.&0
4'
/
THE WILD GARDEN
The
WILD GARDEN Or our Grov^es and Gardens made
Hardy Exotic
by the Naturalisation of
Plants
Dark Ages suggestions
of
for
Bare Borders
By W.
from
the
Flower Gardening,
with
of
the
one
being
5
beautiful
the
way
onwards
Regeneration
of the
London
ROBINSON,
Parks.
F. L. S.
THIRD EDITION Illustrated
by Alfred Parsons
LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET NEW YORK: SCRIBNER AND WELFORDf 188:;
By
the
same Author.
THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN AND ARRANGEMENT.
ITS
:
STYLE
ALPHABETICAL DESCRIPTION OF all the PLANTS BEST SUITED FOR ITS EMBELLISHMENT, their CULTURE, and POSITION. With numerous
Illustrations.
Followed
Medium
by
8vo.
THE PARKS AND GARDENS OF
an
15s.
PARIS, considered
Relation to the Wants of other Cities and of Public AND Private Gardens. Third Edition. With 350 Illustrations.
IN
8vo.
i8s.
ALPINE FLOWERS FOR ENGLISH GARDENS. How THEY MAY BE GrOWN IN ALL PaRTS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. Third With Illustrations of Rock-gardens, Natural and Artificial. Edition. With Woodcuts. Crown Svo. 7s. 6d.
THE SUB-TROPICAL GARDEN; IN
THE Flower Garden;
for this purpose.
or,
with Illustrations of
Second Edition.
With
Beauty of Form all
the finer Plants used
Illustrations.
Small Svo.
5s.
HARDY FLOWERS.
Descriptions ok upwards of 1300 OF THE MOST ORNAMENTAL Si"ECiES with Directions for their Cul;
ture,
&c.
Fourth Edition.
Post Bvo.
GOD'S ACRE BEAUTIFUL THE Future.
Third Edition.
;
With
Art
ÂŤ
3s. 6d.
or,
The Cemeteries of
Illustrations.
Svo.
7s. 6d.
Colonies of Poet's Narcissus and Broad-leaved Saxifrage,
etc.
窶認rontispiece.
AJf
Ciihimbines and Geraniums
in
meadow-grass.
PREFACE. When
I began,
some years
ago, to plead the cause of the in-
numerable hardy flowers against the few tender ones, put out at that time in a formal way, the
cannot go back to the mixed border
way
of arranging flowers in borders.
of the vast world
gardens by the
ways
in
among
which
"
"
— that
is
to say, the old
Knowing, then, a
countries
might be introduced
amount
"
number wliich
little
of plant beauty quite shut out of our
to our gardens
various ideas that then occurred to me, was the
enormous
We
system," in vogue, I was led to consider the
it
and scope of the
"
answer frequently was,
wild garden." of
beautiful
I
was led
many
name
to think of the
hardy plants from other
might be naturalised, with a very
of trouble, in
and,
;
slight
situations in our gardens
and
PREFACE.
vi
woods
— a world
of delightful plant beauty that
way make happy around
this
bare, or useless.
what
is
.
are
in
number which,
have no chance whatever of being seen
plan,
This
us.
or half
commonly seen
called the flower garden, Ijut also a
by any other around
now weedy,
in
saw that we could not only grow thus a
I
more lovely flowers than
tliousandf()ld i
us, in places
we might
is
a
system which will give us more
beauty than ever was dreamt of in gardens, without ing with formal gardening in
interfc^r-
any way.
In this illustrated edition, by the aid of careful drawings, I
have endeavoured
but
if I
were
I could not
to suggest in
to write a
book
for
what the system
consists
;
every page that this contains,
hope to suggest the many beautiful aspects of
vegetation which the wild garden will enable us to enjoy at
our doors. Tlie illustrations are, with a
work have
of Mr. Alfred Parsons,
been
few slight exceptions, the
and the drawing and engraving execution.
They
are
after
nature, in places where the ideas expressed in the
first
small
several
edition of the
years
in
book had been carried
out, or
as in the case of the beautiful group of
where accident,
Myrrh and white
Harebells, had given rise to the combinations or aspects of
vegetation sought. skill
and
I
cannot too heartily acknowledge the
and pains which Mr. Parsons devoted to the success
which he has attained in
motive of the book, and such good
to the drawings,
illustrating the
effects as
have already
been obtained where the idea has been intelligently carried
out.
PHKFACE.
vii
There has been some misunderstanding as to the term "
Wild Garden."
It
is
a|t[)liud essentially tu
Ihu placing of
perfectly hardy exotic plants in ]tlaces and under conditions
where they will become established and take care of themselves. "
has nothinff to
It
wilderness," though
witli
mav
it
do with the old idea of the be carried out in connection
It does not necessarily
that.
garden, for a garden
may
mean
be highly picturesi[ue, and yet in
What
every part the result of ceaseless care. l)est
a
grove
naked
of
in
trees
does
it
mean
winter Aconite flowering under
explained by the
is
the picturesc[ue
February
;
by the Snowflake
growing abundantly in meadows by the Thames side perennial Lupine dyeing an
islet
with
its
;
by the
purple in a Scotch
and by the Apennine Anemone staining an English
river;
wood blue
before the blooming of our blue bells.
these instances a tliousandfold, illustrated by
Multiply
many
dilferent
types of plants and hardy climbers, from countries as cold or
colder
of the it
as
tlian
our own,
allowing a garden ;
whereas
the garden proper at
all,
to
I
;
wish
Ijut it
to
get
it
a
just
idea
represented
run wild, or sowing annuals
studiously avoids meddling with
except in attempting the improve-
ments of bare shrubbery borders elsewhere
may
Some have erroneously
wild garden.
•promiscuously
and one
in the
London parks and
these are waste spaces, not gardens.
be kept distinct in the mind from the ^ariuus
in groups, beds, and important phases of hardy plant growth l)orders, in
which good culture and good
taste
may
produce
PREFACE.
viii
many
liappy effects
;
distinct
from the rock garden or the
borders reserved for clioiee hardy flowers of the best phase of the sub-tropical garden
hardy plants of garden
;
fine
form
;
and from the gardens, so
may
— that
be carried out as an aid
any of the above in the smaller
our
to say, of
How
to,
own
from
spring-
beautiful
far the wild
or in connection with,
class of gardens,
decided on the spot in each case.
;
of growing
from the ordinary type of
native flowers in our woods and wilds.
garden
kinds
all
can be best
In the larger gardens,
where, on the outer fringes of the lawn, in grove, park, copse, or
by woodland walks
fair
or drives, there
gardens and wholly
tation
May
may
be created by
28, 188].
new and its
means.
is
often ample room,
beautiful aspects of vege-
CONTENTS. CHAPTEIi
EXPLANATORV
I.
