placed and are generally accompanied by constriction of the petal margin beyond Trillium ovatum 'Edith' the green portion. If such plants are rare, it is even less common to find one in One such was found originally with a which all petals are marked. In contrast single flower. The following season it to petal markings, which tend to be produced three blossoms each of which rather narrow, misplaced white may cov• had green markings. None of the four er all or any portion of a sepal. These blossoms bore identical markings. white portions invariably are consider• Misplaced color may also accompany ably larger than their normal green doubling. It is a common error to refer counterparts. I have never found a plant to "the double form" of either T. ovatum

159 or T. grandiflorum. Doubling has oc• interesting to conjecture if this dry sub• curred in both species numerous times stance is of less interest to ants, which act and each clone differs more or less mark• in disseminating trillium seed, and the edly from all others. Named clones of fact that T. rivale presses the seeds to T. ovatum include 'Kenmore', 'Tillicum', earth is perhaps a means of insuring they and 'Edith'. I have photos or references are planted. In any event, the plants are to about a dozen others of various merit found in a somewhat restricted locale. including one with green flowers. One Despite being of dwarf stature, if a mis• incomplete double proved itself capable chance causes plants to be buried to a of seed production as are all single flow• considerable depth, the tiny rhizomes are ers having misplaced color. capable of quite extraordinary lengths of Unlike the dwarf T. hibbersonii, whose stem to attain the surface. status seems to be the cause for some Little Trillium rivale reverses the dispute, there is no mistaking the small "normal" habit of stemmed trilliums with Trillium rivale for a form of ovatum. As white flowers that color in age; not in• with most trilliums, there is a certain frequently rivale's buds are pink, the amount of variation in the size and shape flowers blush for a few days and then of the petals but these seem invariably to turn white. This color-disappearing-trick be rather square. They are fastened at is more prevalent in sessile flowered tril• one corner and sooner or later become liums. Rivales vary in depth of color, more or less rolled backward amidship. some being darker and holding at least a Petal shape, combined with a decided portion of the color to the end. While the tendency to freckled faces, make the occasional plant may be pure white or plants quite unmistakable. pink, most have tiny dots and dashes of deep maroon on the petals. These are usually more or less congregated toward the center of the flower but some blos• soms have so many freckles that to get them all in takes up all the petal surface right out to the edge. Rivale seems to be unique in its freckling habit but it shares with nearly all other species the habit of producing (very rarely) yellow flowered specimens. Curiously, we found that northern California plants flowered some• what later than those found in Oregon. It is not yet known if they will continue this state of affairs under garden condi• Trillium rivale tions. California plants, growing as they did in a rather dense damp woods, were Initially the pedicel is of moderate larger than the Oregon plants in all re• length but it soon begins to lengthen and spects with a strong tendency to produce twist in a most unusual fashion. If fer• colored flowers. In contrast the Oregon tilization takes place the pedicel then plants we observed were in dry open arches downward to place the fruit woods. Plants were tiny with their white against the earth. Seeds are embedded in flowers more or less freckled. a rather dry mealy substance instead of My first sighting of that improbable the sticky goo favored by ovatums. It is creation, Trillium petiolatum, brought to

160 mind an eye-popping experience as a three states, confining itself to moun• small country girl when an elegantly tainous areas, which take unto themselves formal city lady came to call. Unfor• some moisture, in what is essentially a tunately, a small brown mouse also chose very dry area. This species can be very this moment to visit. With a shriek, the hard to find or locally common with the sedate city woman hoisted her skirts to reason for its presence or absence not indelicate heights and soared like an always clear. We have found it in an eagle to the sanctuary of the kitchen table top where, giving an unseemly display of knobby knees and unmentionable gar• ments, she did a war dance complete with sound effects. Like this lady, T. petiolatum starts out demurely enough. Young ones look not too unlike ovatums, which sometimes rub shoulders with it. It is only with the advent of the bud that matters get out of hand. As if horrified at the sight of the thing, the plants shoot the odd round leaves aloft on very exaggerated petioles leaving the rather mousy flower at a safe distance below. Actually the cinnamon or greenish and brown flower is generally rather larger than those displayed by many of its eastern cousins, but their Trillium petiolatum often subdued color, coupled with a slim shape, make them unable to compete with assortment of locations including scrub the amazing gymnastics of the petioles. growth under pines; in short grass- In the garden the scene becomes even brushy pastures; and in an area kept more improbable for the stem of the sopping wet by a small stream that could plant, which is always very short, be• not decide on the most comfortable route comes even more squat (perhaps as a to take through a meadow. In the first result of reduced competition) while the two types of conditions T. petiolatum is petioles are not deterred from their aerial frequently associated with Snowberry flight. In flowering condition, the plants (Symphoricarpos). In the latter instance are suitable companions for the Alice in it mingled with a gentian (probably G. Wonderland world of Arisarum probo- calycosa.) Despite official insistence that scidium whose bloom has been likened to this species has immaculate leaves, in this the rude end of a mouse disappearing wet location some of the plants had gone down a hole. in for a modest amount of mottling. Though the common flower color of After examining plants of T. petio• T. petiolatum is cinnamon to bronze, red, latum in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, yellow and green forms have been re• we came to the conclusion that the ab• corded. Those I have seen have been sence of a visible stem in flowering inclined to various softly blended tones, plants is not a reliable field character• which are quite beautiful when seen with istic. In many stands all plants were back lighting. definitely possessed of a stem, indeed T. petiolatum ranges over portions of they not infrequently displayed several

161 inches of it. Other stands contained extended range reaching from the middle plants with varying degrees of under• of California to the middle of Washing• pinning. Least common were those stands ton. Recent investigations of T. albidum in which all flowering plants were stem- have disclosed that either Dr. Freeman's less. Elongation of the petioles is in• description must be extensively changed variable in flowering plants but non- to cover a wide variety of plants, or this flowering plants have short petioles or species will have to be divested of some occasionally none, with the leaves of of its populations. juvenile plants looking suspiciously like Living as I do in western Washington, those of similarly aged plants of T. I would expect that my initial contact ovatum, which quite often grow with it. with western sessiles would be with our While distinguishing T. petiolatum local version of T. albidum as no other from other trilliums is usually a relative• sessile flowered species occur until one ly simple task, the separation of the crosses the Columbia River into Oregon. remainder of the sessile flowered tril• It was not so. Our version of Freeman's liums on the West Coast is not. When T. albidum is quite restricted in range first discovered a century or so ago, these and only a handful of people seem to be plants were swept into the same hopper aware of its existence. Three small pop• with the eastern T. sessile despite nu• ulations have been found south of Puget merous differences between the eastern Sound. In addition to its rarity, perhaps and western plants. Unfortunately name another reason the Washington version changing in plants is far less easily ac• of T. albidum has not received much complished than are fashions in dress, notice is that it cannot compete as a and variations of the name T. sessile garden plant with the form of T. albidum crop up with monotonous regularity to found in California. Our Washington this day. The unceremonious lumping of plants are neither as buxom nor as showy the western sessile flowered trilliums un• and have been, as it were, swept under der the epithet T. chloropetalum was the the rug, no one apparently noticing that next step; this despite the numerous dif• they are, perhaps, entities of their own. ferences displayed by the plants over Yet visitors, on being shown plants of their far flung range. T. albidum both from the southern por• Then in 1975, Dr. John D. Freeman tion of its range and from our Washing• published a monograph on American ton population have been unanimous in sessile flowered trilliums (see Book Re• stating emphatically that they could not views, this issue.) In an attempt to make possibly be the same species. A botanist order out of chaos, he divided the western came, saw, and decided that investigation sessiles (exclusive of T. petiolatum) into into the matter was in order. (See p. 167) four species. The name chloropetalum The first impression of the western has been retained for certain plants Washington plants is that they are small, found in California only. A second spe• about half the height of the southern cies, T. angustipetalum, is also restricted plants. Flowers average one inch and to California. The third species, T. kura- only rarely is one found that surpasses bayashii, is found in northwestern Cali• in petal length the minimum as set by the fornia and a small area of adjacent standards for T. albidum in the texts. Oregon. Curiously, the fourth species Petals give the impression of being rather which Dr. Freeman extracted from the straight sided and are rather blunt tipped. original T. chloropetalum classification, They are white and about ten percent giving it the name T. albidum, has an have a faint flush of purple at the base.

162 All plants also appear to have this color The plants of T. albidum from south• confined to the reverse side (not the ern Oregon and south into California are receptive portion) of the stigmatic very different. It is apparently on these branches. Frequently the base of the southern plants that the description of stamens is similarly colored. Flowers the species T. albidum Freeman is based. have a light bitter-rank odor. They are much larger than those found Leaves are usually rather lightly and in Washington. Plants are robust, clump• more or less evanescently mottled. Less ing as freely in the wild as they do in the often one finds a plant with immaculate garden; specimens with a couple of leaves or an attractive one in which the dozen flowering stems are not uncommon mottlings approach black. Prettiest of all and flowers average three inches, with are those with strong markings in which some attaining four inches or more in chartreuse is added to the mix. Mature petal length. Petals are widest in the leaves are generally broadly overlapping and sessile. Attractive maroon fruits are prom• inently displayed by wide spread sepals, their plump roundness only negligibly lit-: p \ marred by evidence of stigmatic remains ^Jm, &u in the form of ridging. Usually these ^Y:»#»-^ remains are relegated to the top of the fruit and are small; more rarely they take the form of small plump "fingers." The skin has a patent leather shine and is so thin that the seeds announce their '''Mi"':'-W: 'A \ * presence as small individual bulges. The JMU V. ,SV\ fruit has a slightly rank smell, which would not entice anyone into eating it. In the wild it takes a lot of searching to find a plant with more than one stem Seed pod of Trillium albidum, southern form but in the garden they readily form small clumps. Wild plants grow in a rather middle, half or more wide as long, curv• specialized habitat of mixed oak-conifer ing gracefully in one line from tip to and scrub on gravelly soils made rich by constricted base. Generally they are white leaf mold. Preferred sites are close to though Freeman acknowledges a rare water. With them one finds many T. pink form. Under optimum conditions ovatum of a not particularly outstanding their rose scent can be all but overpower• form. Immature plants of both tend to ing. Leaves may be unmottled or ob• have short petioles and are frequently so scurely mottled silvery on green. similar that one can almost imagine one Unlike the shiny maroon seed pod of stripling asking another, "What are you the Washington trilliums, the dull, green• going to be when you grow up?" At this ish fruits of the southern T. albidum stage the albidums lack mottling on the bear tattered remains of the stigma in the foliage and both species have well sep• form of strong ridges that often extend arated leaves. all the way to the base. As the fruit is Polymerism or other aberrant forms bluntly triangular in outline, these ridges are rare. The only ones seen to date have give the capsule the appearance of being been two quadramerous juveniles. constructed of a series of flattish planes.

163 This rather unattractive fruit is partially plants with sepals bearing misplaced concealed by sturdy sepals, which are color. (See p. 167.) held stiffly erect, clasping it closely. In southwestern Oregon, just north of In Oregon Trillium albidum displays the California line, we found plan Is that a condition called a "cline" in which seemingly march to a drummer all their plants of two extremes gradually merge own. I propose that these be named Tril• from one to the other. In this case, as lium confusum. The name "confusum" one moves south, the first change in• was chosen because these plants alter• volves the size of the plant and flower. nately display or omit an assortment of Next the fruit loses the high shine of the characteristics that would admit or ex• northern form and changes from a clude them from several western sessile- smoothly round globe to a duller, trian• flowered trillium as delineated by Free• gular shape with strong ridging. Last to man. alter is the fruit color. In some plants the It is a subaipine species, its flowering fruit changes color so reluctantly as they delayed by lingering snows to May or mature that it is not until they are fully early June. Flowers are pale yellow or ripe that they attain a blotchy semblance creamy (not white) with no purple pig• of purple. Happily this skewbald appear• ments in any portion. (Trillium albidum, ance is largely disguised by the upright according to the texts, does not contain sepals. In the Salem-Eugene area varia• any yellow pigment.) Petals, l1/^ to 4 tions seem to be at their greatest, with inches long and ^ to 1*4 inches wide, some plants having rose scented blossoms average slightly smaller in size and are while others retain the ranker odor. Here somewhat narrower than those of T. too we encounter a number of strange albidum. Those with exceptionally long or short petals are not common. The of things. Like the mills of the Gods, scent is intensely floral-soapy. Anther those of Science turn rather slowly, while dehiscence is introrse. Stamen length is the wheels of "Progress" spin with in• about twice the height of the stigmas. The creasing speed; let us hope that we will latter are borne stiffly upright with the not discover too late that Washington receptive surfaces usually touching for a and Oregon have been hiding something considerable distance. unique under the blanket name, Trillium Leaves are immaculate or (rarely) albidum. chartreuse with irregular mottlings of the In the garden all these forms of T. normal green color. The latter pattern albidum have settled down on the dry may also be extended to the sepals, which rim of a small bog where they flower at flowering time are generally stiffly well and produce good crops of seed. upright but may on occasion be slightly Except for slugs, they seem not to have spreading. any enemies if one discounts the efforts Fruits are small, round and creamy of an overzealous coyote who plowed a with pale green markings along the stig- furrow with his nose when in pursuit of matic sutures. There is absolutely no mouse or mole. To make amends for any evidence of ridging. Stigmatic remains at damages, he left behind a fur lined the apex are reduced to a small dark "dividend" at the end of his row. crumb. The skin of the fruit is so trans• Trillium chloropetalum, which accord• lucent that shadowy brown seeds can be ing to the texts is found only in Cali• seen within and so thin that these cause fornia, might well be called the prima individual small bulges. The flimsy se• donna of western trilliums; it has by far pals curl away so the fruit is prominently the greatest number of color forms. For displayed. convenience these trilliums are now di• Plants are most often found in clumps vided into two groups. Those in Trillium of two to twenty or more stems. Juvenile chloropetalum var. chloropetalum have plants are not common. Rhizome ring- flowers containing yellow pigment wheth• counts for smaller plants gave ages of er this color is visible to casual inspec• seventeen to forty plus years. Since in tion or not. These colors include yellows, most cases, there was evidence of at least greens, bronzes, and more or less brown• some deterioration of the posterior por• ish reds. Plants in which there is no tions of the rhizome, ring counts can yellow pigment in the blossom are re• only be taken as approximate. Plants are ferred to as T. chloropetalum var. gi- quite catholic in their choice of habitat, ganteum and here we find white, pinks, occurring under or near scattered trees and much clearer deep reds. In either on open wet meadows, in moist to dry case, flowers may be self colored or have woodland, or under oaks growing in beautifully contrasting colors in a variety small isolated stands in dry terrain. It of patterns. One of my favorites has may be of interest to note that the pop• deeply colored veins etched on a pale ulation included samples of polymerism background. Regardless of petal color, and green striped petals or partly white however, the sexual portions of T. sepals at about the same rate that these chloropetalum are always purple. These occur in T. ovatum. trilliums have the potential of developing As is the case of our western Washing• as wide a variety of color forms as any ton version of T. albidum, these southern of our more common garden plants. Oregon plants are also under investiga• Although the somewhat similar Tril• tion to see how they fit into the scheme lium kurabayashii has been known for a

165 considerable length of time, it is only in ripen to a dark mahogany though some recent years that its right as a separate plants were very slow to achieve this hue. entity has been acknowledged. Flowers Generally the plants are single stemmed with petals to 140 mm. long (five and a and we found no evidence of massive half inches) have been recorded, making clumps. The only evidence of aberrant it the largest blossom of all sessile flow• forms was a rare quadramerous plant. ered trilliums. Although the species is As befits its name, Trillium angusti- recognized officially only in its red form, petalum has very narrow petals, which we have found that the reds vary from a exhibit the usual tendency of twisting deep glowing red through brownish found to a marked degree in sessile flow-

