Jilacktborne SUPER HARDY Clematis Clematis are the noblest and most colorful of climbing vines. Fortunately, they are also one of the hardiest, most disease free and therefore easiest of culture. As the result of our many years of research and development involving these glorious vines, we now make available to the American gardening public: * Heavy TWO YEAR plants (the absolute optimum size for successful plant­ RED CARDINAL ing in your garden). * Own rooted plants - NOT GRAFTED - therefore not susceptible to com­ mon Clematis wilt. * Heavily rooted, BLOOMING SIZE plants, actually growing in a rich 100% organic medium, - all in an especially designed container. * Simply remove container, plant, and - "JUMP BACK"!! For within a few days your Blackthorne Clematis will be growing like the proverbial "weed", and getting ready to flower! * Rare and distinctive species and varieties not readily available commer­ cially - if at all! * Plants Northern grown to our rigid specifications by one of the world's premier Clematis growers and plantsmen, Arthur H. Steffen, Inc. * The very ultimate in simplified, pictorial cultural instructions AVAILABLE NOWHERE ELSE, Free with order. - OLD GLORY CLEMATIS COLLECTION - RED RED CARDINAL - New from France comes this, the most spec­ tacular red Clematis ever developed. It is a blazing mass of glory from May on. Each of the large, velvety, rich crimson red blooms is lit up by a sun-like mass of bright golden stamens, in the very heart of the flower! Red Cardinal's rich brilliance de- fies description! $6.95 each - 3 for $17.95 POSTPA ID WHITE MME LE COULTRE - Another great new one from France, and the finest white hybrid Clematis ever developed. Giant, salad MME LE COULliRE plate size , (often larger) blossoms simply smother the vigorous plant in May and June, intermittently throughout the summer, with another massive display in September, continuing until sea son's end! Price $6.95 each - 3 for $17.95 POST PA l 0 BLUE SHO-UN (AZURE SKIES) - A brand new phenomenon from Japan . Absolutely huge, rich, clear blue blossoms, strikingly SHO-UN accentuated by a tuft of ivory stamens in their centers, dramati­ cally engulf the exceedingly vigorous plant for an unusually long (AZURE SKIES) flowering period from May on. Price $6.95 each - 3 f or $17.95 POSTPAID Complete OLD GLO RY CLEMATIS COLLECTIO N, consisting of one each of the above rare and beautiful plants, only $14.95 POSTPA ID SPECIAL PRICE FOR THE COMBINATION AS SHOWN IS POSITIVElY VOID AFTER MAY 15, 1979, OR BEFORE, IF SOlD OUT. COLOR CATALOG (A Botanical Reference Piece) featuring what is considered to be the most e xtensive listing of edsily grown, new, rare and unusual lilies, Clematis, Alliums, Hostas, Wild Flowers. Dutch Bulbs, etc. PLUS spring sales folder featuring rare and unusual bulbs and plants from world wide sources, to individualize your garden, $2 .00 - deductible from first order, or FREE with any o f the above Clematis Collectio ns. WE PAY POSTAGE ALL ORDERS TO THE WEST COAST SENT BY AIR POSTPAID MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS ADD 5% SALES TAX fJilachtborne ~arbens 48A Quincy Street, Holbrook, Mass. 02343 jSlachtborne ~arben.6 *CLEMATIS * NEW PREMIUM VARIETIES American EDO MURASAKI - Brand new from Japan! Glorious shade of royal purple, with Tyrian red overtones. Pure white fila­ ments tipped with ri ch purple anthers. Can very easily be trained into an eye-stopping H<Drticulturist SH RU B. Be the first in your commu­ nity to own this one! Price $7 .50 ea ch Volume 58 Number 2 April , 1979 3/ $19.95. KASUGYAMA - Another brand new one from Japan! Large perfectly formed flowers with eight beautifully ruffled petal s surrounding the mass of creamy white fila­ ments, capped with beige-pink anthers. Powder blue, most gra ceful of all clematis. Price $10.00 each . Limit one , plea se. KI NG GEORGE V - New from England . Two toned beauty. Medium large blooms, tending to doubleness in the early part of the season . Lovely shade of clear pink, accentuated by a distinct, deeper pink bar along the median rib. Price $10.00 each . Limit one , please. MIRIAM MARKHAM - The only fu II-sized, la vender-ros e, double clem­ atis ever to be introduced. Magnificent con versation piece that you wi II enjoy for years and years . Price $7.50 each Cover Photo: A mi ngling of 3/ $19.95. 