......... CHAPTER
... in
Grass
.
15
.
.
21
V.
Plants chiefly fitted for the Wild Garden
CHAPTER
.
IV.
Example from the Globe Flower Order
CHAPTER
9
III.
Example from Hardy Bulbs and Tubers
CHAPTER
1
II.
Example from the Forget-me-not Family
CHAPTER
rA(!K
.
.
32
VI.
........
Ditches and narrow shady Lanes, Copses, Hedgerows,
AND Thickets
CHAPTER Drapery for Trees and Bushes
3G
VII.
.....
43
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE
VIII. PAGE
The common Shrubbery, Woods and Woodland Drives
CHAPTER The
.
51
.
67
IX.
Brook-side, Water-side, and Bog Gardens
CHAPTER
.
X.
Roses for the AVild Garden, and for Hedgerows, Fences,
AND Groups
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
81
CHAPTER XL Wild Gardeninc! on Walls or Ruins
CHAPTER Some Results
.
.
.
....
88
Xn. .
.
.
.
.
92
CHAPTER Xm. A
Plan
for
the
Embellishment
Borders in London Parks
CHAPTER
Shrubbery
the
of .
.
.
.
.111
XIV.
The Principal Types of Hardy Exotic Flowering Plants .120 for the Wild Garden .
.
CHAPTER
.
•
XV.
Hardy Exotic Plants for various the Wild Garden
Selections of IN
.
.
.
.
.
Positions .
.103
LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS. Colonies of Poet's Narcissus and Broad-leaved Saxifrage,
etc.
....
F'l'ontispiece
Columbine and Geraniums in meadow-grass Large flowered
Meadow Rue
.....
Wild Garden, type
in the
mostly excluded from the Garden of large
effect
Night
"mixed border" with
beautiful hardy flowers of
edging,
To face
when gfown
noble
plants
Plumieri)
;
excluded
j-iwje
4
world have been grown in
tlie
at all.
(Sketched in a large
1878)
Blue flowered Composite plant of
way
in whicli the
........ .........
gardens hitherto, (jarden,
tlie
1
Wild Garden
...
.
tile
of plant
tlie
evening Primrose in
Lamarkiana)
(ffinotliera
A
v
and habit
fine foliage
from Gardens.
5
type
;
(Mulgedium
6
......
8
The Cretan Borage (Borago cretica) Flowers of Geneva Bugle (Ajuga genevensis). Dwarf Boragewort Star of Bethlehem in Grass
W(Jod Anemone
,
.
.
.
Caucasian Comfrey in shrubbery
.
.
.
The
association of exotic
Garden.
— The
,
.
.
S)
.
,
.
13
.
.
.
15
tlie
Wild
and British wild flowers in
.
.
.
Lily, naturalised in the grass
Crocuses in turf, in grove of
Group
.
.
.
14
Bell-flowered Scilla, naturalised with our
own Wood Hyacinth The Turk's Cap
.
.
Summer
little
.
.
by wood- walk
leafing trees
of Globe flowers (Trollius) in
the nobler Northern flowers
.
.
marshy place
.
;
.
17
.
19
.
20
type of
cultivated in gardens
.
21
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
xii
PAGE
Tlie
Mountain Clematis
montana)
(C.
.
...
.
.
White Japan Anemone in the Wild Ganleii Anemones in the Riviera. Thrive eij^ually well Tlie
soil here,
only flowering later
The Green Hellebore
.
.
Wild Garden
in the
in .
.
.
.
in grass
.
.
Eupatorium purpureum The Giant Scabious (8 feet Giant
Cow
tion.
Type
parsnip.
lai'ge
.
30
.
.
,
.
32
.
.
33
..... ...
35
.
of Great Siberian herbaceous vegeta-
For rough places only on hedge-bank in spring
Foliage of Dipsacus,
The
28
.
(Cephalaria proL'era)
high).
26
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
white Bindweed, type of nobler climbing
annual stems.
For
The Nootka Bramble
;
jilants,
and shridjberies
.
Si)
....... ....
40
copses, hedgerows,
type of free-growing flowering shrub.
Periploca gra3ca (climber)
.
Large White Clematis on Yew
—wintev
.
.
.
tree at
.
.
The way the climbing gardens
.
.
ing
woody
A
beautiful accident.
away from
(C.
.
(;f
;
way
trees in
Lilies
shrubbery
45
,
46 4!J
Myrrhis odorata, established
.
.
uji through carpet of
44
.
walls or other supports
into wide masses
.
43
of grow-
in shrubbery, witli white Harebells here and there
Large White Achilleas spread
.
...
.
Aristolochia and Deciduous Cypress
— A colony
42
montana
.
.
.
world are crucified in
plants of the
effect (a faitJifid sketch)
Climl)ers
Liane in the North.
.
.
Great Tew.
Climbing shrub (Celastrus), isolated on the grass
A
36
with
For copses and woods The Yellow Allium (A. Moly) naturalised
grandiflora)
23
any open To face pa(je 24
Tall perennial Larkspurs, naturalised in Shrubbery (18/8)
Double Crimson Pceonies
22
.
.
51
under shade of
.
White Arabis
.
.
.
53 55
coming 57 Colony of Narcissus in properly spaced shrubbery The American White Wood-Lily (Trillium grandiflorum) in To face page 58 Wild Garden, in wood bottom in leaf-mould .
.
.
.
.
.
...... .
The
Lily of the Valley in a copse
Solomon's Seal and Herb Paris, in copse by streamlet
.
.
63 67
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
xiii I'AfiE
Colony of lianly exotic Flowers, naturalised by brook-side
......
Valley in Somersetsliin', witli Narrissi,
Primroses Cyiierus longus
The Cape Pond "Weed
Day
Lily
.
.
in an English ditch in winter .
.
.
.
Marsh Marigold and Iris in early spring The same spot as in pre^dous sketch, with aftergrowth Meadow Sweet, and Bindweed .
.
and
To face
.
69
.
IVIarigolds,
.
.
.
margin of water
b\'
]\rarsli
]>a'je .
73
.
.
75
.
.
7G
.
.
78
.....
Partridge Berry (Gaultheria)
.
.
of Iris,
.
.
79 80
.
.
.........
Wild Eose growin" on a Pollard Ash Somerset
in
70
.
Orcliardlciuh
Paik,
83
White Climbing Rose scrambling over old Catalpa Tree
......
84
Tew
88
To face
Climbing Rose isolated on grass
Arenaria balearica, in a hole in wall at Great
ixvje
87
.
.
.
89
.