Trillium chloropetalum tones, which in turn grade to what might ered trilliums. Officially recognized only be described as butterscotch tan with in its red forms, the color may be rich more or less of a suffusion of red to• and luminous or dulled by the addition wards the tips. Probably the most un• of yellow pigments. Unofficially a yel• common color is a clear rich yellow. It low flowered plant is reported and there seemed that in all cases a factor for are also dull bronzes of a hue unlikely to yellow was present. Leaves might be endear them to anyone but an avid col• immaculate to heavily mottled with leaf lector of trilliums. The immaculate or color bearing no relationship to flower faintly mottled leaves are notable for color. Fruits proved to be equally var• pinching in suddenly at the base in an iable in shape and the amount of stig- excellent imitation of a petiole. matic remains displayed. But regardless Western trilliums present no particular of flower color the fruits seem always to problems in cultivation. Generally they

166 respond to easy living by making a conditions under which they grow and, clump and increasing in vigor. While it one suspects, the individual inheritance is true that no amount of coddling will of the plant. There is some evidence to make a poor form into a good one, prop• indicate that the older portions of the er conditions do tend to produce an im• rhizome is sometimes subject to rot. Pos• provement in all. sibly at times this is fatal but at others There seems to be an ongoing argu• the offending portions wither leaving the ment about picking trilliums. There are remainder none the worst for wear. those who recommend them as cut flow• In the wild, Trillium rivale also occurs ers while others are equally sure that most often as a single stem from a tiny picking results in the death of the plant. rhizome. They love garden life. A single Probably both lines of thought are in plant may readily expand until it pro• part right. Since picking prevents the duces a dozen or two flowers at a time. plant from producing a food supply, it Although I have never done so, there is is inescapable that a plant whose above- no reason to believe that they would be ground portions have been removed will more difficult to divide than their larger have a hard time producing a flowering cousins. stem the following year. Even so a plant Division of the dormant plant is easily that is large enough to bloom usually has accomplished by simply separating the sufficient reserves to see it through a rhizome so that each piece has a few lean year. Young non-flowering plants roots and one or more growing points. It might not make it. is quite possible to successfully remove If merely losing its stem and leaves divisions so small that they produced invariably led to death, T. ovatum would what appeared to be a seed leaf; how• have become rare or perhaps extinct long ever, there is some risk of loss with such ago since they share the woods with deer small portions. Some parts can be readily who find them a tasty addition to the broken off, others need to be cut. In menu. Gardeners who must also share either case a dusting with sulphur or their gardens with deer sometimes find it other compound to prevent entrance of impossible to keep trilliums. fungus seems a good idea. Some plants In the wild, rhizomes of ovatum can become so congested with stems that di• be expected to be singletons varying in vision seems as sensible as for any other size from fingerlings to the dimensions perennial. In others it is the only means of a fair sized potato depending on age, of increasing an unusual plant. New Trillium Species Named As a result of his investigations of the society by the New York Botanical Gar• populations of Trillium albidum Free• den and is now in press. (See p. 162) man, growing south of Puget Sound in Edith Dusek, whose article on western the state of Washington, Dr. Victor G. trilliums appears in this issue of the Soukup of the Department of Biological Bulletin, was to a large extent instru• Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cin• mental in calling these trilliums to Dr. cinnati, Ohio believes this trillium should Soukup's attention. As a result of his be given specific standing under the Ending that this western Washington name Trillium parviflorum. His paper on sessile flowered trillium is, indeed, an this species is to appear in Brittonia, entity of its own, Mrs. Dusek is now con• publication of the American Society of vinced that the cline of sessile flowered Plant Taxonomists, published for that trilliums described on p. 164 of her ar-

167 ticle is a hybrid swarm between the To clarify the differences in the char• newly recognized species, T. parviflorum acteristics of T. albidum Freeman and and the more southerly T. albidum. Since T. parviflorum Soukup, Mrs. Dusek has these hybrids appear to be confined to prepared the following chart. The direc• the state of Oregon, she proposes that the tional arrows under the heading T. x name T. x oregonum is appropriate to oregonum point toward the parental char• distinguish this hybrid population from acteristics that dominate in the hybrids. its two parents.

T. albidum T. x oregonum T. parviflorum

Height 8 to 26% inches. 6 to 13 inches.

Stems 1 to 30 (or more) per plant. 1 (rarely 2 or more.) Large clumps common.

Leaves Immaculate to lightly Lightly to heavily mottled, mottled. less commonly immaculate. Large Small

Petals 1%+ to 4%+ inches long. 1% to 2% % to IV2 inches long inches long (only rarely more.) or more. Widest near middle, Narrow, appearing almost narrowing about equally straight-sided. in both directions. Constricted strongly at base. No noticeable constriction at base.

Sepals Erect with tips touching Cupped at fruit base before or crossed over fruit. flaring widely outward.

Fruit Green Maroon Dull Glossy to shiny. Triangular. More or less Round. Ridging, if any, prominently ridged top confined to top of fruit. to bottom resulting in a No indication of planes. series of planes. Wider than tall. Taller than wide.

Scent Strongly rose (funereal), Lightly bitter or spicy-rank, clove-like.

168 Trillium parviflorum (see also cover picture.)

GROWING TRILLIUM IN ARKANSAS

JOHN C. LAMBERT Mena, Arkansas

Many years ago I became enthused years, I found that I was not as hardy as about the grandiflorum mutant trilliums. my trilliums. Suburbanitis had set in Along about that time, I read Mary G. around our lovely swamp and sandy Henry's account of her trillium collec• area, so we decided to seek "greener tion in the ARGS Bulletin, Vol. 14, p. pastures." 52. It inspired me to try to better her It's no small task to pull up stakes and collection of trillium species and va• move to a different climate with all your rieties. Some fifteen years of experience prized plants. But through the help and in our Wixom, Michigan wildflower gar• encouragement of the late Lillian Leddy, den proved to me that trilliums from the an enthusiastic ARGS member, we de• extreme north to the far south and from cided to relocate in the beautiful Oua- coast to coast will adjust and be happy chita mountains near Mena, Arkansas. if given the proper soil, moisture and Here I found eleven acres of undevel• winter protection. oped wooded hillside and bottom land on Not so with we humans. At the age of the Mountain Fork River. It proved to be 63, after working in the offices of Fisher an ideal location for a wild flower gar• Body Co. for thirty-three and a half den, which has now developed into my

169 Mountain Fork Arboretum. wire mesh. Occasionally, one of the ar• I gradually moved all my plants at the moured creatures blunders into one of proper time, but unfortunately I had to my traps and meets an untimely end. leave them alone at times with no special Native trees, shrubs and flowers can care of timely watering. The one thou• live without watering, but plants from sand-mile move was a catastrophe as far other areas must have this special atten• as the T. grandiflorum mutants were tion. But, just because the natives don't concerned, though we did the best we need the added water, it doesn't stop could for them. Still, at the time we them from sending out roots to the wa• completed the move on July 4, 1972, tered area and strangling all the new• there was no irrigation system on the comers. It is a perennial problem. place, and our home was sixteen miles When putting in new trillium plants, I from the garden. Altogether I lost some dig a hole about one third larger than eighty mutants and eighteen double green really needed to accommodate the plants. and white trilliums. Since that time, how• To keep the tree roots at a respectful ever, I have added other species and distance, I remove all of them down to varieties and increased the collection con• about eleven inches deep up slope and siderably. The main trillium planting eight inches deep down the slope in front sites are located on the north side of a of the plant. I return about two inches of two hundred foot ridge. We are favored the original soil, two inches of rotted with just about the right amount of shade hardwood stump material, and one inch from native hardwood trees. of a growing mix. Then I fill the hole A six hundred and fifty foot, two inch with water several times. The rhizomes plastic pipe with outlets every one hun• are placed into position in the watered dred feet has been installed along the mass and original soil and growing mix hillside to pump water from the Moun• are added half and half for covering. tain Fork River. Watering is done with a Still more water is added until every• seventy-five foot garden hose from the thing is saturated. For mulch in the outlets to the two hundred planting sites. trillium beds I use shredded hardwood It takes twelve hours to complete the leaves for acid-loving varieties. T T. watering process which must be carried grandiflorum, nivale and rivale species, on at intervals between June and Sep• are mulched with maple leaves. tember in this area. I have found that the most difficult There is one serious problem that I trillium for me to grow is T. undulatum; hadn't counted on. Armadillos, unknown the easiest is T. flexipes forma ivalpolei. in these parts ten or twelve years ago, My favorites in the sessile type are T T. have moved in to raise havoc with my underwoodii, maculatum, sessile (now trilliums. It isn't as if they have devel• chloropetalum var. giganteum rubrum oped a taste for trilliums. They do their and californicum (now chloropetalum damage by rooting around in the var. giganteum]. In the pedicellate type mulched beds seeking grubs and other —other than grandiflorum mutants — I insect life, not being too careful where lean toward T T. erectum, vaseyi, ozark- they trample. All I can do is to try to anum, stylosum (now catesbaei) and slow them down by placing chicken wire cernum var. macranthum, by some au• weighted down by heavy stones over the thors considered to be T. flexipes. planted beds. It seems that the armadillos At the present time I am growing are deterred somewhat by having their forty-six species, varieties and forms of tapered noses come in contact with the trilliums, plus two Japanese species

170 which I obtained last fall. (It's anybody's plants come up in the spring (erythron- guess as to whether the latter species ium) and the last blooms of the fall will make it.) (hardy cyclamen) at my own arboretum Here at Mt. Fork Arboretum I have fulfills a dream of a lifetime. God is a tasted challenge, anger, success, elation, great God and I am thankful that He has beauty and the thrill of working with given me all of this. many kinds of flora. Seeing the first

COLLECTOR'S NOTEBOOK

ROY DAVIDSON Seattle, Washington

Phoenicaulis cherianthioides Lupinus sabinii This is a most cunning, sweetly fra• This foot-high prairie lupine may well grant "pink wallflower" of the basalt be the best of all the golden flowered scabrock from sagebrush to Yellow Pines ones. It is a well marked endemic of the east of the Cascade-Sierra axis in central Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Nevada. southeast Washington, found in the Yel• It has been variously considered in the low Pine grassland arid transition zone. past to be a Parrya, Cheiranthus, Hesp- It is at its finest on deep loess soils, eris or Arabis, and is another of Doug• where it forms, in good seasons, wide las's discoveries, although Nuttall's name patches of rich color with the added at• pertains as encompasing a monotypic traction of silvery pubescent foliage. As genus, the lone species of which may be with most deep rooting prairie plants this variable in plant, herbage and floral col• would likely succeed best in cultivation or. Northernmost representatives tend given rather rich fare and maximum sun• toward a more appealing soft rose pink shine. Each crown will in time give flower and rather silvery leafage. multiple spikes. In the native state Phoenicaulis cheri• There are perhaps more than two hun• anthioides flourishes with such other dred species of Lupinus (though some mesophytes as Viola trinervata, Lewisia authors accord only half that number) rediviva and Balsamhoriza hookeri and and of them about half are indigenous to certainly in cultivation it demands a high North America; the rest extend to all and dry position in bright sun with the other continents except Australia. L. quickest of drainage. When made at sabinii was first found by David Douglas home it will form multi-tufts of slender and is one of the few of its genus not to oblanceolate felted leaves, topping deep• have been confused with a long list of ly plunging multi-branched rootstocks, synonymous names. crowded in early spring with flowers This is a plant well worth bringing reminiscent of hyacinth, but with the into cultivation both for the color of its wallflower's unmistakable scent. blossoms and its attractive foliage.

171 The Joys and Problems of Our Seed Exchange

WILLIAM C. DILGER Freeville, New York

If one looks through the past volumes looking for a new Seed Exchange Di• of our Bulletin and the similar publica• rector. So I chuckled appreciatively and tions of our sister organizations, the forgot the matter. Late one evening, some Scottish Rock Garden Club and Alpine days later, a voice on the telephone began Garden Society, it is apparent that it is asking me rather detailed questions about usual for seed exchange directors to pre• my desire and qualifications to be Seed sent a kind of "state of the union" mes• Exchange Director. In fairness I must sage to their fellow members. This is my confess, my caller did introduce himself, excuse for the following paragraphs. but I almost immediately forgot the name Also, our experiences have led us to he gave and I knew this was simply an believe that our members might profit elaboration on Bill Hamilton's joke. from learning more about our exchange: Naturally I played along and was again how it works, why we do the things we agreeable in much the same kidding way. do, and what their money is used for. We After this affable conversation, I tried to used to wonder about some of these remember who my caller said he was. I things ourselves. finally conjured up the name and The Ithaca, New York area has a few checked a recent Bulletin. I was begin• enthusiastic rock gardeners and we are a ning to feel a chill of apprehension. close, congenial group. We meet in• This was in no way alleviated when I formally rather often and from time to discovered that I had, indeed, been talk• time speculated on the possibility of ing with our president. The small sounds "doing the Seed Exchange sometime." of the house suddenly became much Nothing came of this and I rather suspect louder as the full import of what I had that each of us was appalled at the done dawned on me. I hadn't even con• temerity of the idea: intimidated by the sulted with my potential helpers to see if awesome responsibility and by the grim they would be willing. Moreover, Jack thought of global ire should we prove and Nina Lambert were in England at lacking; I know I was. the time. I didn't feel it ethical to ask for There matters stood until one day help after the fact, but it is a matter of Mimi Sumner (now Vogt) and I were history now that all rallied around and visiting Bill and Nellie Hamilton. During for that I am eternally grateful. I can this visit Bill asked if I would like to be never thank them enough and neither the new Seed Exchange Director. Those can our other members. All put in long of you who know that extraordinary hours, day after day, in high good humor. plantsman, either in person or by reputa• Soon vast quantities of cardboard car• tion, also know what an inveterate joker tons were piling up on our front porch, he is; consequently, I replied, "Sure", all sent by the previous Seed Exchange in the tone one might employ upon being Director, Dr. Ewert. They were packed asked, "How would you like quack grass solidly with big manila envelopes, empty in your scree?" I didn't know at the time seed packets, file boxes, 3x5 cards, and that he had been in contact with our a puzzling great quantity of longish, former president, Harry Butler, who was open topped, stout cardboard boxes. Var-

172 ions miscellaneous items capped the not a seed sale: the small sum requested mountain. is only to defray the considerable cost of This all happened at the time we were the exchange service. Postage alone costs confronted with the death of a treasured many hundreds of dollars. In addition member of our group, Dr. C. R. Worth there is the impressive cost of printing and all of us were presented with the the list and buying the seed packets, task of salvaging what we could of his scotch tape, pens, manila envelopes, and extensive collection of wonderful plants, so on. The exchange has to be self sus• but that is another story. taining. Those who may think the cost is I wish I could adequately describe the high should look at the commercial seed- expression on Nina Lambert's face when lists of alpine plant dealers. Packets are she came through our front door for the commonly two dollars or more each. first time after returning from England Another consideration: what is a pack• and heard my reply to her question, et of seeds really worth in terms of long "What are all those boxes on the front term pleasure and enjoyment? For ex• porch for?" She, too, to my immense ample, one can easily spend many dollars relief, joined in with never flagging en• during a single evening dining out, not ergy to help see us through the ensuing to mention the cost of a single viewing two years. Her husband, Jack, and daugh• of a motion picture. A single packet of ter, Sarah, were no less stalwart main• seeds can give continuous pleasure and stays. I rather suspect Bill Hamilton felt instruction for many years. Think ©f the a bit guilty about how we got into this, excitement when your seeds appear in but needn't have if he did; I would like the mail. How much further excitement to have an Eritrichium nanum in flower there is in checking the packet numbers for each of the countless hours he and against those in the seed list to see what Nellie spent packeting seeds and filling you have received. What a thrill it is to orders. This brings us to the actual see the new seedlings pushing their way mechanics of the exchange itself. through the top dressing of grit in the Dr. and Mrs. Ewert were most helpful seed pots. Even the thrill of anticipation in explaining in detail just how they had before they germinate, be it a few days handled the exchange. With this basic or two to three years, cannot be dis• information as a start we set up our own counted. This, of course, is only the system. The greatest secret of an ex• beginning. Your plants still must be change is to develop a workable system grown on and, finally, planted out, you and always stick to it without fail. Mimi hope to bloom in splendor year after Sumner, secretary of the exchange, has a year until they become as old friends. mighty talent for organization and it is Actually all of this can be had from a to her we are grateful for the details of single seed, let alone a packet. our system, which worked so well. Our seed exchange has to be one of the Most of you know the basic idea: seeds greatest bargains of all time. Many years are collected and sent to a central loca• ago while doing some consulting work tion where they are listed and from for a well-known firm I used to hear whence the list is distributed to members them say jocularly, that the ideal product who can then receive seeds in return for was one that cost a dime to make, could those they contributed. The system is ex• be sold for a dollar and was habit form• panded to include non-donors, although ing. I think we do far better than that. donors do receive preferential treatment Other Seed Exchange Directors must as will be described later. It is definitely use systems similar to ours, but I am

