Christopher Lloyd's Garden Flowers : Perennials, Bulbs, Grasses, Ferns

by Lloyd, Christopher

• ISBN13: 9780881924923
• ISBN10: 088192492X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-08-01
• Publisher: Workman Pub Co

Summary

Christopher Lloyd knows perennials as well as anyone else alive. Now available in paperback, this book represents the fruit of Lloyd's lifetime study of perennials. Genus by genus, he sets down everything he has learned, thought, seen, tried, liked, or regretted about them, individually or in combination. He is formidably knowledgeable, iconoclastic, opinionated, and always entertaining. Here, meticulously recorded, are his expert opinions about numerous varieties of flowering garden plants, from Acanthus to Zigadenus, accompanied by spectacular photographs from Jonathan Buckley and others. Any gardener will find themselves opening this book time and again with pleasure and the frequent thought, "I MUST grow this one, too."

Author Biography

Christopher Lloyd was educated at Rugby School, King's College, Cambridge, and Wye Horticultural College, where he remained for four years as a lecturer. In 1963 he started writing for Country Life He writes for many other publications, including The Guardian, and Horticulture in the US In 1979 the Royal Horticultural Society conferred on him its highest honour, the Victoria Medal of Honour

Table of Contents

Introduction	9	(12)
Acanthus	21	(1)
Achillea	22	(1)
Acihylla	23	(1)
Aconitum	24	(2)
Acorus	26	(1)
Actaea	26	(1)
Adiantum	27	(1)
Aegopodium	27	(1)
Agapanthus	28	(1)
Agastache	29	(1)
Ajuga	30	(1)
Alcea	31	(1)
Alchemilla	31	(1)
Allium	32	(4)
Alopecurs	36	(1)
Alstroemeria	36	(2)
Amaryllis	38	(1)
Amicia	39	(1)
Amsonia	39	(1)
Anaphalis	40	(1)
Anchusa	40	(1)
Anemone	41	(3)
Anisotome	44	(1)
Anomatheca	44	(1)
Anthemis	44	(2)
Anthericum	46	(1)
Anthriscus	46	(1)
Aquilegia	47	(1)
Aralia	48	(1)
Arisaema	49	(1)
Artemisia	50	(2)
Arum	52	(1)
Aruncus	53	(1)
Arundo	54	(1)
Asarum	55	(1)
Asclepias	55	(1)
Asphodeline	56	(1)
Asphodelus	56	(1)
Asplenium	56	(1)
Astelia	57	(1)
Aster	58	(4)
Astilbe	62	(1)
Astilboides	63	(1)
Astrantia	63	(1)
Athyrium	64	(1)
Baptisia	65	(1)
Begonia	65	(1)
Belamcanda	66	(1)
Bergenia	67	(3)
Berkheya	70	(1)
Bidens	70	(1)
Blechnum	70	(1)
Boltonia	71	(1)
Bomarea	71	(1)
Boykinia	72	(1)
Brunnera	72	(1)
Bulbinella	72	(1)
Buphthalmum	73	(1)
Bupleurum	73	(1)
Butomus	74	(1)
Calamagrostis	74	(1)
Calamintha	75	(1)
Calla	75	(1)
Caltha	75	(1)
Camassia	76	(1)
Campanula	76	(4)
Canna	80	(3)
Cardamine	83	(1)
Cardiocrinum	83	(1)
Carex	84	(1)
Carlina	84	(1)
Catananche	85	(1)
Cautleya	85	(1)
Centaurea	85	(1)
Centranthus	86	(1)
Cephalaria	86	(1)
Ceratostigma	87	(1)
Chaerophyllum	87	(1)
Chasmanthium	87	(1)
Chelone	88	(1)
Chionochloa	88	(1)
Chionodoxa	88	(1)
Chrysanthemum	89	(1)
Cicerbita	90	(1)
Cimicifuga	90	(1)
Cirsium	91	(1)
Clematis	91	(1)
Codonopsis	92	(1)
Colchicum	92	(1)
Colocasia	93	(1)
Commelina	94	(1)
Convallaria	94	(1)
Convolvulus	95	(1)
Coreopsis	95	(1)
Coriaria	96	(1)
Cortaderia	96	(1)
Corydalis	97	(1)
Crambe	98	(1)
Crepis	99	(1)
Crinum	99	(1)
Crocosmia	100	(1)
Crocus	101	(5)
Cynara	106	(1)
Cynoglossum	106	(1)
Cyperus	107	(1)
Cyrtomium	107	(1)
Dactylorhiza	108	(1)
Dahlia	109	(5)
Danae	114	(1)
Darmera	115	(1)
Delphinium	115	(3)
Deschampsia	118	(1)
Dianthus	119	(3)
Diascia	122	(1)
Dicentra	123	(1)
Dictamnus	124	(1)
Dierama	124	(1)
Doronicum	125	(1)
Dracunculus	126	(1)
Dryopteris	126	(2)
Echinacea	128	(1)
Echinops	128	(1)
Eomecon	129	(1)
Epilobium	129	(1)
Epimedium	130	(2)
Eranthis	132	(1)
Eremurus	132	(1)
Erigeron	133	(1)
Erodium	134	(1)
Eryngium	135	(2)
Erysimum	137	(1)
Erythronium	138	(1)
Eucomis	139	(2)
Eupatorium	141	(1)
Euphorbia	141	(6)
Fallopia	147	(1)
Farfugium	147	(1)
Fascicularia	148	(1)
Ferula	148	(1)
Festuca	149	(1)
Filipendula	150	(1)
Foeniculum	150	(1)
Fragaria	151	(1)
Francoa	151	(1)
Fritillaria	151	(2)
Gaillardia	153	(1)
Galanthus	153	(3)
Galax	156	(1)
Galega	156	(1)
Galium	157	(1)