91
Cheddar Pink, Saxifrage, and Ferns, on cottage wall at Mells Yellow Fumitory on wall (Corydalis lutea) Large Japan Sedum (S. spectabilc) and Autumn Crocuses in the Tlie
.
.
Wild Garden
92
Crane's Bill, wild, in grass
.
.
Tiger Lilies in Wild Garden at Great Large-flowered Clematis
.
.
.
....
Tew .
.
.
.
Wild Garden
Large-leafed Saxifrage in the
.
.
.
.
.
To
face jkujc .
.
94 97
98 101
......
Sun Roses
(Cistus) and other exotic hardy plants among heather, on sandy slope To face jjacje 104 "\\'ood and herbaceous Meadow-sweets grouped together in Mr.
Hewittson's garden
.
.
.
.
.
.
.105
Woodruff and Ivy Tailpiece
108
110
.
Dug and mutilated Shrubbery winter
Colony
of
o/1879. the
Anemone Colony of the
.
in St. James's Park. .
Snowdrop-Anemone
.
in
.
Sketched in .
taking the place of weeds or bare earth
Summer
.
Shrubbery not .
Snowflake, on margin of shrubbery
.
Hi
dug. .
115
.
119
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
XIV
PACE
The Monkshood, naturalised by wet The white Narcissus-like Allium, in type of family receiving
little
wood
ditch in
The
foliage of the
Meadow
.
.
alpina)
,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Saffron in Spring
The White-flowered European Clematis (C. erecta) Cyclamens in the Wild Garden from nature ;
A
A
Sea Holly
Groups of
A
.
.
;
.
.
hardy Geranium Avild,
.
in
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
by streamlet
.
142
.
Wild Garden
146
Type of fine-leaved umbellate plants seldom grown The Bee Balm, Monarda. American wood plant
.
The Great Japan Knotweed (Polygoniuu cuspidatum). ing the plant in flower)
The
of
Type
proper
.
;
149
.
.
150
(Show.
.152
admiraljly suited for
153
daisy (Pyrethrum ser(itinum)
The Great Reed
of Southern
.
.
Europe (Arundo Donax)
.
.154 .
155
of the Larger Composites, excluded I'lum gardens .
.
Group
of Tritoma, in grass
A
Mullein
tall
.
Type Wild Garden
tall Ox-ej-e
Telekia.
.
handsome Labiates
.148
in gardens
.
the
.140 .141
.....144
in valley
Everlasting Pea, creeping up stem in shrubbery
Phlomis.
Iris
.135
.
138
Sun Rose on limestone rocks White Lily
133
.134
.
Eryngium
Funkia Sieboldi
Snowdrops,
123
.124 .126 .127 .132
.
South European Bindweed creeping up the stems of an in an English garden
.
.
.
;
may
,
.
.
.
.
l:il
.
place in gardens which
Siberian Columbine in rocky place Tall Asphodel in copse
.
the orchards of Provence
be beautiful for a season in wild places
The Alpine Windflower (Anemone
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.150 .100 161
Ophrys in grass Rock ste]3s witli Omphalodes Butterbur and Double Furze on margin of lake .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.163 .175
.
.
.
.
176
THE WILD GARDEN. OXE WAY OXWARD.S FROM THE DARK AGES OF
FLOWER GARDEXIXG.' -
CHAPTER
I.
EXPLANATORY.
About
ago a taste began to he
a generation
manifested for placing a plants in
tlie
open
nnmber
air in
of tender
smnmer,
witli a
view to the production of showy masses f
decided colonr. The suhjects selected
were mostly from sub-tropical climates
and
^j]v>-"
"1-
r^l;-^^/iti-
of free
growth
;
placed annually in
the open air of our genial early sum-
mer, and in fresh rich earth, every year
they grew rapidly and flowered abundantly during the
summer and
autumn
1
)y
and
months, cut
until
^
early
the
down
first frosts.
The showy colour of this system was very Large-flowered
Meadow Rue
in the
Wild Garden, type of
plant mostly excluded from the Garden.
B
,
attractive, .
•.
•
j.
and SmCCltS UltrO-
THE WILD GARDEN.
2 ductioii there lias
been a gradual rooting out of
favourites in favour of this
bedding
carried to such an extent that it
has been the
rule, to find
all
"
"
it
This was
system.
was not uncommon, indeed
the largest gardens in the countrv
without a single hardy flower,
all
energy and expense being
devoted to the production of the few exotics required
summer
decoration.
It
should
how many
may
years
sharp frost of
for the
distinctly borne in
lie
that the expense for this system
matter what amount of
the ohl
an annual one
is
;
mind
that no
be spent in this w\ay, or
money may
be devoted to perfecting
November announces
it,
the
first
a yet further expense
and labour, usually more heavy than the preceding. Its highest results need hardly be described; they are seen in all our great public gardens our London and many ;
other city parks
show them
in the shape of beds filled with
vast quantities of flowers, covering the ground frequently in a
showy way,
or in a repulsively
private garden
is
gaudy manner
:
nearly every
taken possession of by the same things.
I
will not here enter into the question of the merits of this
system
;
it
is
beginning to
enough pall.
to state that
Some
old mixed-border gardens
even on
its votaries it is
are looking back with regret to the ;
others are endeavouring to soften
the harshness of the bedding system by the introduction of fine-leaved plants, but all are agreed that a great mistake has
been made in destroying
all
our old flowers, from Lilies to
Hepaticas, though very few persons indeed have any idea of the numbers of beautiful subjects in this
way which we may
gather from every northern and temperate clime to adorn our
gardens under a more
My
object in the
artistic
system.
Wild Gardeyi
is
now
to
show how we
EXPLANATOTiY.
may have more
of
3
varied beauty of hardy flowers than
tlie
the most ardent admirer of the old style of garden ever dreams
by naturalising innumerable beautiful natives of many regions of the earth in our woods and copses, rougher parts of,
of pleasure grounds,
and
in
unoccupied places in almost every
kind of garden.
wood and brake
allude not to the
I
country, but to that which finds
home
its
flora of
any one
in the vast fields of
the whole northern world, and that of the hill -ground that
from beneath
in furrowed folds
falls
tlie
hoary heads of
all
the great mountain chains of the world, whether they rise
The
from hot Indian plains or green European pastures.
Palm and
sacred Fig, as well as the
Wheat and
the Vine, are
separated from the stemless plants that cushion under the
snow
for half the vear,
beautiful
mountain
life,
varied
sides,
and
as
bv a zone the
of hardier
breezes
as the rills that
the Lilies, and Bluebells, and
and not
that whisper
seam
tliem.