173 sure the details vary. Anyway, let's get filling and proof reading. started. Here is an exciting looking box, As soon as each batch of names was perhaps with strange stamps and paper correctly ascertained we made out a 3x5 worn from a long journey, or, perhaps, card for each species. On this was also one from Massachusetts or Oregon. In written the donor's number. These cards any case, you realize you are holding were filed alphabetically and, as later many hours of devoted labor by someone donations of the same species were re• as enthusiastic as yourself. This is one ceived, the donors' numbers were in• point in the process where responsibility scribed on this same card. In addition, a weighs heavily. manila envelope was made out for each The hope is, while carefully unwrap• species. These were also filed alphabet• ping the package, that the seeds are in ically (in those previously mysterious leakproof envelopes, arranged alphabet• cardboard boxes). If I remember cor• ically, and cleaned. One also hopes that rectly, Roxie Gevjan had these made up they are clearly and correctly labelled. and they have been passed from director An included list of the contents is also to director ever since. The seed packets, most helpful. All too often one or more as they came in, were slipped into the of these hoped for features is lacking, manila envelopes, each species to an however. Illegible names and leaky pack• envelope. All of this was somewhat easier ets are perhaps the least joy inspiring. the second year because so many of the The former costs a great deal of time, cards and envelopes were already made which is often futile. The latter is simply up, although I remember that we were a shame: a shame that the donor worked astonished that there was not more over• so hard to save and send seeds that are lap between the kinds of seeds donated ultimately wasted, and a shame that the two years. someone can never receive them. After all the hundreds of seed packets Each donor's name and address was were thus processed, we ended up with then written opposite a number in a list over three thousand cards in their file of consecutive numbers in a notebook boxes and over three thousand manila and a card of thanks, which included envelopes standing upright in their card• this donor number, was mailed to him. board boxes. Each manila envelope typ• I next checked the name on each ically held several packets as originally packet for correct spelling and agreement sent to us, but, of course, quite a few with the name as listed in Harkness's had but one or two. Seedlist Handbook. We arbitrarily used At this point two things had to be this book, because it includes most plants done. The card file was checked to be likely to appear in a seedlist and because certain that all were in correct alphabet• it is so easily obtained by our members. ical order after which each card was We intended to promote no taxonomic numbered consecutively. The manila en• opinions of our own. If a name did not velopes were similarly checked and num• appear in the Handbook, I checked Hor- bered according to the numbers on the tus II (later Hortus III, when it became cards. We had to be absolutely certain available). If this failed I gave the names that the numbers on the cards did, indeed, to Prof. William Dress. His willingness correspond to those on the envelopes and good humor never faltered even because the seedlist was typed from the though the lists were sometimes long. He cards and, of course, the seed orders were also spent many hours at the seemingly filled from the envelopes. I think all of endless chores to follow, such as order us had nightmares about discovering a

174 discrepancy after the list was printed. mailed them immediately to those fifteen This seems a simple enough, if tedious, hundred or so anxious members. Foreign task, but consider we had over three members and donors received lists auto• thousand kinds of plants listed each year matically. Other members send a request — over six thousand opportunities for a slip, which served as an address label. mistake. If one number had been off, all Lists addressed to donors were kept the following numbers would lack cor• separate from those for non-donors and respondence between the seedlist and the each pile was further divided according supply envelopes. The consequences to distance from our post office. All the would have been most interesting. donors' lists were mailed first but in both So far one person could do the job, if cases the requests from the greatest dis• full time could be devoted to it, but two tance were mailed first and, on successive or three others are enormously helpful. days, envelopes with closer and closer Too many helpers at this point would addresses were mailed until all were only cause distractions and confusion, gone. We did this because many of the which would increase the chance of er• seeds in most demand were also in short rors. The Lamberts, Mimi and I did this supply. We hoped by this complex mail• part. Then the list was typed from the ing schedule to give everyone an equal file cards, proof read carefully, the in• chance to obtain the scarce items. The troductory material and directions written system worked. The first day we received and typed, and the whole thing taken to orders they came from all over the world the printer. One can readily perceive by including both coasts of North America. this time the absolute necessity for a seed We thought that once the lists were donation deadline. mailed we would have a few days in While the list was being printed, we which to finish packeting and breathe had to divide all that seed into individual deeply — Wrong! — if there is anything packets suitable for distribution. Between faster than light it is a member returning late November and early January we his order of desiderata. Most members prepared somewhere between thirty thou• realize that their best chance of receiving sand and forty thousand packets of seeds, the greatest number of their first choices each packet marked with its appropriate is to return their request sheets as quickly number. One problem was deciding how as possible. Our experience was that the many packets to make of each kind. If number of requests received each day the total donation was small or the plant peaked rapidly and fell off gradually known to be particularly popular we until just before the deadline for order• prepared as many packets as possible, ing, when there was a small secondary sometimes putting as few as three to four peak. seeds in each packet. Otherwise we Request blanks received each day were packeted the amount we thought might be placed face up in a pile, with requests requested based on records from Dr. from donors on top. To fill an order Ewert and Roxie Gevjan. However, the each of us would take an order blank, a demand for many species varies widely pen, a shipping envelope and a small each year. As the orders poured in we box. We would then do our best to find often had to make additional packets of each of the first choices, put each in the items we had underestimated. box and mark them off on the request We were still packeting seeds when the sheet. Next we would go around again lists became available from the printer. and make up any missing number of As soon as the seed lists were ready we packets from the second choices. If, as

175 often happened later in the distribution, Dress who often stayed on until the small there weren't enough second choices hours. The order checkers often tried to listed, that order was perforce short of its add to members' first choices by robbing full entitlement. This is why it is so very a seed or two from each of several pack• important that all of 'the choices be ets in previously filled orders. This was filled in. very time consuming but we all had in The boxes holding the manila supply our minds the eager anticipation of all envelopes were arranged so that the en• those impatient folks out there. We often velopes were in numerical order along a imagined we could almost hear such table set against one wall and around pleas as, "I hope I get Aquilegia jonesii another table in the center of the room. this time." Try as we did, many were We had a natural flow of traffic down inevitably disappointed, but I can honest• one table and around the next. Typically, ly say we did our very best. Seeds stretch there were several of us working at a only so far. time. This is why it is so important to As soon as all of the orders were filled list choices in numerical order. Otherwise and the deadline for orders had passed, one of us would find it necessary to work we divided up the remaining seeds back and forth against the normal flow among the various chapter chairmen for of order filling to the confusion and local distribution. By the time this was detriment of all. done it wasn't long before seeds began When an order was filled the packets arriving for the next exchange. Remem• accumulated in the little box were slipped ber that our fellow members south of the into the shipping envelope together with equator are making their fall harvest the original order blank. Then the whole during our spring. thing was handed to the folks who were Once in a great while we had diffi• responsible for double checking the order culties with filled orders. Twice orders and for sealing and putting stamps on were returned to us with a note to the the envelope. Those completed each day effect that if we couldn't supply any of were mailed the following day. We were the seeds requested none were wanted. able to keep up with the orders for a One was cleared up quickly when we short time at first but soon the orders checked the names the recipient had writ• piled up faster than we could fill them. ten on the envelopes against the names We nearly despaired at these times. in our seedlist and found they didn't Could we ever get them all filled and match. We discovered he had used the mailed? However, we all kept shuffling previous year's seedlist to identify his one after another around the tables until seeds. The other case is still a mystery. all the orders were eventually and He had identified each packet correctly miraculously gone. and they were exactly what he had re• We were fortunate in having a nice quested. But we never heard from him mix of "day" and "night" people. A typ• again. ical day began with Bill Hamilton at Although we spent long hours, worked about 7 A.M., overlapping with Virginia hard, and were glad when the last order Briggs around 10 A.M. She was usually was filled, we honestly enjoyed ourselves. displaced by Carol Sienko early in the We even had rather frequent moments of afternoon. Carol usually stayed until near hilarity. Our midnight snacks were most supper time. After supper Jack, Nina enjoyable and our feeling of camaraderie and Sarah Lambert would be joined by was enhanced by the experience. And we Bob and Toni Wilkinson along with Bill all learned a lot. Aside from the botan-

176 ical knowledge we gained and the in• able members with a spare room and a creased contacts with many of our fellow handful of willing helpers. One member members, we learned that it doesn't take of the group, presumably, but not neces• a lot of people to run an exchange. It sarily, the director, should have at least does take a good system and a few really a rudimentary knowledge of plants and dedicated people willing and able to plant taxonomy. It is helpful and much spend considerable time at it. Too many more fun if all have a reasonable knowl• people would get in each other's way. edge of such things, but it is not ab• More people could be used in packeting solutely essential. Anyone, who can count but this could even be done by mail. One to over three thousand, who can match does have to have a room that can be numbers and knows the alphabet could devoted to the exchange, however. We do most of the work. Having a damp used my study cum library which is tongue for sealing envelopes and for usually used chiefly for cheese and wine putting on stamps is a decided asset too. making. We simply moved that stuff A good system, strictly adhered to, is a elsewhere for the duration. must. It is quite time consuming from One of the most rewarding aspects of October through March, but it really is the exchange was receiving all the many not very difficult. expressions of thanks and appreciation This is our society and we must all pencilled on seed orders and sent on share the work the best we can, as well as cards or in letters. There is no way I can share the benefits. Collect and send in adequately express how these boosted our those seeds. No amount is too small, no morale and gave us a feeling that there plant too common. Two incidents that were fellow members out there who were happened to me will illustrate these appreciative and anxious to encourage points. I once requested Crocus minimus us. These communications were partic• from the Scottish Rock Garden Club. I ularly emphatic from members of former received a packet of three seeds along exchanges. Many came from other coun• with a pencilled note to the effect that tries, such as Czechoslovakia, Great Brit• they were sorry, these were the only three ain, and Japan, to mention a few. The seeds they received of that species. I letter from Iceland was worth the effort planted them (feeling considerable guilt, we took to have it translated. Many but not enough to spoil the fun) and was thanks to all of you. You did more than rewarded with two green "whiskers" you may realize to ensure our success. which ultimately grew to flowering size. I believe all of us were astonished and I now can send seed of this plant to the finally quite fearful when our Seed Ex• exchanges. On another occasion, as Bill change faltered and nearly died last year Hamilton was leaving my driveway, he and no doubt would have if Mrs. Free- noticed some Iberis sempervirens in seed land had not come to the rescue at the and admonished me to collect some for last moment. We have more members the exchange. I nearly didn't, thinking it than ever before. Why is finding a group such a terribly common plant, but I did to take on the Seed Exchange so difficult. and that year I was the only donor of it. I believe Timmy Foster must have come So be sure to collect seed and send it in. close to the truth in the summer 1979 It has always seemed odd to me that so issue of our Bulletin when she suggested many who want seed do not donate. Re• that we have grown to the extent that a member, we have fewer than 500 donors certain feeling of unity and responsibility but around 1500 requests for seed. is lost. Surely we have many knowledge• Our experience has been that tree and

177 shrub seeds are requested about as often We must remember not only the re• as anything else. We have had requests sponsibility we owe to our own society for nothing else. I feel that it would be but also that which we owe to the mem• a serious mistake to exclude them. It is bers of the Alpine Garden Society and probably true, for most of us, that rock the Scottish Rock Garden Club who have garden plants are our first love, but come to depend on our seeds as we have rock gardeners are essentially lovers of come to depend on theirs. wild plants be they of the high places, Remember, your seeds are needed. meadows, forests or bogs. Shrubs and Without them we couldn't have an ex• trees are widely used for background, change. Make a special effort to collect approach and accent planting for rock seeds of all the small bulbous and corm- gardens as well as to augment or to es• ous plants. They are always in short tablish woodlands. I, for one, would de• supply and such plants frequently set plore seeing them dropped from our lists. seeds copiously. All of the Primulaceae In many cases they are difficult to ob• are in great demand (Androsace, Cycla• tain elsewhere. men, Cortusa, Dodecatheon, Douglasia, In any event the sheer length of the Primula, Soldanella, etc.). The following list doesn't add that much to the diffi• are some others in great demand also: culties of a seed exchange group. The Aquilegia, small campanulas, Dianthus, two most time consuming jobs are seed Draba, Epigaea, Gentiana, Iris, Penste- packeting and order filling. The seed mon, Phlox, Pleione (pseudobulblets), packeting could possibly be alleviated by Ramonda and its kin, Rhododendron, simply sending some of it by mail to Saxifraga, and Viola. In short supply are willing packeters. I, for one, would be seeds of plants from which it is difficult happy to help with this. to collect for whatever reason. In de• There really isn't much work to do mand are seeds of any plants that form until October when the bulk of the seeds cushions or "buns"; have specific ep• arrive. From then on there is much to ithets such as nana, alpina, minima, pyg- do. I can't emphasize enough the im• maea, and compacta; or have recently portance of observing all the deadlines. been the subject of articles or pictures It is important that the seedlist be sent in recent publications. The above are out as soon as possible, so a closing date only samplings of plants that come to for accepting seeds is necessary. It is also mind as I write this. We have never had very disruptive of order filling if seed- seeds of a species someone somewhere list requests are received at that time. didn't want. The closing date for requests is necessary Another comment I feel I should make so that the chapter chairmen can receive is in regard to censorship. I do not feel surplus seeds for local distribution at a it is the responsibility of a Seed Ex• reasonable time and also so the Seed change Director to censor seeds for any Exchange Committee can tend to their reason. For instance, I have been crit• own seed sowing and gardening and get icized for including seeds of invasive ready to receive the first of the next plants. I have to assume the person who year's seed donations. orders the seeds knows what is wanted. If no one in your group has the fa• Some might want an invasive plant. cilities or the taxonomic knowledge to Some plants are invasive in one garden check some of the names, I am sure there and not in another. Some invasive plants would be many fellow members happy are easy to control and perhaps desirable to do so via the mails. such as Viola tricolor or Silene armeria.

178 No one in his right mind would plant envelopes we have received many in Campanula rapunculoides in a scree or baggies, film cassettes, plastic bottles and anywhere else in the rock garden for that various enclosures made of folded paper. matter, but it looks lovely indeed along Some of these latter were marvels of the the edge of a woodland or in a meadow. art of origami; they were usually accept• If 'the director starts to censor plants, able, but the trickier ones are difficult where should it end? Should one exclude to open without spilling seeds. The plants that are "too tall," "too coarse," bulkier containers, such as cassettes and "not floriferous enough" and so on? Of bottles, just won't fit conveniently into course not. I am personally biased our manila supply envelopes and have to against horticultural developments, which be repacketed. Try to avoid these. Also almost never are as charming as 'their such containers, being so tightly water• wild progenitors in our type of garden• proof, tend to allow seeds to mold if ing. However, I never excluded them they were not absolutely dry when put in. from the seedlist. If a member was in• Above all, please do not contribute seeds terested enough to send it in, another wrapped in tissue bourui round and member might be interested enough to round with scotch tape. These are nearly request it. The Seed Exchange Director impossible to open safely. Coin envelopes is not an arbiter of taste in the garden. are best, but be sure the corners are Please clean your seeds carefully and made so that seeds don't leak from them. carefully packet them in leak proof en• We were glad when our stint was over, velopes. Coin envelopes are best. Use a but all agree that it was an enjoyable glassine envelope or a carefully folded and rewarding experience in many ways. bit of foil to enclose very fine seed and I encourage others to volunteer. The ex• put this in a coin envelope. Label the perience is well worth the effort. envelopes clearly. (Mr. Dilger was Seed Exchange Di• We have received seeds in a bewilder• rector in 1976 and 1977. — Ed.) ing array of containers. Aside from coin

THE SHOW BENCH

Annual Meeting 1980 Plant Show

Class 1: 3 pans of rock garden plants of distinct genera in flower. Lewisia cotyledon 'Apricot-Orange', Viola pedata, Anemonella thalictroides 'Schoaff's Double Pink' — Marj- orie Walsh; 2nd Geranium hybrid 'Ballerina', Class 3: 1 pan rock garden plant, new, rare, Primula sieboldii, Dianthus haematocalyx — or difficult in cultivation. 1st Androsace E. LeGeyt Bailey; 3rd Dianthus microlepis cylindrica — Bozidar Berginc; 2nd Polygon- 'Schacht's Variety', Primula algida, Lewisia atum jalcatum — E. LeGeyt Bailey; 3rd wallowensis — H. Lincoln Foster. Amistostigma keiskei — Ed Leimseider. Class 2: 1 pan of rock garden plant in Class 4: 1 pan Primula species or hybrid. flower. 1st Ramonda~-my-canii — H. Lincoln 1st Primula x auricula 'Show Alpine' — G. K. FosterC2~nd—. .fasione humjlis_ — _Don^lS] Fenderson; 2nd Primula x auricula — Roberta QCighes> 3rd Armeria girardii —~ MaTkTlc^ Berg; 3rd Primula sieboldii — Wally Al• Donough, berts.