Galtonia	158	(1)
Gaura	158	(1)
Gazania	159	(1)
Gentiana	160	(1)
Geranium	161	(8)
Geum	169	(1)
Gillenia	169	(1)
Gladiolus	170	(2)
Glaucidium	172	(1)
Glaucium	172	(1)
Glyceria	173	(1)
Grindelia	173	(1)
Gunnera	174	(1)
Gymnocarpium	175	(1)
Gypsophila	175	(1)
Hacquetia	176	(1)
Hakonechloa	176	(1)
Hedychium	177	(2)
Hedysarum	179	(1)
Helenium	179	(1)
Helianthus	180	(2)
Helictotrichon	182	(1)
Heliopsis	182	(1)
Helleborus	182	(3)
Hemerocallis	185	(4)
Hesperis	189	(1)
Heuchera	189	(1)
X Heucheralla	190	(1)
Hieraceum	190	(1)
Hosta	191	(3)
Hottonia	194	(1)
Houttuynia	195	(1)
Humulus	195	(1)
Hyacinthoides	196	(1)
Hyacinthus	197	(1)
Hylomecon	198	(1)
Impatiens	198	(1)
Incarvillea	199	(1)
Inula	199	(1)
Ipheion	200	(1)
Iris	201	(5)
Ixia	206	(1)
Jaborosa	207	(1)
Kirengeshoma	207	(1)
Knautia	208	(1)
Kniphofia	208	(3)
Lamium	211	(1)
Lathraea	212	(1)
Lathyrus	212	(1)
Leucanthemella	213	(1)
Leucanthemum	214	(1)
Leucojum	215	(1)
Leymus	216	(1)
Liatris	217	(1)
Libertia	218	(1)
Ligularia	219	(1)
Lilium	219	(7)
Limonium	226	(1)
Linaria	226	(1)
Linum	227	(1)
Liriope	227	(1)
Lobelia	228	(2)
Lunaria	230	(1)
Lupinus	230	(3)
Luzula	233	(1)
Lychnis	233	(2)
Lysichiton	235	(1)
Lysimachia	235	(2)
Lythrum	237	(1)
Macleaya	238	(1)
Malva	238	(1)
Malvastrum	239	(1)
Matteuccia	239	(1)
Meconopsis	240	(1)
Megacarpaea	241	(1)
Melianthus	242	(1)
Melissa	242	(1)
Menyanthes	243	(1)
Mertensia	243	(1)
Microseris	243	(1)
Milium	244	(1)
Mimulus	244	(1)
Miscanthus	245	(1)
Molinia	246	(1)
Monarda	247	(1)
Morina	247	(1)
Musa	248	(1)
Muscari	249	(1)
Myosotidium	250	(1)
Myosotis	250	(1)
Myrrhis	251	(1)
Narcissus	251	(5)
Nectaroscordum	256	(1)
Nemesia	256	(1)
Nepeta	257	(1)
Nerine	258	(1)
Nuphar	259	(1)
Nymphaea	259	(3)
Oenothera	262	(1)
Omphalodes	263	(1)
Onoclea	263	(1)
Ophiopogon	264	(1)
Origanum	264	(1)
Ornithogalum	264	(1)
Orontium	265	(1)
Osmunda	265	(1)
Osteospermum	266	(2)
Ostrowskia	268	(1)
Ourisia	268	(1)
Pachyphragma	269	(1)
Paeonia	269	(4)
Papaver	273	(2)
Panicum	275	(1)
Paradisea	275	(1)
Paris	276	(1)
Patrinia	276	(1)
Pennisetum	277	(1)
Penstemon	277	(3)
Pentaglottis	280	(1)
Persicaria	280	(2)
Petasites	282	(1)
Petunia	282	(1)
Phalaris	283	(1)
Phlomis	283	(1)
Phlox	283	(3)
Phormium	286	(2)
Phuopsis	288	(1)
Phygelius	288	(1)
Physalis	289	(1)
Physostegia	289	(1)
Phytolacca	289	(1)
Pilosella	290	(1)
Pimpinella	290	(1)
Plantago	290	(1)
Platycodon	291	(1)
Podophyllum	291	(1)
Polemonium	292	(1)
Polygonatum	293	(1)
Polypodium	293	(1)
Polystichum	294	(2)
Pontederia	296	(1)
Potentilla	296	(1)
Primula	297	(5)
Prunella	302	(1)
Pulmonaria	303	(1)
Pulsatilla	304	(1)
Ranunculus	305	(2)
Ratibida	307	(1)
Rehmannia	307	(1)
Rheum	308	(1)
Rodgersia	309	(1)
Romneya	310	(1)
Roscoea	311	(1)
Rudbeckia	312	(1)
Sagittaria	313	(1)
Salvia	314	(3)
Sambucus	317	(1)
Sanguinaria	318	(1)
Sanguisorba	318	(1)
Saponaria	319	(1)
Saxifraga	319	(1)
Scabiosa	320	(1)
Schizostylis	321	(1)
Scilla	321	(1)
Scrophularia	322	(1)
Sedum	322	(1)
Selinum	323	(1)
Senecio	324	(1)
Serratula	325	(1)
Sidalcea	325	(1)
Silence	325	(1)
Silphium	326	(1)
Sinacalia	326	(1)
Sisyrinchium	327	(1)
Smilacina	327	(1)
Solidago	327	(1)
X Solidaster	328	(1)
Spartina	328	(1)
Stachys	328	(1)
Stenanthium	329	(1)
Sternbergia	329	(1)
Stipa	330	(1)
Stokesia	330	(1)
Stratiotes	331	(1)
Strobilanthes	331	(1)
Stylophorum	331	(1)
Symphytum	332	(1)
Tanacetum	333	(1)
Telekia	334	(1)
Tellima	334	(1)
Thalictrum	334	(1)
Thermopsis	335	(1)
Thladinatha	335	(1)
Tiarella	335	(1)
Tigridia	336	(1)
Tradescantia	336	(1)
Tricyrtis	336	(1)
Trillium	337	(1)
Triteleia	338	(1)
Trollius	338	(1)
Tropaeolum	339	(1)
Tulbaghia	339	(1)
Tulipa	340	(8)
Typha	348	(1)
Uvularia	349	(1)
Valeriana	349	(1)
Vancouveria	350	(1)
Veratrum	350	(2)
Verbascum	352	(1)
Verbena	352	(1)
Vernonia	353	(1)
Veronica	354	(1)
Veronicastrum	354	(1)
Viola	355	(2)
Waldsteinia	357	(1)
Woodwardia	357	(1)
Yucca	358	(1)
Zantedeschia	359	(1)
Zauschneria	359	(1)
Zephyranthes	360	(1)
Zigadenus	360	(1)
Glossary	361	(2)
Sources of Photographs	363	(1)
Index	364