Foxgloves, and
less
on the
They Irises,
are
and
Windflowers, and Columbines, and Eock-roses, and Violets,
and Cranesbills, and countless Pea-flowers, and mountain Avens, and Brambles, and Cincpiefoils, and Evening Prim-
and Clematis, and Honeysuckles, and ]\Iichaelmas Daisies, and "Wood-hyacinths, and Dafl'odils, and Bindweeds,
roses,
and Forget-me-nots, and blue-eyed Omplialudes, and Primroses,
and Day
Lilies,
and Asphodels, and
St.
Bruno's
and the almost innumeralile plants wliich form the
Lilies, flora of
the northern and temperate portions of vast continents. It is
beyond the power of pen or pencil
beauty of these plants.
Innumerable and
scenes occur in the wilder parts of
all
to picture the
infinitely varied
northern and temperate
THE WILD GARDEN.
4 regions, at
many
different
The
elevations.
to descrilie or
imagine
the essential thing to Lear in
;
that the plants that go to form
in our
dim ate
as well as
natwe
Such beauty may be
them
our woods and wilds have no liere
and
difficult
mind
is
will thrive
jjlanfs.
every wood and copse
realised in
and slnnibbery that screens our
have
arc hardy,
and
loveliness
ceaselessly varying charms of snch scenes are indeed
"
trim gardens."
little
Naturally
loveliness in spring
we
;
and there the Lily-of-the-valley and the Snowdro]*,
and everywhere the Primrose and Cowslip
;
the Bluebell and
the Foxglove sometimes take nearly complete possession of
whole woods
;
we have
but, with all our treasures in this way,
no attractions in or near our gardens compared to what There are
within our power to create. winters as cold flora
;
countries with
as, or colder than, our own, possessing a rich
and by taking the best hardy exotics and establishing
tliem in wild or lialf-wild ful
many
it is
pictures
in
plant in a free denizen.
It
is
spots,
To
such places. state is
more
taking care of
we may produce
lieauti-
most people
pretty
attractive itself;
a
than any garden
and, moreover,
it
is
—
some degree of graceful wild spray the green above, and tlie moss and brambles and grass around. By the means presently to be explained, numbers of plants usually surrounded
l^y
of the highest order of beauty
pleasant associations, spaces
now devoted
may to
and fragrance, and clothed with
be seen j)erfectly at home in
rank grass and weeds, and
Ijy
tlie
wood
walks in our shrubberies and ornamental plantations.
Among my following First,
:
—
reasons for advocating this system are the
because hundreds of the finest hardy flowers will
Night
effect of large
evening Primrose
in
the Wild
Garden (CEnothera Lamarkiana).
EXPLANAT0E7. thrive
licLter
iiuicli
(lid in
in
rough
AviM places than ever tliey
iiiid
Even eoniparatively small
the old-fashioned borcU'r.
Cyclamen, a
ones, like the ivy-leaved
heautii'ul ])lant that
in perfection in gardens, I
rarely find
naturalised and spread
ovi-r the
all
we
have seen perfectly of a thin
mossy surface
wood. Secondly, l)e(;ause they will look infinitely better than ever
they did in gardens, in consequence of fine-leaved plant, fern,
and and
urass
climbei",
trailing
shrub,
relieving each other
ways innumerable and delightful. Any
in
one of a thousand combinations
will
prove as far superior
any aspect of the old mixed border, or to
the ordinary type of
modern den
as
tloAver-gar^ A "mixed is
a
lovelv •^
mountain valley a piece of the
"
to
wilh
tile
edging, the
when grown
gardens liitherto, /nrgri:an{cn, 1878.)
at
way
all.
in
which the
grown
in
{S/cetc/ieii in
a
black country."
Tliirdly, because, elfects result
liorder
beautiful hardy flowers of the world have been
arranged as
from decay.
I propose,
The raggedness
of the
old
mixed
and early summer bloom
border after the
first
had passed was
intolerable, bundles of
flush of spring
no disagreeable
decayed stems tied
to
making the place look like the parade-ground of a number of crossing - sweepers. A\'hen Lilies are sparsely sticks,
THE WILD GARDEN. dotted through masses of shrubs, their flowers are admired
more than
if
they were in isolated showy masses
when they
;
pass out of Lloom tliey are unnoticed amidst the vegetation,
and not eyesores, etc.
as wdien in rigid unrelieved tufts in borders,
In a wild or semi-wild state the beauty of individual
species will proclaim itself
when
at its height
;
and when out
bloom they will be succeeded by other kinds, among the numerous objects around. of
Fourthlji,
because
it
will enable us to
or lost
grow many plants
that have never yet obtained a place in
our
"
trim
allude to the
I
gardens."
multitudes of plants which, not being so
sho\\y as
those
worthy of a place seen therein.
usually considered
in gardens, are
The
flowers of
never
many
of
these are of the hinhest order of beauty, especially when
seen
isolated
An
numbers.
in
one of
of
tuft
these, seen in a formal
may
border,
sidered I
of
worthy
nxrc,
while
place, Blue flowered Composite plant fine foliage and habit ; type of noble plants excluded from gardens.
not be con-
in
its
some
;
(Mulgedium Plumieri.)
wild glade, in a wood, as a
little
naturally, or associated witli like subjects, aV.'
exquisite.
Among
garden cultivation
Asters,
effect
may
be
the subjects usually considered unfit for
may
in gardens, are
grown American
colony, grouped its
be included a goodly number that,
no addition
Golden Rods, and
to
them
;
subjects like the
like plants,
which merely
EXPLANATORY.
7
overrun the choicer ami more beautiful Ijorder-flower.s Avhen
These coarse subjects would be
planted amonast them. at
home
(|uite
and woody places, where their blossoms
in copses
might be seen or gathered
due season, and their vigorous
in
To
vegetation form a covert welcome to the game-preserver.
these two groups might be added subjects like the winter
handsome
Heliotrope, the
Willow
British
herb, and
many
other plants whicli, while attractive in the garden, are apt to
spread about
so
Clearly these should only
become a nuisance
to
rapidly as
there.
planted in wild and semi-wild
l)e
places.
because
Fifthly,
we may
in this
way
settle
also
the
question of spring flowers, and the spring garden, as well as
In the
that of hardy flowers generally. parts of every country garden, l:)e
made
way
I suggest,
with spring flowers, without interfering at
alive
with the geometrical beds that have been the worthless
least
stock
-
in
-
the
of
trade
The Idue
centuries.
places,
under
ment, and
trees,
so
-
called
"
-
gardener for
wild," in
shady or half-shady bare
way
I propose.
because there can be few more agreeable phases of
communion with nature than countries in whicli
we
naturalising
are infinitely
the
natives of
more interested than
those of which greenhouse or stove plants are native.