179 Class 5: 1 pan Primulaceae other than Athyrium georingianum var. pictum — Don primula. 1st Androsace primuloides 'Chumbyi' Hughes. — E. LeGeyt Bailey; 2nd Androsace lactaea Class 15: 3 pans of native American rock — H. Lincoln Foster. plants of distinct genera. 1st Hypoxis hirsuta, Class 6: 1 pan Phlox. 1st Phlox x subulata Solidago sp., Linnaea borealis var. americana — H. Lincoln Foster; 2nd Phlox bifida 'Star- —-E. LeGeyt Bailey; 2nd Cypripedium acaule, bright' — Marjorie Walsh; 3rd Phlox stoloni- Iris cristata alba, Viola pedata — Gladys fera alba — Gladys Zimmerman. Zimmerman; 3rd Tiarella wherryi, Trillium Class 7: 1 pan bulbous or rhizomatus plant vaseyi, Phlox stolonifera alba — fl. Lincoln suitable for the rock garden. 1st Hexastylis Foster. speciosa — Kenneth Wurdack; 2nd Arisaema Class 16: 1 pan Lewisia. 1st Lewisia cotyle• sikokianum — H. Lincoln Foster; 3rd Iris don — H. Lincoln Foster; 2nd Lewisia gracilipes — Gladys Zimmerman. cotyledon — Robert Means; 3rd Lewisia Class 8: 1 pan rock garden plant grown cotyledon — Marjorie Walsh. from seed by the exhibitor. 1st Leiophyllum Class 17: 3 pans of Crassulaceae of distinct buxifolium var. prostratum — E. LeGeyt genera. 1st Sempervitvum arachnoideum 'To- Bailey; 2nd Kaimiopsis leachiana — H. Lin• mentosum', Sedum spathulatum rosea, Ros- coln Foster; 3rd Edrianthus dinaricus — ularia pallida — Fran Lubera; 2nd Sedum Anita Kistler. spathulatum, Sempervivum x cranat, Oro- Class 9: 1 pan silver foliaged plant. 1st stachys iwarenge — Anita Kistler; 3rd Sem• Primula auricula 'Mist' — G. K. Fenderson; pervivum 'Quintessence', Orostachys spinosa, 2nd Leontopodium niveum — Anita Bustler; Sedum 'Capo Blanca' — Marjorie Walsh. 3rd Androsace sarmentosa — Roberta Berg. Class 18: Container of 3 or more plants of Class 10: 1 pan dwarf shrub other than distinct genera arranged for effect — 1st Fran Ericaceae. 1st Penstemon davidsonii — Mark Lubera; 2nd Joan Means; 3rd Anita Kistler. McDonough; 2nd Salix nivalis — H. Lincoln Special awards were as follows: Foster; 3rd Buxus nana compacta — Marjorie Highest aggregate score — H. Lincoln Foster Walsh. 2nd highest aggregate score — E. LeGeyt Class 11: 1 pan Ericaceae. 1st Menziesia Bailey purpurea — H. Lincoln Foster; 2nd Rhodo• 3rd highest aggregate score — Fran Lubera dendron indicum balsaminaeflorum —- E. Le• Best in Show: Class 18 •— Fran Lubera Geyt Bailey; 3rd Leiophyllum buxifolium Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Silver Cer• prostratum — Marjorie Walsh. tificate : Class 8 — E. LeGeyt Bailey Class 12: 1 pan dwarf conifer, not bonsai. Delaware Valley Chapter Award: Class 1 — 1st Chamaecyparis obtusa spiralis — Anita Marjorie Walsh Kistler; 2nd Juniperus 'Echiniformis'— Fran Connecticut Horticultural Society AwaTd: Lubera; 3rd Chamaecyparis obtusa flabelli- Class 10 — Mark McDonough formis — H. Lincoln Foster. H. Lincoln Foster Award presented by the Class 13: 1 pan bun, cushion or polster Connecticut Chapter: Class 15 — E. LeGeyt plant. 1st Androsace pyrenaica — Donald Bailey Hughes; 2nd Draba mollisima — Roberta Hudson Valley Chapter Award for Cultural Berg; 3rd Armeria x caesalpina — D. Clark. Excellence: Class 7 — Kenneth Wurdack Class 14: 1 pan hardy fern. 1st Asplenium Eastern Chapter of American Primrose So• trichomanes — Fran Lubera; 2nd Adiantum ciety Award: Class 4— G. K. Fenderson pedatum var. aleuticum — Elva Link; 3rd

The Smallest Ivy

At the Washington, D.C. Study Weekend, East in 1978, Pam Harper of Seaford, Virginia showed a slide of a truly miniature ivy. Hedera helix 'Minima' ('Gnome'). This is much smaller than H. h. 'Conglom- erata' and very suitable to the rock garden. Several people asked Pam about it and she distributed a few but found it very slow to propagate. Pam says her plant came from England as 'Minima' and she believes this to be the valid name, being the 'Minima' of Shirley Hibberd, circa 1864. However, a quite different plant (unworthwhile, according to Pam) has been in the American trade for many years under the name 'Minima'. ARGS members, who are interested in getting the true plant as shown by Pam, will find it under the name 'Gnome' at The Alestake, Elkwood, Va. 22718. Their catalog costs a dollar.

180 Champion of Native Flora: M. WALTER PESMAN

WES WOODWARD Drawings from Meet the Natives

During all his years in Colorado Walter Pesman studied the native plants of the Rockies, traveling constantly in his spare time, with glass and notebook, in search of every variety growing in the region. After his marriage in 1923 to Anna Elizabeth Hyde, a Denver school teacher. Mrs. Pesman drove the car, stopped when Walter sighted a plant he hadn't recorded, waited while he exam• ined it, and then made notes while he described it. A strong personality in her own right and a wise woman, Elizabeth ably supported and encouraged Walter for the next forty years. Back in Denver Orland Maxson would draw a picture from Walter's description and the dried remains of the plant. All this grew into a book, Meet the Natives, which was pub• lished in Denver in 1942 and immediate• ly became a popular handbook. It is presently in its 7th edition. (See Book Reviews). M. Walter Pesman Michiel Pesman was born in Thesinge, proper, they said Michael or Mike or Groningen, The Netherlands on May 28, called him the Irishman from Holland. 1887. Growing up, he attended high So he adopted the middle name of Wal• school in The Netherlands. It was a six ter, which suited him and the Americans year stint in which a student went far both. It became official when he was beyond the American high school cur• naturalized as M. Walter Pesman. riculum, went half-way through college, At "Aggies" he majored in botany, as we measure education. After a year of graduating in 1910 and staying there to invalidism in Holland due to tuberculo• teach botany to others. sis, he emigrated to the United States A strong desire to be doing creative and Colorado. When he applied for ad• work took the young Walter Pesman mittance to Colorado Agricultural Col• from college to employment with the lege in 1908, his high school credentials Chamberlain Landscaping Company in gained him admittance as a Junior. Denver where he began his career as a Pesman found that Americans pro• landscape architect. Very soon he was nounced Michiel in a way he didn't like: making a name for himself as an early instead of saying "Mi-sheel," as was advocate of conservation and as an or-

181 ganizer and leader of affairs in his pro• Walter Pesman cared about nature, fession. By 1917 he was secretary of the about his community, and about the Denver Society for Ornamental Horti• people of the whole world, and he was a culture and was contributing articles to leader in the organizations that cared its publication, Garden Hints. And soon about these things. In 1943 he was presi• he was writing for the Colorado State dent of the Colorado State Forestry Forestry Association on a wide variety of subjects. He taught classes in landscape im architecture, botany and horticulture at Denver, Colorado, and Colorado State Universities almost continually and the young people who came to hear him loved him for his knowledge, enthusiasm and sense of humor.

FALSE FORGET-ME-NOT Hackelia floribunda Association and brought about a con• solidation of the forestry, horticulture, gardening and landscaping interests to form the Colorado Forestry and Horti• BLUE MARSH GENTIAN culture Association. He served briefly as Gentiana affinis its first president and was a member of In 1930, it was Walter Pesman and George Kelly who took over the job, al• most at the last minute before the open• ing of the first Central City Opera, of clearing the opera grounds of debris and providing an attractive setting. They ob• tained a truck load of pine trees from the Forest Service, mounted the trees on Christmas tree standards, and buried the stands in the ground. Overnight a grove of evergreens appeared next to the opera house. The next year Pesman and Kelly obtained a collection of ornamentals — spruces, spireas, lilacs and other shrubs from a builder's display house in Denver that was being moved — and trans• planted the lot to the opera house FRINGED GENTIAN grounds, establishing a garden there. Gentiana thermalis

182 its Board of Directors. He was instru• suggested that some of the plants native mental in the merging of the organization to that area might be induced to live and with the Denver Botanic Gardens, Inc. thrive in more humid climates, even in and he continued to serve actively as a Europe. He identified the plants and member of its Board of Trustees. singled out those that should be tried When, in 1954, George Kelly, the ed• elsewhere. "It is", he said, "an almost itor of The Green Thumb, asked for an editorial committee to aid in his work, Walter Pesman immediately assisted in forming the committee and became its chairman. From that time on, for the rest of his life, Pesman worked long and faithfully for the magazine, contributing over 110 articles on all kinds of subjects.

BLUE FLAG Iris TOissounensis

unexplored field of plant introductions." Then, characteristically, he got started on his introduction of Rocky Mountain plants to the rest of the world by dis• tributing packets of seeds of the Col• orado Columbine to the delegates. STAR GENTIAN Swertia perennis Reading the reprint of this paper, one is impressed by Walter Pesman's habit In April 1958 he was invited to speak of looking into the future. Speaking of before the delegates of the Fifteenth the alpine zone conditions found in the International Horticultural Congress in Rockies and in Lapland und the Swiss Nice, France, at which he introduced his mountains, he said, "It is my conviction audience to his favorite subject, the flora that we shall see — in the future — a of the Rocky Mountain region. Tall, number of 'cold-houses', in which alpine handsome, silver-haired and courtly, conditions can be reproduced to a very aristocratic in appearance, speaking with high degree." ease and authority, M. Walter Pesman Walter Pesman presented these facts made a strong impression on the world's in English. The Pergamon Press reprint assembled horticulturists. The title of his is in English, French, and German. If it paper was "Little-known Ornamentals had been necessary, Walter could have from the Land of the Rockies" and in repeated his talk in all these languages this important paper, Walter Pesman and in several others as well. He had gave Europe and the world a thoughtful even studied Russian although he found report on the flora of the Rockies and little opportunity to use it.

183 In these later years he and Mrs. Pes- Recognition for his accomplishments man traveled several times to Europe to came to Walter Pesman almost too late. visit his relatives in Holland, to study Denver Botanic Gardens and the U.S. Italian gardens, and the alpine flora in Forestry Service established on Mt. Go• Switzerland and Austria. And they went liath the M. Walter Pesman Trail and a to Mexico, year after year. While in similar trail in the Ladder Creek area Mexico Walter studied the native plants, near Grand Junction was opened later. as he had done in the Rockies, then went The Colorado Nurserymen's Association to the botany books and Mexican bot• chose Walter Pesman as its Man of the anists. Out of these studies, again came Year in January, 1963, a posthumous a memorable book. Meet Flora Mexicana award, for Walter had died in Novem• was published in 1962 and was greeted ber, 1962. with cheers from the plant lovers. Con• Excerpted by John Worman taining 270 drawings by the author, it with permission, from an article has been described by Richard Henry "as in The Green Thumb, publication a treasure-trove of folklore and history of the Denver Botanic Garden, as well as of botanical information." Vol. 32, No. 3.

MEET THE NATIVES drawings, to the proper identification of over 700 Rocky Mountain plants. by M. Walter Pesman 1942, Denver It is for amateurs, as Walter said. He Botanic Gardens, Denver, Colo.; 7th edi• began his introduction: "Just between tion, ringbound paperback. Available you and me — don't buy this book if you from the Denver Botanic Gardens Gift know too much. It is not a book for Shop S6.50. botanists. . . ." Says Richard Henry: "The originality of his mind as well as If you want to know what flowers you the accumulation of his learning found see when you climb the hills and moun• its way into his classic little handbook." tains of Colorado you need Meet the Perhaps it all might be summed up in Natives. It is a companionable book, the simple words inscribed on a memorial making allowance for our ignorance of plaque at the Mt. Goliath M. Walter native plants and leading us, by a simple Pesman Trail: "He made the native system of zones, color coding and clear plants our friends." —-W. Woodward

184 REVISION OF TRILLIUM Freeman's work includes range maps SUBGENUS PHYLANTHERUM which should be helpful in assigning (LILIACEAE) names to plants observed in the wild. Freeman, who worked in the East, ad• by John D. Freeman. Reprinted from mits to being somewhat less acquainted Brittonia, Vol. 27, No. 1, January-March with our western sessiles than he would 1975, pp. 1-62, New York Botanical Gar• like to be. In attempting to use his frame• den, New York, N.Y. work for our westerners, it is possible to find populations that tend not to "pass The above monograph is exceedingly the physical", never-the-less, the work informative but seems to be little known. gives an excellent set of ground rules as I am sure others will find it of consider• a place to start further study. able help, as I have, in untangling the There are those who would avoid the sessile trilliums. issue of things that don't fit by the os• It isn't necessary to delve very deeply trich approach of declaring a few, very into what has been written about the broad specific designations. This may genus Trillium before discovering that have been satisfactory when the country various sources can't possibly all be re• was new, but now that people are crowd• ferring to the same thing. Any lengthy ing out all forms of wild life, it behooves investigation of the subject is almost sure us to take a very close look at our vanish• to leave one wondering if he wouldn't ing plants while there is yet time. Half have been wiser to accept the first source the battle of saving something is knowing as gospel and let matters go at that. that it's there to be saved. Trilliums, There is an unfortunate tendency for whether they are separate species, or "Smith" to quote "Brown" to quote varieties or forms within species, are "Jones". If what "Jones" had to say in prone to be extremely variable. It seems the first place was more or less garbled, time that we gardeners, who specialize in mere repetition does not automatically the plants which nature and not man has bestow on his words the aura of truth. created, become aware of what we have Even botanies would seem to have fallen been missing. A similar in-depth study of into this trap on occasion. There is an the stemmed trilliums would seem long almost standard tendency to fall back on past due. — Edith Dusek these dried bits of botanical hay so rev• ered by students of plant life. THE PRINCIPLES OF In an attempt to make order out of GARDENING chaos, Freeman went to work on the sessile flowered trilliums using both by Hugh Johnson, 1979, Simon and standard materials and fresh specimens Schuster, New York, $29.95. from the field. His work represents the latest and most thoughtful attempt to put Who needs another book on gardening, the information into some semblance of especially one of the "coffee table" va• order. He assigns twenty-two species to riety that costs $30.00? In the case of this portion of the genus, giving scien• The Principles of Gardening authored tific basis for so doing. Many of these by Hugh Johnson, editorial director of species have been known under an assort• The Garden Journal of the Royal Horti• ment of names; others have been known cultural Society the answer is simple and but mistakenly included under names to straightforward — EVERYBODY! ! which they patently have no claim. Mr. Everybody, that is, who cares about