'Spri ng Song' colu mbine w it h lavender Sweet Rock et MRS. BUSH -Another beauty from England. Produces masses of giant, per­ (Hesperis) in the shade of fectly formed, clear la vender blue bl os­ birch and aspen, by G uy soms, with a tuft of soft blue anthers. Burgess. Nothing like this one . Price $5.95 3/ $14.95. Education PRINCE HENDRICK - The largest clematis in existence! Huge, ruf­ 8 Nicotianas: The History, Cultivation and Uses of Tobacco-Jeanne fled, sky blue bl ossoms, accentuated by a tuft of golden stamens, shining like bril­ Hawkins liant little sun s in the heart of each gor­ geous bloom, simply cover the plant and 14 Australian Wildflowers-Tovah Martin hold the viewer spellbound. Price $10.00 22 Collecting Wild Seed- David R. Longland each . Limit one, please. PRINCE PHILLIP-Similartothe 34 Sweet Potato Tips: A N utritious Garden Vegetable-Ruben L. Villareal above except that the massive, heavi Iy and S. C. Tsou ruffled flowers are rich purple, with shades of fiery red glowing from under the mass of icy white stamens, as if the very heart of Travelog the noble flower is on firer To see this majestic plant in full flower is to never for­ 26 The Gardens of Sissinghurst Castle-Thomas A. Fretz get it! Prrce $10.00 each. 3 / $27.50. VYVYAN PEN NEL - Another new Gardener's Notebook double! The magnificent, heavily petalled blooms are a rare and delightful shade of 3 The Rites of Spring-Lorraine and Guy Burgess violet-blue, with CR I MSON overtones! 11 A Rock Garden Plant List-Pamela J. Harper Price $6.95 each . 3/ $18.95. 19 Rhododendrons of the Southern Mountains-Martha Prince W. E. GLADSTONE - 8 ra n d new from England. Masses of huge, grace- 31 The Magic of Water Lilies-Judith Hillstrom fully ruffled LI LAC blooms, with soft, 38 Grafting Techniques: A How-to Guide-Robert F. Carlson creamy anthers. Price $6.95 3/ $18.95. Departments KATHLEEN DUNFORD- 2 Editorial Developed in England, this glorious new 42 Gardener's Marketplace plant is the FIRST DOUBLE FUCHSIA Clematis ever offered the American gardening public! A mass of golden staminodes in the very heart enhances the noble plant's glory. Price $12.50 each. Limit 0 NE per customer please. Our catalogs, owtline the most Color separations by Chromagraphics Inc. 1 extensive listing of rare species, new and standard hybrid clematis published. Editor: Judy Powell Editorial Assistant: Jane Steffey Publications Committee: Henry M. Editorial Cathey, Gilbert S. Daniels, Donald P. Watson and Donald Wyman Art Director: Rebecca McClimansl Grafik Book Department: Tom Stevenson are searching for ways in education is promoted. In Savannah Production Coordination: John We Simmons which to make the Society's role in members were not only given the Publisher: The American Horticul­ horticultural education more visible chance to tour historic gardens, but tural Society, Mount Vernon, Vir­ and we would like your help. they were also invited to hear eight ginia 22121 . 703/768-5700 The Board of Directors recently lectures on many aspects of horticul­ For United Horticulture ... the par­ authorized the establishment of a ture. I hope many of you will reserve ticular objects and business of the committee to examine the goals of time in October to attend our Fall American Horticultural Society are the Society for the coming decade. Congress in Portland, Oregon as to promote and encourage national Of special interest to the committee well. As plans for the Congress de­ interest in scientific research and education in horticulture in all of its will be the ways in which these goals velop, we will report them to you. branches. will further the cause of horticultural The dates to remember are October AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is education. 3-7. the official publication of The I believe itis very important for the But there is certainly more we can American Horticultural Society, Society to take its rightful place as do, more excitement we can gener­ 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexan­ dria, Virginia 22308, and is issued in the national leader in this effort. ate as we look ahead to the next dec­ February, April, June, August, Oc­ During the next few months this ade. Please help us reach our goal of tober and December. Membersh ~p committee will review existing becoming the national leader in hor­ in the Society automatically in­ programs-it will take a look at the ticultural education by sending me chIdes a subscription to American Horticulturist, $1 .50 of which is des­ effectiveness of our symposia, our your suggestions and thoughts on ignated for each issue. Membership tours, our awards program, our pub­ this matter. I want to know what role dues start at $15.00 a year. lications, our River Farm docent you feel the Society should take in program and our test seed program. horticultural education. Editorial Matters: Refer to Judy Powell, American Horticulturist, It will also look to the future-to the An immediate way in which you ~ount Vernon, Virginia 2212l. establishment of a research library at can help the Society move forcefully River Farm and to plans for creating into the 1980's is to elect the most Advertising Matters: Refer to Pub­ demonstration and test gardens on qualified, knowledgeable and dy­ lisher Services, Inc.