Xew
ruin
—home
of
many
Europe
;
in
From
flowers, the prairies of the
World, the woods and meadows of
tains of
Ije
than in any conceivable formal arrange-
that will succeed perfectly in the
Eoman
will
but one of hundreds of sweet spring flowers
it is
Sixtklij,
landscape
Apenuine Anemone
stars of the
seen to greater advantage
the
many
and many suburban ones, may
all
the great moun-
from Greece and Italy and Spain, from the
THE WILD GARDEN.
8
liills
sunny
of
Asia
great continents
— in
region the traveller
near his
he has
home
]\Iinor
;
from the alpine regions of the
a word, from almost every interesting
may
bring seeds or plants, and establish
the pleasantest souvenirs of the various scenes
visited.
Moreover, the great merit of permanence belongs to this delightful phase of gardening.
and embellish plants,
it
— say the
sweet
"
creepers
with the handsomest and hardiest climbing noble mountain Clematis from Nepal, the
Flammula from
C.
Select a wild rough slope,
in variety,
tlie
Southern
"
Europe,
and R. odoratus), various species of hardy Honeysuckles — British
and
Arranged with some judgment be
left
to
attractions,
and
find
it
take care of
Virginian
Nootka Bramble (Eubus nutkanus
itself;
European, at
first,
Jasmines,
vines.
and wild
such a colony miglit
time would
luit
add
and the happy owner might go away beautiful on his return.
Roses.
to
its
for years,
CHAPTER
11.
EX A:\irLE FKOM THE FORGET-.ME-XOT FAMILY.
r
•i4>i^;»^s^
,4:-.
mf'^^m T^l&}i^, ^5^.^^ Caucasian Comfrej-
witli
in
shrubbery.
WILL HOW
endeavour to
my
illustrate
by what showing
meaninL!:
Uia V hC (loUG
one type of northern vegetation
—
that of the Forget-me-not order, one far from being as rich as others in subjects suited for the wild garden.
considering
its
Through
capabilities in this way, the reader
form some idea of what we
may
be
may
do by selecting from
the numerous plants that grow in the
meadows and moun-
al)le to
tain-woods of Europe,
xVsia,
and America.
The Forget-me-not or Borage family is a well-marked and well-known one, containiuG,' a great numljer of coarse weeds, not,
1
tut
which,
if it
possessed only the
would have some claims on
us.
common Forget-me-
Many
persons are not
acquainted with more than the Forget-me-nots;
l)ut
what
lovely exotic plants there are in this order that AV(udd atVord delight
if
met with creeping
aljout
along our
\V(jod
and
THE WILD GARDEN.
10
shrubbery walks true bhies
;
Nature, say some,
!
sparing of her deep
is
but there are obscure plants in
order that
this
possess the truest, deepest, and most delicate of blues, and
common
whicli will thrive as well in the wild garden as
weeds.
The creeping Omphalodes verna even surpasses the Forgetme-not in the depth and Ijeauty of its blue and its other good
qualities,
and runs about quite
freely in
any shady or
lialf-shady shrubbery or open wood, or even in turf in moist soil
mown.
not very frequently
or semi-wild spot,
where
it
Its proper
takes care of
home
the
is
I'ut
itself.
wood
it
in a
garden, and probably, unless the soil and region be moist,
soon perishes.
Besides, in the border,
agreeable object
when once
would be a not very
the sweet s])ring bloom had passed
the positions spoken
wliereas, in
it
of,
served to see
till
when
;
in consequence of the
low plants
predominance of trees, shrubs, atid tall herl)s, the are not noticed
it
out of flower, but crawl about unob-
returning spring reminds those fortunate enough
them how
superior
is
the inexpensive and natural kind
of gardening here advocated.
Another plant of the order is
two of
])urpose, that if a root or it
will soon
(piite
so suitable
it
and useful
for this
be planted in any shrubbery,
run about, exterminate the weeds, and prove
a lesson in wild gardening.
I allude to the
Caucasian
Comfrey (Symphytum caucasicum), which grows about twenty inches high, and bears quantities of the loveliest blue pendulous flowers.
It,
like
many
others,
does
much
better in
a wood, grove, or any kind of shrubbery, than in any other position, filling sliruljs,
in the
naked spaces betw^een the
trees
and
and has a quick-growing and spreading tendency, but
never becomes weedy or objectionable.
As
if
to
contrast
EXAMPLE FROM THE FORGET-ME-NOT FAMILY. M'itli
it,
there
the deej) crimson Boliemian Comfrcy (S.
is
bohemicum), which its
11
vivid coloiirinu-
sometimes startliug from the deptli of
is
and
;
tlie
white Comfrey
(S. orientale), (j^nite
a vigorous-growing kind, blooming early in April ami ^lay,
with the blue Caucasian C.
These Comfreys, indeed, are admirable plants
—the places
for
similar place,
they ever did in the garden proper, in prim borders. are about
twenty
species,
Europe, Asia, and
Silieria.
I
There
mostly from Southern and Central
purposely omit the British Forget-me-nots, wishing
chiefly to
as our
;
This
dissitiflora.
down among
is
lilvc
all
— the
early Myosotis
a patch of the bluest sky settled
the moist stones of a rockwork or any similar
spot, before our is
now
show what we may do with exotics quite as hardy wildlings and we have another Forget-me-not,
own
not British, which surpasses them
and
rougli
and vigorous ones thriving in a ditch or any and flowering much better and longer than
tall
own Forget-me-not has opened
its
blue eyes,
admirable for glades or banks in wood or shrubbery,
especially in moist districts.
For rocky bare places and sunny sandy banks we lune the spreading Gromwell (Lithospermum pirostratum), which,
when
had assumed the form of
own among it
l^ut
low
alj)ine
Ijush, to enable
little
The Gromwells
known
native kind, being
Among
a
it
Gentian
to hold its
creeping things and stouter herbs than accompany
on the Alps.
genus
some exquisite
in flower, looks just as if
are a large
in gardens,
handsome
and important
some of them,
like our
plants.
the fairest plants
we have
are
tlie
Lungworts,
Pulmonaria, too seldom seen, and partly destroyed through
THE WILD GARDEN.
12
on bare
exposure
dug and
often
Pulmonaria (Mertensia virginica)
one of
tlie
old
loveliest spring
Imt
if
moist place near a stream, or in a peat l)ottom,
it
flowers ever introduced.
placed in
a
will live
whereas
;
is
The
liorder.
dry
it
verv rare in
It is
i>-ardens,
frequently dies in a garden.