185 plants and gardens whether they be acters of the 'subject'. Even the labels are growers of vegetables and petunias or the considered part of the exquisite still life: the favorite being a narrow ribbon of dull lead proud possessors of alpine houses full of with the name embossed, curling round the eritrichium and paraquilegia species in rim of the pot." bloom; whether they have a back yard to That was it; the author, whoever he shape up or acres to garden with. was, knew what he was talking about and I came across this book inadvertently the book was worth getting — if only while supposedly shopping for Christmas for the pictures which looked equally presents in an overstocked Fifth Avenue impressive under the myriad of other book store. Bewildered and somewhat headings. Forgetting about my original overcome by the plethora of titles and intentions of buying books for others, I subjects (there are just too damn many plunked down the $30, headed home and new books), I drifted over to the garden• began to read. ing section for a moment's respite know• The jacket blurb, in the usual puffy ing that there was little chance that this style of the slicker publications, states — particular store would have anything I "Destined to be a classic The Principles wanted. And sure enough I was right, it of Gardening examines the art and sci• was the same old overdone collection, ence of gardening from every possible until my eye caught The Principles and point of view: horticultural, historical, I stooped down to give it the flip through aesthetic, and practical." Yeah — sure! that would confirm my suspicions. Well they're wrong! It is a classic; Hmmm!! A survey book — "a review and what's more it's the best damn book of the art, history, science and practice on gardening that has ever been written. of gardening." Let's look at the alpine It is a work of genius, beautifully pro• section; that will be a good test, wow!! duced, masterfully lucid and pertinent Good Grief — what pictures! Daphne without a wasted word or an inadequate striata, Wilhelm Schacht photographing note anywhere in the vast realm that the Potentilla sulphurea on an alpine slope, book covers. (Though at one point the Clarence Elliott peering proudly out of author refers to Adrian Bloom when he his bunnery, beautiful shots of the rock means his father, Alan Bloom). If one garden at Edinburgh and a section de• could only have one book on gardening voted to highbrow alpines with a picture this would win the prize hands down. It of Diosphaera (Trachelium) asperul- is a bargain, a real bargain, at $30 be• oides that was so much of a spellbinder cause it offers so much to the enthusiast I didn't even notice the beautiful color whether he or she is a bewildered novice shots of Lewisia tweedyi, Phlox nana and or an acknowledged master of the craft. Anchusa caespitosa surrounding it for, Don't put off getting your copy for a weak-kneed from shock, I was groping moment since it can only increase in for the nearest support and trying to price once it is out of print. read the text. Why is it so superb? In part because it covers the whole spectrum, leading us "The miraculous beauty of some of these from the elements, the wind and the rain, plants can only be seen either by climbing the right mountain at just the right moment, or and their effect on the living soil and the by visiting a show where the crack alpine roots that must live in it, through a su• gardeners are competing. It is not just the perbly illustrated and condensed analysis plants that are worth seeing but the way they are presented, in hand-made pots that are of how plants work — to the use of these almost heirlooms, the pot in proportion to the plants — from bulbs to trees, from plant, the surface dressed with stones that set off, in color and size and texture, the char• grasses to vegetables — in the landscape

186 — helping us compose the picture by flights of fancy and imagination — the art of horticultural theatre." showing us how others have done it. It is • • • all there and is beautifully described. Mr. The ideal is a garden that fits the habits of Johnson's sense of style, his taste in the household and at the same time makes the plants, his imaginative examples of how most of its site; that works as outdoor living space and yet uses the relevant resources of to raise the lowliest annual and the most nature to make it beautiful, refreshing and sophisticated exotic are inspiring. There inspiring. The first part is rarely achieved by am• is no other word for it and one puts ateurs; the second not often by professionals. down the book the richer for the ideas within it and dreaming at night of the There is a section on plant introduc• beauty of the photographs and the vistas tions, another on garden history, a glos• they open to one's own gardening and sary on the terminology of design and a landscape future. gardener's directory — an inventory of Nicest of all, Mr. Johnson really re• garden terms, tasks and tools; of gardens spects alpines and those who grow them. and gardeners, garden designers, plant He is a consummate and eclectic plants- collectors and writers. man, despite his modest professions to What Mr. Johnson has achieved is a the contrary (his own delightful garden timeless bit of perfection that will im• is anonymously rendered in the center• prove all of us who are touched by and fold on pages 82 and 83) and loving his respond to his principles. He has pro• subject, he embellishes his observations duced something which, in retrospect, has with grace and wit. been needed badly and got it all between the covers of one volume (the only "The Japanese live on rainy islands, yet omission being the description of a instead of turning their backs on rain as com• woodland or wild garden as we know it monplace they revel in it as a sensuous ex• in America). It is a well-executed, edify• perience. This is the secret of using water, as it is of using plants." ing tour de force and Mr. Johnson de• • • • serves not only a surfeit of author's "Failing the underpinnings a garden really royalties but a horticulturist's sainthood needs to give it its sense of sure foundation, it is better to achieve what you can with to boot. — Francis Cabot

More Information Needed Anita Kistler has reported that there has been very little response to her plea to send her information about individual results with the seed from the Watson-McPhail Expedition to Turkey. She had hoped, and still hopes to write an article for the Bulletin about it if enough information comes in. Now that winter is approaching perhaps those that received some of the Turkish seed and have not yet responded could find the time to send Anita information on the following: number of shares bought, seeds received, what germinated, grew on, bloomed, lived, died. Also information on how they were planted, where, in what mixture, at what temperature, etc. Please send this information to Anita Kistler, 1421 Ship Road, West Chester, Pa. 19380. Our thanks in advance.

187 THE LITTLE SNOWFLAKES

W. J. HAMILTON JR. Ithaca, N.Y. Drawing by Cathy Komar, Ithaca, N.Y.

The snowflakes are bulbous plants plants have vegetative growth much of native to Europe and the Mediterranean the year, the leaves often appearing well region. Not so popular as the snowdrops, before the flower stalk. C. H. Gray in his to which they are closely related, these Hardy Bulbs, states that it is perfectly choice plants are less often seen than hardy if grown in well drained sandy Galanthus. They differ from the snow• loam, and, to name a flower of its own drops in having all the segments of equal size, is as charming as Linnaea borealis. size. The old Greek name Leucoium was Its elegant characters are well illustrated given by Theophrastus, and is still widely in a pot grown plant figured in Stern's used by British writers. In Species Plant- monograph of the snowdrops and snow- arum, ed. 1, p. 289 (1753) Linnaeus flakes. described two species, Leueojum vernum The white, rarely pinkish flowers, and L. autumnale and in the second edi• carried in an umbel, may number three tion of this work he added Leueojum or four, but rarely does more than one aestivum. The question whether the genus blossom appear at a time. They are not should be written Leueojum or Leucoium unlike a Lily-of-the-Valley flower. Few is answered in Linnaeus's annotated copy bulbous plants can vie with this species of Caspar Bauhin's Pinax, p. 55 (1671). for length of bloom. We have enjoyed In this book the genus is written Leu• the flowers of autumnale for more than coium but Linnaeus corrected this in his three months. There are apparently two own handwriting and has written Leu• clones growing in England, the one eojum. profligate with its seed, the other increas• Of the smaller snowflakes, Leueojum ing by vegetative means alone, the plant autumnale is more widely grown than rapidly forming clumps of bulbs. all the other species, and is the only Another late summer and fall bloomer reliably hardy one for our northern gar• is Leueojum roseum. This diminutive dens. It ranges from Portugal to Sicily charmer is indeed a treasure, but it de• and North Africa. It has two recognized mands a bit of cossetting. Seldom grow• forms, oporanthum of Morocco which has ing over four inches, the slender leaves a scape of ten inches or more, and the persist throughout most of the year, but smaller pulchellum of North Africa and since they too are largely evergreen, will the Gibraltar area. The latter is said to not do in our harsh winters. It is a produce the leaves and flowers together, Corsican native, growing in almost pure but in our garden both varieties exhibit sandy shores. The tiny petals, flushed this trait. The distinguishing feature of with pink are scarcely a half inch long autumnale is the spathe and the larger with a comparable width. These are held pedicel which exceeds the spathe in on half inch pedicels (fig. c). The length (fig. a and b). Most writers state thread-like leaves persist throughout the that the filiform leaves, numbering up to year, and are continually replaced as six, usually appear after flowering. Our they die off, provided they are not sub-

188 189 jected to freezing temperatures. Gros- garden. Most are grown in bulb pans and venor (A.G.S. Bulletin 1950:136)) tells flowered in the cool greenhouse or bulb us that roseum flowers in his Cotswold frame. garden from the last week in June through How are we to treat these precious mid-October. He adds that it sets seed little bulbs in our northern gardens? The freely, and if these are sown, they may seed exchanges give us no clue, for seed be expected to produce flowering-sized donors do not indicate the conditions bulbs in three or four years. We grow under which their bulbs were flowered. no more exquisite bulbous plant than Where are we to get an initial stock? In this elf, but it must be placed where its the past decade, the several seed ex• tiny features can be seen at close quar• changes have offered autumnale, nicae• ters. The seed pod quickly swells after ense and roseum, albeit they are almost flowering, and as it is pendent, the black always in short supply. The Alpine Gar• seeds will quickly drop out and be lost den Society and the Scottish Rock Garden unless kept under daily surveillance. Club have been more generous in their The Spanish Leucojum valentinum is offerings, even though the packets con• also a late summer bloomer but is rare tain few seeds. For fresh seed, then, the and little known. most likely source is directly from one Of the little snowflakes that flower in who grows these little bulbs. the spring, Leucojum nicaeense is per• Bulbs are not often offered by the haps the best known and most widely trade. Usually Leucojum aestivum and, grown. Occurring in the Maritime Alps less often, L. vernum are the stock in and the Nice-Monaco area, it is restricted trade. All too frequently the latter turns to the rocky ground of that area. This is out to be aestivum or even a snowdrop. the best of the spring flowering minia• One overseas advertiser in our bulletin ture snowflakes. One or two white flow• offers autumnale. He also carries L. ers are carried on the two to four inch vernum, a species increasingly difficult scape. Its best field mark is the distinct to secure at home. Moreover, his stock is horny point of the outer flower segments. dug fresh, a tremendous advantage over Most authorities state that the two to four dried bulbs, which so often sulk and dark green leaves are three to seven disappear. inches long. Our bulbs produce narrow Years ago I grew autumnale from leaves that often exceed ten inches. seed. The seed germinated within a Leucojum trichophyllum is a lesser month, and the little bulbs grew well in known species from southwest Spain, their first summer. My error was in southern Portugal and Morocco. The transplanting to the open border in their dependent and campanulate white flowers first year, before they were really ma• rarely have a pinkish blush and also ture. The young plant with growing support a sharp point at the tip of the leaves simply could not withstand our perianth segment. This is not an easy frigid winter. The same situation ob• doer and presumably needs a summer tained with the less common scillas and baking. ornithogalums. We changed tactics. Sev• Summarizing the experience of our eral containers of % inch pine were British friends, all of the little snow- constructed. These measure eighteen by flakes are of doubtful hardiness in the twelve inches and are six inches deep. north of England; autumnale is the spe• Several drainage holes are provided and cies most widely grown and undoubtedly the relatively deep flat is painted with the most satisfactory for the outdoor green cuprinol. These are really nothing

190 other than wooden sinks. Pieces of hard• that stands three feet high. Several of ware cloth are placed over the drains and these tables are placed under tall red an inch of cinders or broken crocks are pines, which provide high shade. Direct are laid in the bottom. A mixture of one sunshine seldom strikes the tables for third good soil, sharp sand and peat pro• more than half an hour at a time. A vides a suitable seed bed. The great ad• variety of containers are placed on these vantage of such a container over pots is tables. The advantage of growing in this that they are not subjected to rapid dry• manner is that the plants can be ob• ing and can tolerate a bit of neglect. served and studied at close range. Seeds are planted immediately as they The light weight of the filled con• are collected or received, after soaking tainers make it an easy task to move for a day or two in rain water. If the them about. My heaviest planted con• seed is sown thinly, the plants will not tainers do not exceed twenty pounds. need transplanting for two years. The After the first frost, the containers are seed boxes are placed under cool white moved into an unheated basement garage, and warm white fluorescent lights on our adjoining a heated cellar. The tempera• cool sunporch, where they get some day• ture varies from 34-35 F. during sub• light. A plastic bag from the dry cleaner zero outside temperatures. The young drawn over the flat will minimize the snowflakes get a bit of light from several need for constant attention. A number of windows and remain evergreen, even writers speak of the long time necessary sending up a slender leaf or two in this for germination. Some of our snowflake cold retreat. seeds have germinated in twenty-eight to The following spring, Leucojum au• thirty days, and a good share are up in tumnale can be planted in the open six weeks. We can expect flowers from ground. I have a stand of a dozen bulbs roseum and autumnale nineteen months set in a northern exposure alongside a from seed. Norman Priest of South walk. Snow, even when scanty, can be Windsor, Connecticut writes me that his shovelled over this planting in the early Leucojum roseum is also grown in wood• winter. I am not sure such protection is en boxes in a cold greenhouse. He re• necessary, but the snow has to be banked marks that much is necessary for it to somewhere. I shall continue to treat the thrive. other little snowflakes with greater defer• When danger of frost is past, the flats ence. They are surely worth a little extra are moved outdoors, onto a large table consideration.

Winter Damage — Heaths vs. Heathers On one side of my driveway I have ericas (heaths) and on the other side I had callunas (heathers). At the end of last winter, char• acterized by considerable (though not extreme) cold and wind, but very little snow, the ericas were in fine condition, but almost all of the callunas were dead. To my eye the root systems appear identical. My experience was by no means unique. I would appreciate the thoughts of others on this "puzzlement." (As would many others in the Northeast. — Ed.) — Lawrence Hochheimer, Norwalk, Conn.

