golden-yellow flowers, and one whose general hardihood
is undoubted. On its own roots, and allowed to roam at will, this
pretty, small-growing Broom is of far greater interest than when it is
grafted mop-high on a Laburnum stem, and pruned into artificial shapes,
as is, unfortunately, too often the case.
C. PURPUREUS.--Purple Broom. Austria, 1792. Alow, spreading shrub, with
long wiry shoots, clothed with neat trifoliolate leaves, and bearing an
abundance of its purple, Pea-shaped flowers. There is a white-flowered
form, C. purpureus albus, and another named C. purpureus ratis-bonensis,
with pretty yellow flowers, produced on long and slender shoots.
C. SCOPARIUS.--Yellow Broom. This is a well-known native shrub, with
silky, angular branches, and bright yellow flowers in summer. There are
several varieties, but the most remarkable and handsome is C. scoparius
Andreanus, in which the wings of the flowers are of a rich golden
brown. It is one of the showiest shrubs in cultivation.
For ornamental planting the above are about the best forms of Broom,
but others might include C. austriacus, C. Ardoini, and C. capitatus,
the latter being unusually hardy, and bearing dense heads of flowers.
In so far as soil is concerned, the Brooms are readily accommodated,
while either from seeds or cuttings they are easily propagated.
DABOECIA.
DABOECIA POLIFOLIA (_syn Menziesia polifolia_).--St. Dabeoc's Heath.
South Western Europe, Ireland and the Azores. A dwarf, and rather
straggling, viscid shrub, with linear-ovate leaves that are silvery
beneath. The flowers are pink, and abundantly produced. D. polifolia
alba has white flowers; and D. polifolia atro-purpurea, purplish
flowers.
DANAE.
DANAE LAURUS (_syn D. racemosa_ and _Ruscus racemosus_).--Alexandrian
Laurel. A native of Portugal (1739), with glossy-green leaf substitutes,
and racemes of small, not very showy, greenish-yellow flowers.
DAPHNE.
DAPHNE ALPINA.--Italy, 1759. A deciduous species, which has white or
rosy-white, sweet-scented flowers. It is a pretty, but rare shrub, that
grows well in light sandy leaf soil.
D. ALTAICA.--Siberia, 1796. Though rare in gardens, this is a pretty
and neat-foliaged species, and bears white flowers in abundance. It
wants a warm corner and dry soil.
D. BLAGAYANA.--Styria, 1872. This is still rare in cultivation, but it
is a very desirable species, bearing ivory-white highly-fragrant
flowers. For the alpine garden it
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