The newer
and more easily grown Mertensia sibiriea is a lovely plant, taller and flowering longer. These two plants alone would repay any one for a trate the
fiict
trial of
the wild garden, and will illus-
that for the sake of culture alone (apart from
beauty, or arrangement) the wild-garden idea
art,
is
worth
carrying out.
Among
the
look more at
many plants
home than
suitable for the wild garden none
Borage, a few seeds of which scattered
over fresh dry ground soon germinate, and form fine that
will flower
annual, once
it is
during
the
summer.
introduced there
is
])atclies
Although only an
no fear of losing
it,
as
it
comes up somewhere near the same spot each succeeding year, and when in bloom the peculiar Solanum-like sha])e of the blossoms,
and
their rich blue colour,
make
it
beautiful.
in
The Cretan Borage is a curious old perennial, seldom seen gardens; and deservedly so, for its growth is robust and
its
habit coarse.
It
is,
however, a capital plant for the wild
garden, or for rough places
— in
where the ample room which grudged, and where year,
it
may
copse, or shrubljery, or lane,
it
re(piires
would not
Ije
be-
take care of itself from year to
showing among the boldest and the hardiest of the
early spring flowers.
Thus, though I say several of
little of
the Alkanet (Anclmsa) tribe,
which could be found worth a place with our own
handsome Evergreen Alkanet, and do not mention other im-
EXAMPLE FROM THE FOKOET-ME-NOT FAMILY. portant genera, limy tlu'
1)0
it
be seen that
will
a
1
:5
whole garden nf heauty
reaped from this tribe ahme.
Any
one wlio doubts
advantao'es of carrvino' out the idea of the wild garden
could settle the matter to his satisfaction in a couple of years
with these plants alone,
'I'hu
in
shrubbery, ditch, lane, copse, or
a
Cretan Horage (Borago Cretica).
wood, always })roviding that he takes care to adapt each hind to the position
will
grow
and the
six feet
shaded ditch,
and
soil.
For instance,
high in rich or moist therefore,
tlie
Giant Conifrey
soil in a partially
once fairly started, might
trusted to take care of itself in any position.
b(>
The Caucasian
Comfrey, on the other hand, grows fi'om eighteen inches to
two
feet high,
and
is
at
home
in the spaces in a copse or
THE WILD GARDEN.
14
slirubbery. is
a
little
The creeping Forget-me-not (Ompalodes verna)
plant
tliat
not over a span points
creeps about in grass or
liigli,
among vegetation, own these
—
or forms a carpet of its
must be considered, and
the happiest kind only.
tlien the rest is
gardening of
These Borageworts, richer in
Ijlue
flowers than even the gentians, are usually poor rusty tilings in exposed
sunny
borders,
out of flower, whereas in
and
also
much
in the
way when
shady lanes, copses, open parts of
not too dry or impoverished sliruliberies, in hedgerow-lianks, or ditches,
we only
notice tliem in their lieautiful bloom.
Flowers of Cleneva Bugle Dwarf Boragewort.
(Ajiiga genevensis),
^v,v.1:i?^.^>'
Star of Bethlehem
in CJrass.
CHAPTER
III.
EXAMPLE FROM HARDY BULBS AND TUBEES
We
will
now
different type
IN GRASS.
turn from the Forget-me-not order to of vegetation — liardy
a
very
and other plants
l)ulbs
dying down after flowering early in the year, like the Winter
How many
Aconite and the Blood-root (Sanguinaria). really enjoy the beauty of
which a judicious use
of us
of a profusion
How many
hardy Spring -flowering Bulbs affords?
get
beyond the miserable conventionalities of the flower-garden, A\ith its edgings
and patchings, and taking up, and drying,
and mere playing
many
"with our beautiful Spring Bull)S
any time
Bulbs
How
enjoy the exquisite beauty afforded by flow^ers of this
class, established naturally,
at
?
is
?
The subject
merely in
its
without troubling us for attention
of decoratiug w4th Spring-flowering
infancy
;
at present w^e
few of the showiest of them in geometrical w^e do leads to such a very poor result, that
merely place a
lines.
The
little
numbers of people,
THE WILD GARDEN.
16 alive to the real
Bulbs at
all,
charms of a garden
modes of
bedding-out This
;"
is
and
likely to be the
them
is
unused
;
that
way
is
and semi-wild parts of country
in wild
how
more
it
real interest
may
be arranged.
and beauty than any
This
all
the placing
and in
seats,
the rougher parts of a garden, no matter where situated or
in fact, as
the most effective and satisfactory of
of arranging
them
"
pains they occasion.
tlie
long as
so
case
.
regarding them as things which require endless
trouble, as interfering with the
not worth
too, scarcely notice Spriii
way
it
may
be
will yield
other.
Look, for instance, at the wide and bare belts of grass that
wind
and around the shrubberies in nearly every
in
country place ]ilant-l)eauty,
;
frequently, they never display a particle of
and are merely places
But
and then.
if
mown now
planted here and there with the Snowdrop,
Anemone, the Crocus,
the blue
to be roughly
Scillas,
and Winter Aconite,
they would in spring surpass in attractiveness the gayest of spring gardens.
Cushioned among the
have a more congenial medium in which offered spring,
would
grass, these
to unfold
than
is
by the beaten sticky earth of a border; in the grass of their natural bed, they would look far better than ever
they do
when arranged on
carefully
planted,
greatest interest
the bare earth of a garden.
— while they
— occasion no trouble whatever.
Their leaves die
down
scarcely interfere with
so early in spring that they
tlie
mowing
till
Surely
it is
would
of the grass, if that were
desired, but I should not attempt to
places
Once
an annual source of the
mow
the grass in such
the season of vernal beauty had quite passed
enough
carpet at all times,
to
liy.
have a portion of lawn as smooth as a
without sending the mower to shave the
EXAMPLE FROM HAKDY BULBS AXD TUBERS. •
lung and pleasant grass
It ^vunld
grass in
of tlie other parts of the grounds.
indeed be worth wliile to leave
nnniown If in
it.