191 THE JOY OF BULBS

FRANCIS H. CABOT Cold Spring, N.Y. Photographs by the author

Most of my experience has had to do cians can grow the aretian alpines in the with growing bulbs under glass rather climate we live with in most of the than in the rock garden and so, with your United States, any of us can grow the permission, I shall confine my remarks bulbs in pots and experience the same to those bulbs that we have grown under breathtaking results that captivate horti• glass and become particularly fond of culturists and the public alike in the because of either their beauty, their alpine houses of England and the con• reliability or the length of their flower• tinent. Neither is an alpine or pit house ing season. Many of them are easy and essential, although it is probably the best familiar old friends; others are more way to insure good results, especially if recent arrivals on the scene; several are clay pots are used and are plunged in rarities that are hard to come by and one sand. A cool window with an eastern or is brand new and just being introduced northern exposure will suffice if nothing to cultivation. else is available. The important point is The imaginative use of bulbs, corms to provide the coolest temperature short and tubers in pots to enliven the alpine of freezing so that the blooms will house or pit house during the winter emerge at the appropriate moment and months is one of the indelible impres• will last as long as possible. If the bulb sions one takes home from a visit to the pans are brought into a warm room and gardens at Wisley, Kew, Edinburgh or exposed to a lot of direct sunlight their Munich, or to one of the English or period of bloom will be shortened com- European alpine plant nurseries. mensurately. At Wisley on a February weekend the Beside the aesthetic and decorative alpine house is filled with enthusiasts of pleasures given by pots of bulbs in bloom all ages drinking in the harbingers of in the house, for the hardy bulbs there spring that are spread before them; a is much to be said for the practice of Lucullan feast for the plantsman and a potting bulbs for the first year and then joy to anyone who has the least interest placing them out in the garden the fol• in the beauties of nature. lowing autumn. By following this prac• Of course part of the charm is the fact tice the species is easily observable and that the pot of that rare colchicum species one gets to know its habits intimately. is placed between a pan of Jankaea The excitement of the emergence as heldreichii on the one hand and a large growth begins is followed by an aware• bun of Gypsophila aretioides caucasica ness of the particular bulb's characteris• on the other. Or the profusion of bloom tics. Will it ever flower? Do the flowers in the pot of Iris histrioides major is seen precede the leaves or vice-versa? What to advantage when flanked by a dwarf will the flowers look like? The leaves narcissus, Saxifraga grisebachii and a and flowers of Bulbocodium vernum host of Aretian Androsaces. unfold simultaneously in orderly fashion. While only a few twice-blessed magi• Scilla tubergeniana emerges surrealistic-

192 ally in full flower from the surface of each year until one divides them and its pot with barely a leaf in sight. The gives the new division a year to regain pot of Cyclamen cyprium is suddenly its former vigor. Some of the choice filled with blossoms overnight and one dwarf narcissus species may not survive waits patiently to find out what the leaves being planted out from Zone 5 northward are like. and here there is no substitute for trial The apotheosis of flowering is also a and error. For those bulbs that require most varied and intriguing experience. a summer baking one cannot leave them Crocus blossoms are constantly in motion in the garden with our summer climate during the day: tightly furled in the and one must be prepared to put them morning, opening gradually as the day under glass in full sun where the pans progresses, invitingly widespread and re• can become thoroughly frizzled. ceptive in mid-day, then prudently clos• The worst problem with bulbs is that ing again in late afternoon. A boldly they have to be found and paid for. The striped variety such as Crocus biflorus next problem is to decide what bulbs are 'Alexandri' or Crocus chrysanthus 'Lady of particular interest given the number Killer' or Crocus minimus presents a of genera involved and the myriad of different aspect at each stage — three species and varieties. blossoms in one — every day, for as For the past two seasons we've kept a long as a month if it is cool enough. bulb bloom-list at Stonecrop noting the The intimate appreciation thus gained initial flowering dates and the duration of the bulbs' habits, height, coloring and of flowering. Interestingly enough the duration of bloom will prove invaluable flowering times in each of the two sea• when it comes to placing them in the sons were quite different until late March garden the next autumn. Those species but the pattern, succession and duration that tend to be leggy can be placed ap• of bloom were much the same. We're propriately while the dwarfer varieties still not clear as to just what made the are saved for the choicest site in the difference but presumably it had to do scree. It will be clear that some species with the bulbs' response to moisture and are best planted as specimens or in twos temperature. and threes in a rocky niche. Others are A bloom list is a handy thing to have. naturals for mass planting such as the There are some bulbs that bloom for a Chrysanthus hybrids and CC. angusti- very long time while others are fugacious, folius (susianus) and sieberi. a kind of flash in the pan so to speak. The majority of bulbs seem to flower We have found that there are about a just as well the second year, whether dozen or so trusty, long-flowering species left in their pots or planted out. Of that yield the greatest rewards for our course some bulbs are best renewed year• efforts. There are also some of the more ly, whether in pots or otherwise, such as fleeting varieties that we can't be without Iris danfordiae, which seems never to because we find them irresistible. It is recover its initial bloom but splits ir- probably best to review these bulbs in ritatingly into a myriad of bulblets that the chronological order of their bloom. then annually put up leaves and nothing Colchicum agrippinum is indispens• else. It is sufficiently inexpensive and able and starts off the season for enjoy• beautiful however to warrant the annual ing bulbs. With us the blooms begin at renewal. the end of August and last well into Others, such as the Juno Irises, will October, never failing to stop one as one multiply but with less dramatic blossoms walks by. Pleasantly chequered, and fol-

193 lowed by short, broad, bluish-green, pink or silvery-grey markings on their undulate leaves, the flowers are pinkish upper surface. lilac with pointed segments that open Cyclamen neapolitanum (or hederi- flatly to a wide funnel shape. Its origin folium as it is now called) is a much is not known but it is probably a hybrid more familiar species and is one of the or clone of Colchicum variegatum, which few species that can be grown outdoors species is found in the Eastern Aegean in northeastern American gardens. Its Islands and Western Turkey up to 4500 availability in no way lessens its charm feet and which, alas, is not readily avail• or beauty, however, and there is always able in cultivation. In the garden Colch• the hope that a seedling will turn out to icum agrippinum is said to prefer a be a distinctive and appealing form of dryer and sunnier and more sheltered this highly variable species. location than most Colchicums. The autumn-flowering Crocus are an• Colchicum sibthorpii (latifolium) is other mainstay of October. Crocus another interesting chequered autumnal banaticus, which is also known as C. species. It grows in profusion in the byzantinus, and C. iridiflorus, hails from mountains of Attica in Greece. Roumania and grows in moist meadows Contemporaneously with colchicum the and woodlands. The distinctive habit of autumn-flowering cyclamens come to life, its long outer segments flopping out• after enjoying a dry, mid-summer rest wards in full sun while its shorter inner period, and begin that happy progression segments remain erect give it an iris-like that keeps our interest up until the fol• appearance. Its flowers vary from white lowing May with a new species blooming to deep purple with its pinkish forms almost every month. particularly attractive. Cyclamen cilicium blooms at Stone- Crocus medius is a highly satisfactory crop from late August into November, autumn bloomer, a lot dwarfer and its elegant lilac-veined flowers giving off choicer in my opinion than its contem• a honeyed scent reminiscent of its home• poraries Crocus sativus and speciosus land in the coniferous forests of south• which tend to get rather leggy. It is western Turkey. A variety commonly generally similar to sativus in its colour• (but not botanically) known as variety ing and has a brilliant red style that "alpinum" is one of the smallest of all contrasts well with its yellow anthers. In the cyclamens and an unending source of keeping with the environment of its pleasure. It was found by E. K. Balls southern French and northern Italian among limestone rocks at Burujik near habitat it thrives best of kept somewhat Asia Minor in 1934. The whitish flowers dry in summer. are half the size of cilicium and are Around the first of November Crocus distinguished by a pale grey veining, laevigatus fontenayi comes into bloom beautifully set off against the scalloped- and keeps plugging away into January, edged, kidney-shaped, brownish-green one of the two or three bulbs that wish leaves. Unfortunately variety "alpinum" us a Merry Christmas and Happy New has no scent. Year. Not only does it bloom its head off Another related species is Cyclamen but it increases readily so that one soon mirabile, which blooms for us from mid- has several pots of different-sized bulbs September into early December and growing on for the future. Though C. I. which is delightful. Quite similar to fontenayi does perfectly well planted out cilicium it is distinguished by its kidney- doors, if its winter blooming habit is to shaped leaves with a median zone of be enjoyed indoor treatment is, of course,

194 necessary. Its feathery orange stigmata, first bloom that carries with it a whiff of white anthers and yellow throat are a spring. In keeping with its North African cheery sight when the wind is howling background it thrives on a summer bak• and the snow beginning to fall. Remem• ing and blooms into early March, its ber that it is endemic to Greece and needs pale yellow flowers a harbinger of the that summer baking to do its thing. Narcissus bulbocodium group to follow A week to ten days after Crocus from nivalis to remieuxii to tenuifolius. laevigatus fontenayi appears on the scene a friendly if tousled species, in appear• ance roughly somewhere between colch- icum and bulbocodium, pokes its head sheepishly above the pebbly surface of its pot and then proceeds to hang around until early March — that is four long months — the longest blooming bulb of the lot. I started out with a rather pa• tronising attitude towards Merendera trigyna often passing it by or cutting it dead. Over the years, however, I've be• come emotionally attached to this fraz• zled waif and discovered that it is a true friend with a heart-of-gold despite the fact that it looks hung over much of the time, especially on New Year's morn• ing. The thing is Merendera has no illusions. It's aware of its homeliness and has developed that inner peace that comes from accepting oneself the way one is Merendera trigyna and not giving a damn that all sorts of alluring good-lookers are about to burst Within a week after New Year's Day on the scene in mid-February. Now I'm signs of life invariably appear in the hooked by Merendera's ingratiating ways many winter and early spring flowering and by its disheveled cheerfulness during varieties of the Cyclamen coum and the dog days of winter and the most vernum group. In most cases the buds of extraordinary thing is that when I began these cyclamen lie formed but furled to care about it I swear I noticed a re• waiting for January to pass by. In the sponse and an extra effort to shine on case of Cyclamen ibericum, however, its part. But perhaps I am just dazzled there is no such hesitancy and by mid- by the luminous soul that lurks within January its attractive pink flowers with its swollen corm and that responds so their pale purple "eyes" are beginning to well and so gratefully to a thorough dance just above its silvery heart-shaped baking in summer to remind it of its leaves preparing to bloom away until native haunts in Turkey and Iran and well into April. We have had pans of Daghestan. Cyclamen ibericum at Stonecrop un• The third bulb to tide us over the touched since the early 1960's that bloom holidays is Narcissus cantabricus mono- brilliantly every year. In terms of abun• phyllus, which starts blooming at Stone- dance and duration of flowers no other crop in mid-December and which is the winter cyclamen can touch it and one is

195 in need of colour in January to tide one Crocus corsicus is another short-lived over until the glories of the crocus flush beauty and is native to the rocky hillsides in mid-February. of Corsica. Its outer segments are a pale At this point it becomes harder to pick lilac buff heavily feathered with purple, favorites or even to keep track of what while its inner segments are lilac-mauve, is coming into bloom. In the Stonecrop with the scarlet style and yellow anthers pit house the crocus bloom from early set against a whitish or pale lilac throat. February to mid-March with the chrysan• One of the best of the lot, it blooms in thus and sieberi varieties winning the the pit house at Cold Spring from Feb• longevity race every time. They are easy, ruary 21 to March 7 and requires a inexpensive and unbeatable. What more drying out in summer. can one ask? Crocus minimus is also endemic to The first crocus to fulfill its promise Corsica and related to Crocus corsicus; in the spring is Crocus sieberi and it but it often has completely dark purple looks as well in a pan as it does in the outer segments much as in the case of garden where it naturalizes more readily C. chrysanthus 'Ladykiller' or biflorus than any other crocus. Easy as pie in 'Alexandri'. (In all three it is a show- cultivation it is found wild in the Greek stopper combination.) However, C. min• islands and mainland and in Crete with imus, as one might expect, is half the the common form originating in the size of the other two. Again, bake it well. mountains of Attica and Mount Parn• What a sight the flora of Corsica must assus. be in early spring with those two species Crocus chrysanthus is found wild in running up high in the mountains and Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey Morisia monantha sheeting the rocky while Crocus biflorus ranges in variable beaches. forms from Italy to the Caucasus. Most Crocus scardicus, found near melting of the chrysanthus hybrids have resulted snows in the high mountain pastures of from crossing the two species. One of southern Yugoslavia, is a luminous yel• the most attractive variations of biflorus low-orange. I don't know when or for is Crocus weldenii, from Dalmatia, a how long it blooms since I haven't yet delicately coloured, stellar performer but, been able to obtain it. alas, one that is not as long-lived as the Once the crocus are under way the others. bulbous iris are not far behind and here Other crocus that stand out among the the longest single bloomer is that old myriad species include Crocus alatavicus, faithful Iris histrioides major which lasts a rare, expensive and choice species in• for almost a month from February 15 to ducing patience in the grower as one March 12. Wild in Asia Minor and north• waits for the bulbs to multiply. The west Persia, Patrick Synge has likened it whitish flowers are stippled with greyish- to a sturdy little blue oak with its squat blue. This lovely bulb is found in the habit and large horizontal flowers which Ala-Tau Mountains near Tashkent and in have the grace to bloom before any the Pamir-Altai Mountains and, in our leaves get in the way. Used for hybridis• humid clime, insists on the parched bak• ing with Iris reticulata, its most inter• ing in summer that is characteristic of its esting hybrid form is Iris 'Katherine homeland. With us it blooms from about Hodgkin', the result of a deliberate cross February 15 to March 7, but its beauty made in E. B. Anderson's garden in 1955 is such that we are grateful for every with Iris danfordiae as the pollen parent. bit of this short glimpse of Central Asia. This choice iris should be repotted reg-

196 ularly since, like its parents, it divides the greatest and longest show. Narcissus into many small bulblets that need to be asturiensis (minimus), an eary inde• grown on to flowering size. structible minuscule trumpet daffodil The Iris reticulata forms are colorful that never fails to give its all and which and, while any given form does not blooms from February 18 to March 20; bloom for as long a time as Iris his- the distinctive Narcissus cyclamineus, trioides, by planting all the varieties one which blooms from February 18 to can achieve a succession of bloom over March 25; and the tiny jonquil Nar• a longer period. 'Springtime' and 'Clair- cissus rupicola with its solitary deep ette' are early bloomers, 'Wentworth' and yellow flowers that is found up to 6000 'Cantab' follow and 'Harmony', 'Jeanine' feet in the wild and which blooms from and 'J. S. Dijt' complete the cycle, which March 12 to April 12 under glass in lasts for four weeks at Stonecrop. Cold Spring. The most thrilling of all the bulbous iris that we have tried is Iris 'Sindpers', a hybrid of the Juno Section developed by Van Tubergen between Iris sindjar en- sis and Iris persica. The bulbs are enor• mous and require a deep standard pot and intensive summer baking. The blooms last for only ten days, usually in the first half of March, but the impact of their low, four to six inch wide pale, irridescent azure blue standards with yellowish-green and orange markings on the falls is an unforgetable sight. Iris 'Sindpers' is easier and more satisfactory in cultivation than either parent and we find that it increases slowly but surely and benefits from division every third year. Unfortunately its rarity makes it very expensive. We hope to have surplus bulbs for distribution at Stonecrop in Iris 'Sindpers' 1980. Both parents come from Asia Minor, especially Iraq and Iran. Iris winogradowii, a rare and beautiful I'd like to conclude by reviewing a few species that grows in the Caucasus near less well-known species and genera that Tiflis, is one that hasn't yet bloomed for seem to give pleasure in the rush of us under glass. It is said to be very hardy spring in the world of bulbs under glass. so we are trying it outside this winter in Chionodoxa sardensis from the An• hopes of success. atolian mountains of Turkey is inexpen• With the advent of the dwarf narcissi sive and worth seeking out. Rare in in mid-February we know that the bulb cultivation it has a deeper blue than the season under glass has begun to run its more commonly used varieties. course and that we soon will be examin• Hyacinthella dalmatica is a perennial ing the garden to see how it has come favorite at Stonecrop. Most of the species through the winter. In the pit house we in this genus have been included in have found that three varities provide Hyacinthus or Bellevalia in the past.

