Abstract
THE Council of the Royal Horticultural Society established, in 1922, an Award of Garden Merit, as a hall-mark upon the horticultural worth, hardiness and beauty of particular plants. Notes and descriptions of species which have attained to this particular quality have been published from time to time in the Society's Journal ; but it was a welcome decision of the Council to publish the collected awards during the past fifteen years in a separate volume (“Some Good Garden Plants”, by F. J. Chittenden. London: from the Society's Offices, Vincent Square S.W.I. 1938. 4s. net). The plants described therein have mostly been grown in the Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Wisley, and are all well known to the Garden Committee. A horticultural description, cultural notes, and suggestions for suitable garden grouping, are appended for each of the 225 species or varieties, and the most suitable soil types are mentioned. References are also given to plates in the Botanical Magazine, when the plant has been so figured. Some kinds, as Lilium regale, Dicentra spectabilis, Primula denticulata, Daphne mezereum and Clematis montana are already well established in favour ; other species have recently been introduced to culture from plant-collecting expeditions, whilst yet others are improvements of very common plants. Ulex europaeus flore pleno is a double variety of the common gorse, Caltha palustris plena is a dignified form of the wild marsh marigold, and three improved varieties of the common lilac are described. An alphabetical arrangement assists quick reference, whilst an index divided into annuals, bulbous plants, herbaceous perennials, rock plants, shrubs, small trees, wall and climbing plants, and water plants, enables the gardener to find his way easily among these aristocrats of the garden.
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Garden Plants of Proved Excellence. Nature 142, 169 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/142169a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/142169a0