"
fur the
17
sake of growing
some spot where a wide
parts of the
many
beautiful plants
many
fringe of grass spreads
out in the bay of a shrubbery ov plantation, and upon this carpet of rising and unshaven verdure there be dotted, in
addition to the few pretty natural flowers that of
session
Anemone,
happened
^^"
Apeunine
^-<;:
the Snowdrop, the Snow-
Crocuses
flake.
blue
the
it,
'
to take pos-
in
4^-
-^.^jm
variety, Scillas,
Grape-Hyacinths, earlier and smaller Xarcissi, the
"Wood Anemone, and
any other pretty Spring flowers that were suitable to the
we should have A'ernal
lieved leaves,
trace of
ness
and
position,
a glimpse of
Ijeauty
northern
soil
climes,
temperate
every
the
of
and
flower
re-
bv I/Ograss blades and Ooreen the whole devoid of any man, or
for
his exceeding
tracing
rhe association of exotic and British wild flowers in the Wild Garden.
weak-
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The
wall-paper pat-
ing
of
nature
in
sacrificing one jot liut,
her of
artist
In
own Wood
such
a
garden
it
had caught the true meanof
disposition
anything
our
with
Hyacinth.
terns, where everything should lie varied, indefinite, and changeful,
would be evident that the
Bell-flowered Scilla, nat-
uralised
of
vegetation,
value
in
the
without garden,
on the contrary, adding the highest beauty to spots
devoid of the slightest interest.
matter
I
may
In connection with this
as well say here that
G
mowing
the grass once
THE WILD GARDEN.
IS
a fortnight in pleasure g7Vimds, as now
and and is
We
costly mistahe.
there,
but what
to shave as
Who
want shaven carpets
cruel nonsense both to
many
are indeed places
pjxictised, is
foolish
men
a great
of grass liere
men and
shave their faces
grass
it
There
!
where they boast of mowing forty acres
would not rather
see the
waving grass with countless
than a close shaven surface without a blossom
flowers
!
i
Imagine the labour wasted in this ridiculous labour of cutting the heads off flowers and grass.
we may enjoy
cut for hay, and
Let the grass grow in
it
to
till lit
a Avorld of lovely flowers
that will blossom and perfect their growth before the grass
mown more
has to be
;
than one person who has carried out
the ideas expressed in this book has waving lawns of feathery
where he used
grass
prairie of flowers
some addition grow
till it is
to
to
shave the grass every ten days
where a daisy was not allowed his
hay crop
and
allows
peep
the
;
grass
a
and to
ht for that purpose.
It is not only to places in tions,
as he
to
;
which shrubberies, and planta-
belts of grass in the rougher parts of the pleasure-
that these ground, and shady moss-bordered wood-walks occur
The suburban garden, with its single fringe may show like beauty, to some extent. It may
remarks apply. of planting,
have the Solomon's Seal arching forth from a shady behind
tufts of the
case tliere
may
sweet-scented Xarcissus, while in every
be wild fringes of strong and hardy flowers in
the spring sun, and they cannot he cut off
when exposed stated
is,
places,
in the
mny
What
open garden.
I hope, sufficient to
place that
recess,
show
to
l>y
harsh winds as
has already been
everybody the kind of
be used for their culture.
Wild and semi-wild
rough banks in or near the pleasure-ground or flower-
EXAMPLE FROM HARDV BULBS AND TUBERS.
19
garden, sueli spots as perhaps at present contain nothing but
weeds, or any naturally ruugh ur unused spot ahout a garden
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such
are the places for them.
must be mown
the Snowdrop
for its leaves die
there
is
down,
anv occasion
But the
prettiest
The
I'urk^
grass need not
l)e
Cap
(ir
to
may
K\'en
mow
results are oidy attainable
Lily, naturalised in the grass
mown
the lawn
the grass.
till
where the
by wooJ-ÂŤa!k.
nearly the time the
meadows
of Narcissi, such as
never dared to dream about a dozen years ago
one ever thought
all
at all events ripen sufficiently before
Then we may have gardens
ninwn.
where
be enjoyed in early spring,
possiljle in a garden.
;
are
men
such as no
In grass not
mown
We may even enjoy many of the Lilies, and all the lovelier and more stately Ijulbous flowers of the meadows and at
all
mountain lawns of Europe, Asia, and America.
On on
a stretch of good grass
fairly
good
which need not be mown, and
soil in an}" part of
our country, beauty
may
be
THE WILD GARDEN.
20
enjoyed such as has hitherto only giaddened the heart of the rare
wanderer on the
May when
mountain hiwns and
higli
copses, in
the earth chikh'en laugh in multitudes on their
mother's breast.
All planting in the grass should be in natural groups or prettily fringed colonies,
growing
planting.
copses, heaths, as they go.
and
fro as
they like after
and meadows, by those wlio look about them
At
first
many
formal masses, but that
will find
may
groupings of wild flowers. begin to
to
Lessons in this grouping are to be had in woods,
it
difficult to get
be got over by studying natural
Once
group themselves in a
established, the plants soon
way
that lea^'es nothing
desire.
Crocuses
in turf, in
out of
grove uf Sunnucr leafing
trees.
t(j
Group of Globe
flowers (Trollius) in
Northern flowers
marshy place
type of the nobler
;
cultivated in gardens.
little
CHAPTER
IV.
EXAMPLE FROM THE GLOBE FLOWER ORDER. Let us next
see
order of pLmts. in
from
aspect
meadows and from
it
Virgin's
to
what may It
embraces
these
done with the Buttercup
1)e
many
liuniished
The
muuiitains.
embellish the wild
tilings
ornaments
first
thing
wood
Bower (Clematis flammula),
the to
breath
of early
summer,
the autumnal months.
beautiful as
and
if
its
fragrance
when crawHng
it,
so
northern
should take
a native of the south
as the
will
parts
of Britain
Hawthorn sweetens this
It is never to
add fragrance
be seen half so
over some tree or decayed stump
profuse masses of white liloom do not attract,
is
sure to do
spaces on banks near a for
And
common Hawthorn.
of
I
the sweet-scented
is
of Europe, but as hardy and free in all as the
widely diverse
so.
An
wood
;
its
open glade in a wood, or open
or shrubbery,
would be charming
while in the garden or pleasure-ground
it
may
be used
THE WILD GARDEN.
22
creeper over old stumps, trellising, or the like.
as a
Cle-
matis campaniflora, with flowers like a campanula, and of
a
pale purplish hue, and the beautiful white Clematis montana grandiflora, a native of Nepaul, are almost ecpially beautiful,
and many others of the family are worthy of a
place, rambling-
over old trees, bushes, hedgerows, or tangling over banks.
Tliese single wild species
Clematis are more graceful than the
(if
large
Hybrids now common
very hardy and
tbey are
;
In mild and sea-
free.
common
shore districts a beautiful kind, in Algeria,
and in the islands on and
shores
the
of
]\Iediterranean
cirrhosa), will be found
tlie
(Clematis
most valuable
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
being nearly evergreen, and flowering very early in spring
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even
winter
in
the
we come
to
the
in
South of England.
Next
Wind
in
ful
flowers
(C. montana).
floM'ers.
niOM'n
?