197 Found on the limestone 'karsts' of Dal- C. ambigua. Growing about six inches matia near Dubrovnik we are surprised tall, it has, in its best forms, blossoms of it is not more generally available. Rupert sky blue (not unlike those of C. cash• Barneby says that it is as hardy as nails meriana.) They can also, alas, be of in our climate. Its subtly shaded bright various shades of muddy mauve and from mid-blue spikes give much pleasure in the seed one can never be sure whether one first weeks of April. We are hoping in has a treasure or a dowd until it blooms. time to grow surplus stock from seed. It is, on the whole, an easier plant than Ornithogalum balansae is one of the C. cashmeriana and does well in a pot in more attractive members of the genus the alpine house and, I understand, in growing no higher than four inches. It is cool, peaty situations in shade in the found in the Pontic Alps, blooms under garden. glass for most of March, and should be Corydalis diphylla is another Asian used more widely in gardens. species; in this instance found up to Scilla tubergeniana (or mischtschen- 12,000 feet in the mountains of north• koana) is neither rare nor overly expen• western China and the western Himalayas. sive but is certainly one of the ten best With us it thrived under glass but suc• bulbs for growing in the garden or under cumbed when placed in the garden since glass. Found in northwestern Persia and it probably needs a dry summer dor• the southern Caucasus its flowers open mancy. as they emerge from the ground and are Corydalis ochroleuca is an easy, hardy rather similar to Pushkinia scilloides. But species from the countries bordering the we find it far more attractive than the Adriatic and makes a fine mass of dis• latter with its very pale bluish-white sected leaves and long-lived flowers flowers with narrow central band down twelve inches high in the shade garden the center of the back of each perianth or the partly shaded border. It is also segment. No garden should be without it. delightful as a young plant under glass Under glass at Stonecrop it blooms from with its clean refreshing racemes of yel• February 12 to March 7. low and white flowers. Even though Anemone blanda 'White Corydalis solida is a popular and Splendor' gets rather leggy under glass easily grown species that grows through• and does not show itself to advantage, it out much of Europe with variably col• has to be included in this sort of review oured flowers. Taxonomists differ on as one of the great tuberous plants for whether it is synonymous with Corydalis the garden. Planted in full sun in as bulbosa or Corydalis cava, but there is large a mass as possible it is irresistible. no argument about its beautiful form, And this brings us finally to Corydalis, known as transsilvanica, a charming another tuberous-rooted genus that is plant with pinkish terra cotta flowers. It ideal for growing under glass. was found in Roamania and provides a Corydalis cashmeriana, if one can ob• striking bit of color in the alpine house. tain a tuber, grows readily and happily It took me five years to get a tuber and under alpine house conditions. At Brank- then it was inadvertently heaved out lyn near Perth, Scotland, it relishes the while dormant in the belief it had died. cool damp, peaty, partly shaded condi• For the past three years I've been back tions of that superb garden and, under on the waiting list, to no avail so far. the impression that it is still in the Corydalis wilsonii from central China Himalayas, seeds itself about profusely. with its canary yellow flowers and fine A very attractive Japanese species is bluish-gray foliage is another gem and

198 one that we see more and more on the what paler than Corydalis cashmeriana, show bench in the U.S. a delphinium rather than an electric blue. At the beginning of this review there When we got back to our agreeable was a reference to a plant that is just hotel in Ordzhonikidze I looked through being introduced to cultivation. what literature I had with me and an• One of our excursions in the Caucasus nounced that we had seen Corydalis in recent summers took us up the Ardon caucasica. I mentioned this to John Wat• River gorge to the Tzei Valley on a side son on our way back home and, sub• range on the northern flank of the Cen• sequently, he was kind enough to send tral Caucasus. Known as the "Pearl of me the references to Corydalis caucasica, the Caucasus", Tzei is one of the princi• conorhiza and alpestris from the Turkish pal mountaineering centers in that im• flora. He wrote that the description of pressive series of mountain ranges and is the plant "set his pulses racing" in hopes surrounded by four great peaks which rise that it would turn out to be Corydalis to about 15,000 feet. The cliffs flanking alpestris (and I quote) "a marvelous the glacier that pours into the Skazky species that we badly need in cultivation, Valley, one of the two terminuses of the and I, for one, shall remain restless until Tzei Valley, were skirted with Rhodo• we get it." dendron caucasicum and abounded with From the references in the Turkish many forms of Primula amoena and with flora I have no doubt that this plant is in Primula bayernii of the Nivalis Section. fact Corydalis alpestris and that it will While scrambling back down the scree respond to the same treatment as Cory• to make our rendezvous for the home• dalis cashmeriana. If the tubers survive ward trip I slipped and sat down un• their period of debriefing in the Ingwer- expectedly. Being rather myopic, it was sen nursery then there will in fact be a only from this undignified position that very new bulb, or rather tuber, in cultiva• I noticed that the entire scree was dotted tion eventually, one that should ultimate• with a tiny corydalis similar to but some• ly give us all some joy.

Callirhoe Involucrata This is a minor postscript to Timmy Foster's article on Callirhoe involucrata in the Bulletin: Volume 35, p. 74. August 1978 for the first time we saw C. involucrata in glowing color in Henry Fuller's garden. (Perhaps the plant is not better known because we all do little garden visiting during the summer.) Two small transplants, moved to our rock garden, behaved like puppies and died without blooming, but a lurking seed produced one healthy seedling the following year — spring of 1979. It grew and grew and grew and bloomed and bloomed and bloomed. There were often fifty blossoms at a time. We explored the 1977 Seed List to find there were three donors of Callirhoe involucrata seed that year. This note is to alert interested readers of the Bulletin that we plan to collect our seeds for the Seed Exchange in order that many of you can grow this gay floriferous charmer. —Dorothea De Vault, Monroe, Connecticut

199 In Praise of Daphne arbuscula

DR. ALEXEJ B. BORKOVEC Silver Spring, Maryland

Dr. Borkovec has offered a proposal larger and possibly ancient specimens to help us familiarize ourselves with un• occur in the small region of Czechoslo• usual but not difficult plants and we are vakia to which this plant is endemic. glad to try to put it into effect. The From a central rootstock rise numerous Bulletin will welcome brief articles of reddish brown stems bearing toward their one to two pages (double spaced typing) ends small, shiny, dark green, leathery, about plants seldom grown in our gar• lanceolate leaves that persist for several dens yet not of difficult culture. The years. Because new growth starts from format for such an article should include the center of the plant, the overall ap• a description of the plant: its habit, pearance is that of a dark green mound. foliage, flowers, and fruit, if any; its Lilac, strongly fragrant flowers are in native habitat when possible; its culture terminal heads that cover the entire bush- in your garden; propagation methods, let for about two weeks in April. How• and a short paragraph of comments ever, smaller clusters of flowers keep about its use, special charms, or prob• appearing for nine or ten weeks there• lems, if any. Pictures, preferably black after, occasionally until November. Seed and white photographs or line drawings, capsules form and drop off so soon after would add considerably to the value of flowering that seed is difficult to collect. such articles. In my garden, located in the Maryland The author should, of course, be thor• suburbs of Washington, D.C., D. arbus• oughly familiar with the plant in ques• cula thrives equally well in acid or tion and have grown it for several alkaline soil consisting of crushed stone, seasons and should be certain that it is loam, and leaf mold (3:1:1), but always identified by its correct name. You exposed to a minimum of six hours of should not worry over much, however, sunlight. (It is also completely hardy in about whether it will grow as easily in northwestern Connecticut where it has other gardens as it does for you. Your withstood temperatures of —20°F. with name and address at the top of the ar• no snow cover or other protection -— Ed.) ticle will give readers a clue as to where It dislikes being crowded by other plants it does do well and they should be able and prefers a somewhat elevated open to take it from there using the hints sup• location with a free flow of air. Estab• plied by your cultural advice. lished plants are exceptionally tolerant Dr. Borkovec s own article on Daphne of heat, high humidity, and drought as arbuscula is an excellent example of the well as winter wetness and subfreezing kind of thing we want. — Ed. temperatures. However, heavy wet snow may cause considerable damage by Daphne arbuscula is one of the small• splitting or breaking older branches. est daphnes in this large genus of orna• Although propagation from seed is mental shrubs. My oldest, ten year old possible and reportedly easy, my only plant is 15 cm. tall (6 inches) and 25 experience is with cuttings. Except for cm. wide (10 inches), though much the fresh green wood, 4 to 8 cm. (l1/^ to

200 3 inch) long cuttings can be taken with pots should then be gradually introduced or without a heel in spring, summer, or to full sun and watered regularly. In early fall and kept for five to six weeks three to four weeks, the plants can be in a closed cold frame or, more reliably, transferred to their permanent location in a small box covered with a polyethyl• where they will flower the next year. ene sheet. In such a box, sharp sand is In my garden, D. arbuscula is one of a perfect medium requiring only one the easiest and most satisfying of small initial soaking with water. It should be shrubs, impervious to insects and dis• kept out of the direct sun. Strong, but eases. Perhaps its only drawback is the brittle, fleshy roots form rapidly with or somewhat ordinary color of its flowers. without the use of a rooting compound, However, since the Czech botanist Halda but great care must be taken not to has described several more exciting color damage these when the rooted cuttings variations, there is a hope of obtaining are transplanted from the sand to small even better forms of this outstanding pots filled with regular soil mixture. The plant.

• • • of Cabbages and Kings • • •

Here in the Northern Hemisphere the Herbaceous perennials lose not only their sun has been steadily slipping south as leaves but also their soft top growth, the summer advances and now its rays though not as spectacularly. In some it are less direct, temperatures are grad• dies away completely leaving only a ually sinking and the days draw in. To resting bud at or beneath soil level; in this cooling and shortening of daylight others the leaves and stems retreat to a hours the inhabitants of the plant world winter rosette close to the ground where respond according to their kind. it is out of the wind and can receive Annual plants, having bloomed and some remnant warmth from the earth set and scattered the seed of future gen• and, in most seasons, protection of win• erations, will shrivel to dry husks with ter snow. the first hard frosts, their brief life span Though evergreens do not reduce the over, but perennial plants, in order to surface from which transpiration takes survive the cold months, are preparing place, some change the color of their for winter dormancy. leaves in winter. These may turn darker Many reduce transpiration by discard• or redden with anthocyanin, which per• ing the lush green leaves they produced mits them to absorb more readily the in spring to take advantage of the long, warmth of the sun's weak rays. warm, sunny days of summer for essen• Both evergreen plants and those that tial photosynthesis. Here in New Eng• reduce their above ground tissues must land, deciduous trees and shrubs flame make additional adjustments in order to briefly in mid-October with the phoenix- survive the icy blasts of winter, however. fire of autumn. The conflagration spreads They "harden off", a complicated proc• from the cooler lowland swamps until ess entailing physical and chemical the hills, too, catch fire and burn scarlet, changes within the cells. The protoplasm crimson and gold before the leaves fall — the essential substance of the cell •—• like spent embers to the ground below. develops low structural viscosity to better

201 withstand the deformation of freezing erence : those in print, from his bookstore and the cell walls themselves become or directly from the publishers; those no more permeable to permit the rapid re- longer in print, from second-hand book• sorption of water from melting inter• stores or book finders. He should borrow cellular ice crystals. The free water from his friends, his lending library, or content of the tissues decreases and there the ARGS-PHS Library Service those is an increase in the soluble proteins and books he wishes to examine for possible sugars, which act as an anti-freeze, in the purchase, or check through, but not sap. There are, in addition, small in• necessarily own. (The newly published creases in osmotic pressures within the Brooklyn Botanic Handbook on Rock cells, which may enable them to more Gardening, written by ARGS members, readily absorb moisture from frozen soil. contains a list of useful rock-gardening All these techniques increase the plant's books — order it from your ARGS ability to withstand dessication as well Store.) In addition to collecting books, as frost. It is essential that plant tissue he should send to the advertisers in our stay moist if the plant is to remain vi• Bulletin for their catalogs, which fre• able. This is one reason a snow cover is quently make for informative and ex• so helpful to wintering plants. citing reading during the non-gardening But in addition to these ploys that help months, and he should send in orders for the plants withstand the winter months, those new plants he wishes to try. He other more long range preparations are should buy Bernard Harkness's Seed List going forward. Growth buds, wrapped in Handbook from Your ARGS Store and protective layers of scales, sometimes check in it those seeds we wishes so he'll waxed, varnished, or wooly to retain be ready to send in his order as soon as moisture in the vital tissues, are being the lists arrive from the seed exchanges. formed in readiness for the next growing Those fortunate enough to have a file of season, and food is being stored in roots back copies of the Bulletin, should get and overwintering stems and leaves in them down from the attic and dust them preparation for the resurgence of spring. off. They make wonderful winter and And just so the gardener, too, must bedside reading and are full of useful look ahead. In addition to cleaning and first-hand information. And he should putting away his tools, battening down always keep that pencil and paper handy the storm windows, renewing the wood• for taking notes. pile, and getting the winter woolies out Now that Autumn is here — Prepare of moth balls, he should prepare for the for Spring. next season of growth. While the garden is dormant and, with luck, muffled in Note on Robin Hill Azaleas snow, he should not settle into indolent waiting. Winter is the time to store his Dorothea De Vault of Easton, Con• mind with information about new plants necticut sends in this added note concern• to try. ing Robin Hill Azaleas: In the waning days of autumn the In the Winter issue of the Bulletin, gardener should start collecting beside 1980, George W. Ring in his fine article his easy chair: paper and well sharpened "Small Rhododendrons and Azaleas for pencils for taking notes, books for refer• the Mid-South" includes Robert Gart- ence, and plant lists and catalogs. He rell's Robin Hill hybrids. should try to track down those books he Fortunately no one told us they were wants in his library for permanent ref• good plants for the Mid-South, otherwise

202 we might never have planted them in our red; 'Frosty', one of Lee's favorites; Easton, Connecticut rhododendron gar• 'Mme. Mab Chalon' and 'Antoine', no den where they seem to be reliably description but whose adjectives, Mr. hardy. George Lee sold us our Robin Gatrell's or Mr. Lee's, we do not know. Hills and was to gather a collection of However, the diary comments, "Like the best for us but since his death we 'them all." have failed to acquire more. The flowers are unusually large but We agree with Mr. Ring that 'Nancy what pleases us most is their late bloom• of Robin HilP is one of the best. The ing habit into the first week of June. notes in our garden diary describe others I must add a sad note. The population we own: 'White Noon', flowers three and explosion of the Connecticut deer herd a half inches; 'Glendora', delft rose; has accomplished a decided pruning job 'Watchet', ruffled pink; 'Laura More- on our azaleas, so of late we scarcely see land', dawn pink; 'Lady Louise', empire a bloom on our Robin Hill beauties.

CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS? Please send prompt notification of change of address to the Secretary, Donald M. Peach, Rte. 1 Box 282, Mena, Ark. 71953 If you do not do so we must charge you for the additional postage needed to forward Bulletins and notices returned to us because of non-delivery at your former address.

Grower of F0XB0R0UGH NURSERY ROCK PLANTS, HERBS PERENNIALS growers of ANNUALS Dwarf & Unusual Large Selection No Catalog CONIFERS and BROADLEAFS All Plants for Sale at Nursery Only by appointment only SAMUEL F. BRIDGE, JR. W. David Thompson 437 North Street Greenwich, Conn. 06830 3611 Miller Rd. Street, Md. 21154

Surplus to Breeders Requirements: COENOSIUM GARDENS HYBRID PLEIONES Many rare and unusual conifers will become in full colour range including available from my collection this fall. Both Dwarf and Standard Plants will be propogated. PLEIONE SHANTUNG Send one 150 stamp for an availability list Yellow and Apricot Forms from £20 per bulb and ordering information. International Reply Coupon for details from ROBERT FINCHAM DR. D. J. HARBERD 425 N. Fifth St. 29 FOXHILL CRESCENT Lehighton, PA 18235 WEETWOOD, LEEDS LSI 6 5PD (215-377-1495) ENGLAND

203 HOLIDAYS FOR FLOWER LOVERS A 1981 PREVIEW

Some of the holidays outlined below combine an interest in sites and flowers while others are primarily for gardeners and botanists. All are suitably accom• panied. Full details, with final dates, prices and names of tour leaders, will be available in October. Please do write or telephone and you will receive the infor• mation directly it is available. JORDAN & SYRIA—17 March to 1 April Although the itinerary of this tour is planned round archaeological sites and cru• sader castles, it should be emphasised that the wild flowers in spring can present an outstanding spectacle, and that plenty of time is allowed to enjoy and photo• graph them. Places visited include Amman, Jerash, Petra (where three nights are spent) Madaba, Kerak, Oamascus, Palmyra, Aleppo, Qala't Sema'n, the Krak des Chevaliers and Bosra. GREECE—The Peloponnese—25 March to 9 April An equal stress is laid on sites and flowers on this holiday, which covers the coun• tryside of the Morea from Athens as far as Pylos in the south-west corner, and the mountains in between. A tour of NORTHERN GREECE is also planned, highlighting Olympus and Parnassus, from 29 April to 13 May. RURAL TURKEY—15 to 31 May This original holiday is of equal interest to those who enjoy visiting new places and sites and to flower and country-lovers. The first two days are spent in Istanbul at a hotel on the Bosphorus, then on to Lake Abant, Ankara, Bogaskoy and Akseray from which we explore the Peristrema Valley. Here, in a long, narrow gorge, are to be seen painted rock-cut churches of about the same period of those at Goreme and where, in the opinion of many, the art is of an even higher quality. This wild, scenic country should provide a fine variety of botanical specimens and splendid photographs. The tour ends at Bursa, with its fine mosques and attractive market plus, as a bonus, rare plants on nearby Ulu Dag. A tour of SOUTHEAST TURKEY is planned for later in the year. ZIMBABWE—July/August A three-week holiday of special interest to mountain flower enthusiasts includes a week in the Eastern Highlands of Inyanga and Vumba, a stay in the Bumi Hills near Kariba and two days at the truly remarkable Zimbabwe ruins at Fort Victoria. We also visit the Victoria Falls, Bulawayo with its fine museum and Salisbury. A recent tour of exploration has shown that hotels are good (some excellent) and the coun• tryside superb. HOLIDAYS FOR ALPINE GARDENERS—May and June/July These cover the Spanish Pyrenees, the Swiss Alps and the Dolomites in Italy and, further afield, South Africa in September and treks in Nepal and Kashmir. FAIRWAYS & SWINFORD (TRAVEL) LTD., 37 Abbey Road, St. John's Wood, London NW8 OBY, England Telephone 01 624 9352