Excerpts

Gladiolus - (Iridaceae). The all-too-common practice of using the plural gladioli for the singular as well, should be stamped upon at every opportunity. A gladioli is anathema (as is a cacti, a genera etc.). It is de rigueur, in well-bred circles, to sneer at the size and clumsiness of the florists' flower, but this should not altogether blind us to its dignity and splendour when used in a great spread, like a peacock's train, as a cut flower. Pretty horrible, though, when laid horizontally in a flower arrangement and worse still, upside down, as the ubiquitous 'oasis' makes possible.Gladioli come in a fantastic range of coulours and colour combinations. The cultivation of the tender kinds has been made much more difficult, especially in hot dry summers, since the introduction of gladiolus thrips, minute insects which feed between the basal foliage and in the developing inflorescence, so that the flower buds are already withered before they open. There was a horrific example of this damage in the double herbaceous borders at Wisley, one summer, where gladioli had been extensively used to plug dull areas left by early-flowering perennials. Instead of removing the plants when the damage became apparent, they were left for all to abhor.Gladioli do not, in any case, lend themselves well to this kind of use. Each plant needs to be staked, which looks self-conscious when there is no foreground planting (as there should be) to mask the stake. Also, regular and frequent dead-heading is necessary, but is seldom performed. Miss Jekyll used gladioli in her borders, but in narrow slivers, rather than rounded groups. In this way their faults could be largely disguised. In any case the largest-flowered cultivars of her day were small and light by comparison with those obtaining now. We have one medium-sized, mauve-flowered gladiolus which has been in my garden since the 1930's. It is perfectly hardy, receives no attention but never fails to perform well. In general, the hardiness of large-flowered gladioli is not to be trusted.The Butterfly types are more light-weight. in them, the uppermost petal is hooded and there is heavy blotching in the centre of the flower of a different colour from the rest.I have seen one clever way of using gladioli as ornamental, growing plants (as against their being grown in rows in a picking plot), among Paeonia lactiflora hybrids - the June-flowering kinds. These become dull from July on, but the gladiolus season peaks in July and August. Both flowers were supported by discreet netting, held horizontally. Admittedly this makes weeding difficult, especially where goose grass (cleavers) has got a hold. Gardeners have to learn to crawl on their bellies and not to feel this posture undiginified.