204 THE CUMMINS GARDEN DWARF RHODODENDRONS YES, We Ship! DECIDUOUS AZALEAS Custom Propagating DWARF EVERGREENS Catalog 50tf COMPANION PLANTS (Refundable With Order) Phone (201) 536-2591 22 Robertsville Road Marlboro, NJ 07746

ST0NECR0P NURSERIES Cold Spring, NY 10516 (Just off Rte. 301—between Rte. 9 & Taconic)

Offering a wide selection of Alpine plants and wildflowers for the Rock Garden and Alpine House; Trough Gardens; Unusual Perennials and Dwarf Shrubs. Cash and Carry—No Catalogue By Appointment only—914-265-2000 Display Gardens and Alpine House Frank Cabot (914-265-3533) Sara Faust—Mgr. (914-223-3419)

Hardy Named SEMPERVIVUMS SEDUMS WASHINGTON WILDFL0WER JOVIBARBA & ROSULARIA SAFARI Red. Pink, Purple, Blue & Gold New American Hybrids—Imports from Europe See the fabulous wildflowers of the Wholesale and Retail CASCADES and OLYMPICS with Pro• OAKHILL GARDENS fessional Naturalist I960 Cherry Knoll Road Dallas, Oregon 97338 BRAD'S TOURS (Same location—new address) 401 E Mercer #31 E CATALOG—25^ Seattle, WA 98102 Visitors Welcome — Picnic Area — Garden Clubs welcome (please by appointment) WE SHIP AGAIN THE AMERICAN Helen E. & Slim Payne PENSTEMON SOCIETY

Cordially invites you to join its growing list PLANT JEWELS OF THE of enthusiastic members. HIGH COUNTRY If you are interested in Penstemons, you will be interested in the activities of the Sempervivums and Sedums society. Write to the Secretary, by Helen E. Payne Orville M. Steward 111 Full Color Photographs Autographed Copies $8.50 P.O. Box 450, Briarcliffe Manor New York 10501 Shipping Charge $1.00 for Particulars

205 PLANTS FOR THE CONNOISSEUR DWARF CONIFERS—for troughs and rock garden that will not outgrow their site in a short time. JAPANESE MAPLES—only the finest are grown. Dwarf in growth—exquisite foliage. The above for mailorder or pickup. CATALOGUE 50< The following for pickup only. ROCK PLANTS—ALPINE HOUSE PLANTS—DWARF RHODODENDRON Many rarities in quantities too small to list are available to those willing to visit the nursery and extensive rock gardens. By appointment only on Tuesdays—Saturdays and Sundays, call 516-MA 3-7810 after 8:00 PM. JOEL W. SPINGARN 1535 FOREST AVE. BALDWIN, N.Y. 11510

Rock Plants, Alpines, Dwarf Conifers, BEAUTIFUL—COLORFUL Dwarf Shrubs etc. Many Rare SEMPERYIVUM (Hen and Chicks) "Get Acquainted Special" Hardy Semps are great decor for between rock edgings, borders, containers 6 Hardy Sedums Labeled $3.50 Postpaid Send 50c (coin or stamps) for Descriptive Rock Plant Catalog 50i descriptive listing COLVIN GARDENS RAKESTRAW'S PERENNIAL GARDENS R.R. n, Box 272 3094 S. Term St., Burton, Michigan 48529 Nashville, Ind. 47448

ORCHID GARDENS ALPENFLORA GARDENS Over 150 Native Plants, Ferns, Club-mosses 1798540th Ave., Surrey, B.C. Shrubs, Ground Covers, offered in our Canada V3S 4N8 New list in 78; many new & rare plants, Copyrighted Wildflower Culture Catalog. colorful primroses, many dwarf & species Send 50c for your copy irises, alpines, floriferous rockery plants, All plants carefully dug and expertly choice perennials, ornamental grafted trees, packed to arrive in top condition evergreens, rhododendrons, ground covers, miniature roses. Mr. and Mrs. Clair Phillips 6700 Splithand Road Buy Canadian, U.S. $ at premium! Quality plants in 4" pots; Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744 quantity discounts Sorry we cannot accept foreign orders Open weekends & holidays only

An unrivaled selection of over 700 alpines and rock garden plants, including 100 Northwest natives and 60 rock ferns . .. JSfSKIYOlT RARE PLANT JSfURSER^T CATALOG—$1.00 Sorry we cannot accept Canadian or Foreign orders J. Cobb Colley Baldassare Mineo 2825 Cummings Road, Medford, Oregon 97501 Phone: (503) 772-6846

206 THE ROCK GARDEN Maine Hardy Plants ROCKNOJLJL

Choice Cultivars — Uncommon Species Send for our special list of Grown and Mailed in Peat-lite Rock Plants, Perennials, Shrubs and Evergreens New Varieties Annually Seedlings from Several Exchanges 'Free List ... We Ship and other European Sources 'Attention — Eleanor or Belden Saur Many Ericas and Callunas ROCKNOLL NURSERY Mail Order Catalog 40* 9210 U.S. 50 — Hillsboro, Ohio 45133 LITCHFIELD, MAINE 04350

UNUSUAL SEED Over a thousand different species, Dwarf Evergreens many collected in the wild. Uncommon Trees * PLUS • BARNHAVEN PRIMROSES Visitors Welcome Displays Labeled Browsing Encouraged Seed & Transplants 1980 Catalog $1.00 (deductible) Please send a stamp or two for our list listing seeds from every (No shipping) continent in the world. DILATUSH NURSERY FAR NORTH GARDENS 780 Rte. 130 15621AR Auburndale Livonia, Ml 48154 Robbinsville, N.J. 08691

WATNONG NURSERY "PLANTS FOR DRY SUNNY AREAS The place to find some AND THOSE SHADY CORNERS" "HARD TO FIND" PLANTS Groundcovers, Alpines, Wildflowers and Gayluuaeia brachyeva Succulents in variety Dwarf Conifers, LeiophyHum, dwarf & low Catalog — 50c growing Rhododendrons, R. yakusianum & several of Its hybrids WOODLAND ROCKERY By Appointment, at the Nursery Only 6210 Klam Road Otter Lake, Michigan 48464 Hazel and Don Smith Sorry, we cannot accept Foreign orders. 201 — 539-0312 Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950

RARE PLANTS and NATURE'S GARDEN SHRUBS Dwarf slow growing conifers that NURSERY stay dwarf and other shrubs all Species Primulas — Gentiana suitable for Bonsai culture. Alpine Show Auriculas Large collection of Alpines as well Ramondas — Lewisias as unusual plants are listed. Sedums and Sempervivums Please send $1.00 for catalog. ALPENGLOW GARDENS New Plant List — 500 13328 King George Highway Route 1, Box 488 Surrey, B.C. V3T 2T6, Canada Beaverton, OR 97005

207 THE ALPINE GARDEN SOCIETY'S PUBLICATIONS,

WRITTEN BY ACKNOWLEDGED EXPERTS IN THEIR OWN SUBJECTS, OFFER OUTSTANDING VALUE

HANDBOOK OF ROCK GARDENING $4.00 THE GENUS LEWISIA By R. C. Elliott Ths only monograph on this fascinating American genus $4.50 SAXIFRAGES By Winton Harding A guide which should be read by every rock gardner $6.00 ALPINES IN SINKS AND TROUGHS By Joe Elliott A most useful guide by one of our best known nurserymen $2.75

THE GENUS CYCLAMEN By D. E. Saunders The most up to date book on this wonderful genus $3.25

ASIATIC PRIMULAS By Roy Green $12.00 DAPHNE By Chris Brickell and Brian Mathew $12.00

AND ROSACES By George Smith and Duncan Lowe $12.00

MOUNTAIN FLOWER HOLIDAYS IN EUROPE By Lionel Bacon $22.00

(All prices postpaid)

AGS Publications are available ONLY from AGS Publications Ltd. D. K. HASELGROVE, 278/280 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 9PL, England

THE ALPINE GARDEN SOCIETY Membership of the Alpine Garden Society puts the American alpine gardener in close touch with those throughout the world who share his interest in one of the most absorbing branches of horticulture. The Quarterly Bulletin of the A.G.S. is respected internationally as one of the most informative publications of its kind. It will bring into your home a distillation of the experience and ideas of some of the finest gardeners, plant explorers and horticultural thinkers of our time. Among the many other benefits of the Society, its uniquely comprehensive seed list alone is worth more than the modest subscription of $12.50 for Overseas Mem• bers. Apply to:— The Secretary, The Alpine Garden Society Lye End Link, St. John's, Woking, Surrey, England

THE SCOTTISH ROCK GARDEN CLUB

Offers you . .. its twice yearly Journal, well illustrated and containing au• thoritative articles on all aspects of rock gardening, rock plants, and their world wide haunts. Its excellent annual scheme for the distribution of rare & unusual seed, amongst its international members. for £3.50 per year ($8.00) Hon. Subscription Secretary D. J. Donald Esq. Morea, Main Rd., Balbeggie, Perth PH2 6EZ, Scotland Please pay subscriptions by cheque in U.K. currency drawn on a British Bank or by International Money Order.

208 DIRECTORATE AMERICAN ROCK GARDEN SOCIETY President Emeritus HAROLD EPSTEIN, 5 Forest Court, Larchmont, New York President ROBERT L. MEANS, 410 Andover St., Georgetown, Mass. 01833 Vice-President MARNIE FLOOK, 2111 Fairfield Place, Wilmington, Del. 19805 Secretary DONALD M. PEACH, Rte. 1 Box 282, Mena, Ark. 71953 Treasurer FRANCIS H. CABOT, Cold Spring, N.Y. 10516 Directors Term Expires 1981 Elizabeth Corning John Kovalchik Charlotte Ray Term Expires 1982 Pamela J. Harper T. Paul Maslin Quentin C. Schlieder, Jr. Term Expires 1983 Marvin E. Black Iza Goroff Howard W. Pfeifer Director of Seed Exchange Director of Slide Collection Kathy Freeland Quentin C. Schlieder, Jr. 541 Norfolk, Holliston, Mass. 01746 Box 1295-R, Morristown, N.J. 07960 ARGS-PHS Library Service Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Library 325 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106

CHAPTER CHAIRMEN Northwestern MRS. MARGUERITE BENNETT, 17015 26th Ave. N.E., Seattle, Wash. 98155 Western JACK S. ROMINE, 2065 Walnut Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Midwestern AILEEN MCWILLIAM (Acting Chm.), 711 Magnolia St., Mena, Ark. 71953 Allegheny MARGARET H. WISNER, 338 Kemerer Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601 Potomac Valley DR. JOHN WURDACK, 4400 Samar St., Beltsville, Md. 20705 Co-chairman RUSSELL D. KIRK, 2709 lame St., Temple Hills, MD 20705 Delaware Valley ALAN P. SLACK, 908 Twyckenham Rd., Media, PA 19063 New England EDWIN F. STEFFEK, Cedar Hill Rd., Dover, Mass. 02030 Great Lakes HARRY W. BUTLER, Rte. #1, 2521 Penewit Rd., Spring Valley, OH 45370 Wisconsin-Illinois WAID R. VANDERPOEL, 232 Apple Tree Lane, Barrington, IL 60010 Columbia-Willamette MRS. FAITH MACKANESS, Rte. 2, Box 981, Corbett, OR 97019 Connecticut MICHAEL H. DODGE, Hilltop Rd., Deer Island, Lakeside, CT 06758 Long Island JEANETTE STELLMAN, 38 Lister Circle, Ft. Salonga, NY 11768 Co-chairman MADELINE PAUTZKE, 25 Gunther Dr., East Northport, NY 11731 Hudson Valley PAUL HALLADIN, 85 Hillcrest Dr., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Minnesota Lois ECKLUND, Rte 5 River Haven, St. Cloud, MN 56301 Siskiyou PHYLLIS GUSTAFSON, 250 Maple St., Central Point, OR 97502 Western-No. Carolina HORACE K. FREEMAN SR., 2150 Woodridge Dr., Hendersonville, NC 28739 Rocky Mountain PANAYOTI P. CALLAS, P.O. Box 1071, Fort Collins, CO 80522 Adirondack ...„ ELVA C. LINK, Box 211 RD 2, Corinth, NY 12822 Watnong PAUL HALLADIN, 85 Hillcrest Dr., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 YOUR ARGS STORE

1. ARGS BULLETINS for Sale — Back Issues. Available at $1.50 each. Postpaid

All other Volumes not specifically listed above are $2.50 each when available. Please inquire as to availability. for specific articles as listed in the Cumulative Index, please give Volume and page number listed. Issue will be sent, IF AVAILABLE; otherwise a charge of 20? per page for duplication from File Copy. Please remit with order. 2. CUMULATIVE INDEX to ARGS Bulletins, Vols. 1-32 Incl. Lists Authors, Article Titles and Subject Matter NC 3. THE HANDBOOK OF ROCK GARDENING. Publshed jointly by ARGS & Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Written by ARGS Members. Available in August $1.95 4. SEED LIST HANDBOOK — 2nd Edition — Bernard Harkness, 216 pages. Quick reference to Seed Listings of ARGS, Alpine Garden Society and Scottish R.G. Club. Gives Genus, type plant, height color, origin and Horticultural Reference $5.00 5. THE ROCK GARDEN, Henry T. Skiner (repnrint), 38 pages $1.00 6. THE GENUS PHLOX, Edgar T. Wherry. 174 pg. Monograph. Photos and line drawings, Maps of distribution $6.00 7. THE ALASKA-YUKON W1LDFL0WER GUIDE. 217 pgs. Colored plant photos by family $9.00 8. SEED GERMINATION REPORT, Dara E. Emery (Ed.). Data on selected species and forms by various reporters $1-00 9. SEEDS — 3 Methods of Germinating Seeds; Xeroxed from earlier ARGS Bulletins $2.00 10. TROUGHS — Construction, plant material to use. Talks given at Study Weekend East by Conn. Chapter members $3.00 11. ARGS LAPEL PINS $3.00 12. ARGS SHOULDER PATCHES. Washable $2.00 13. LIBRARY BINDERS, each holds 2 years $4.00 ADD $1.00 Mailing Charge to your order for Surface Mail. All orders prepaid in U.S. funds, please. Make checks or Postal Money Orders payable to "ARGS," U.S. destinations must show ZIP Code. Airmail billed at cost. Order from: Anita Kistler, Business Manager, 1421 Ship Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19380

DISPOSING OF OLD BULLETINS? The Society's reserve stock of back Bulletins is seriously depleted. The earliesearliestt Issues are all but exhausted. NEEDED—BACK ARGS BULLETINS! We urgently need to keep a supply available for members who seek to build up their librlibrariea s IF YOU HAVE NO FURTHER USE FOR YOURS, WE NEED THEM TO MEET DEMANDS. ARGS will entertain offers for extensive 'runs'. Postage will be refunded. Please send them to: Anita Kistler, Bus. Mgr., 1421 Ship Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19380 OUR THANKS TO ALL THE PAST DONORS!