If
Anemones
the
so,
of the
Anemones, and here
or
ilowers,
we must pause The Mountain Clematis
order
tliis
to select, for
do not adorn
Have we
lieautiful
more beautithis
world
oi'
a bit of rich urass not
downy white and yellow
Alps (A. alpina and A. sulphurea)
may
l>e
Any sunny bushy l)aid<; or southern slope grown there. which we wish to embellisli with vernal beauty ? Then select it it
Anemone
blanda, a small
l)ut
lovely blue kind; ])lace
in open bare spots to l^egin witb, as
will at
the spring,
it is
very dwarf, and
Christmas, and from that time onward through
open
its
large flowers of the deejDest sky blue.
EXA^r^'^K vui)M cloiu-:
The
ciuniiioii
f;i-ti(li(ins,
and as
An.ciiioiu!
jiad iM'tlciUc
tlu' s])leniliil
Ancnmnf
glows with
it
free,
l.iii
unnlcii
(A.
placed in
(
njicii
to he
23
oiidkr.
'ormniria)
fulLiriis will
will
liarc sainly
iioL
l)e
places
;
proxe niosl attractive,
Of other Anemones, hardy,
tiery scavh't.
and hcantifnl enough
Fl.o^^â&#x20AC;˘|â&#x20AC;˘:I;
made
wild
in <>nr shrnljheries,
'A. j'aponica) ]ileasnre-gronnds, and wilds, the dapan Ancniunc
The White Japan Anemone
and
its
white varieties, A.
hest of the exotic species.
strongly that they stiff
hrushwuod,
and groups.
unlike our places.
trifolia
the Wild Garden.
and A.
sylvestris, are the
The Japan Anemones grow'
take care of themselves even
brambles,
fitted for scattering
beries
Avill
in
etc.
;
so
among
and they are beantifully
along the low, half- wild margins of shrub-
The
interesting little A. trifolia
own wood Anemone, and
M'ill
otow
in
is
not
similar
THE WILD GARDEN.
24
Few
more lovely in the wild garden than the White Japan Anemone. The idea of the wild garden first arose in the writer's mind as a home for a numerous class of
plants are
coarse -growing plants, to which people begrudge
in their borders, such as the
Compass
plants,
room
Golden Eods, Michaelmas Daisies,
and a host of
otliers,
which are
l)eautiful fur
a season only, or perhaps too rampant for what are called choice borders and beds.
suited
for
Anemone
the wild garden
grows well in any good
the
as
in copse or
soil
beautiful in half- shady places.
where they are
for the
blue variety),
it
is
it
now
sln-ubbery,
and
it
;
and
in
any
is, if
(the wliite as well as the
"
naturalised."
and
wilds
and
borders,
woods and shrubberies,
so
It is scarcely a British
a native of the south of
into our
strayed
It
in every garden, in the
l)e
may become
flower, being
to.
one of the loveliest spring flowers of any
scattered thinly here and there in
that
well
fully exposed.
Apennine Anemone
clime, and should
as
anything, more The flowers, too, are more
case the effect of the large white flowers
lasting here than
is
kinds alluded
Partial shade seems to suit
increases rapidly.
As
one of the most
is
garden flowers, and one which
of
beautiful
This
Europe
plaiitations
;
l)ut
having
occasionally,
it
is
included in most books on British plants.
A. ranuncnloides, a doul)tful native, found in
but not really British,
is
well worth growing, tliriving well
on the chalk, and being very
The
large
freely as
and we garden
Hepatica
The yellow one or two spots,
Ijeautifiil.
angulosa
will
grow
almost
as
Celandine among shrubs and in half-shady spots, all
soils
know how
readily the old kinds
of ordinary quality.
grow on
all
There are about ten or
^'^
W--'-'l
MM
EXAMPLE twelve varieties of
grown
FLOWER ORDER.
FRO^r OLOBE
tlie
common Hepatica (Anemone and gardens, and
in British nurseries
;dl
25
Hepatica)
(lie
colours
of llie species should he represented in evcrv collection
of
spring flowers.
There are
many
which would urow
of the Eaimnculi, not natives of r>ritain,
as freelv as our native kinds.
remember with pleasure
doubtless
white flowers of the aeonitifolius l}order.
fl.
This,
Fair
(Ranunculus
ornament of the old mixed
and the wild form from which
meadows
frecpient plant in alpine
— may
Quite distinct from
our wild garden.
beauty when well grown,
is
11.
ISIanv will
button-like
pretty
of France
IMaids
a frecpient
pi.),
tlie
also
all these,
it
l)e
comes
—a
enjoyed in
and of chastest
amplexicaulis, with flowers of
pure white, and simple leaves of a dark glaucous green and flowing graceful outline
almost any
This
soil.
is
;
a
hardy and charming plant on
one of the elegant exotic forms of a
family well represented in the golden type in our meadows,
and therefore
it
welcome
is
as
giving-
us
Such a plant deserves that pains be taken good
soil,
in spots
or destroy
in
it.
apart from our own,
garden plants
—
cpiite
(Trollius), there are various
rich in colour, fragrant,
all
kinds
and hardy
These are amono- the noblest wild-
in a remarkable degree.
hardy, free of growth in the heaviest of
and wettest of climates, affording a lovely type of early
summer
flower- life, and one distinct from
in our fields or gardens
are
it
where a rank vegetation may not weaken
Of the Globe Flowers
soil
a strange form to establish
among
the
many
;
for these
any usually seen handsome Globe flowers
flowers that for years have found no
place in the garden proper.
They
are lovely in groups or
THE WILD GAKDEN.
26
wonld
cold
in
colonies,
grassy places,
where ninny
]>lants
perish.
The
Winter Aconite
(Eranthis
do so as to introduce the
thistle.
It
under the Ijranches of deciduous
when
the trees are naked,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
may
have
be
as easy to
it is
he placed
trees, will
Avill
shonld
hyenialis)
naturalised in every country seat in Britain
flower
otliei-
(piite
come up and
its foliage
developed
come on
before the leaves
the trees, and be afterwards
hidden from
sight.
masses of this
earliest flower
'"^'^'""ivr"^'^-
â&#x20AC;˘''"
Thus
may be grown without
the
slightest
of
sacrifice
space,
and only be noticed
when
a
Itearing
bloom on every little stem.
That
])lant,the
Rose
(
fine old
Christmas
Hellel lorus The
niger), likes partial
shade better
thaii
dantly, giving flowers
may
it
full
(Ireeii
Hellebore
in the
Wild (iarden.
exposure, and should be used abun-
rather snug and
warm
positions, so that its
be encouraged to open well and
other kinds might also be used,
liecently
fully.
many
Helleborus have been added to our gardens, not
Any
kinds of
all
of
them
so conspicuous at first sight as tlie Christmas Eose, yet they
are of remarkable beauty of foliage
and habit as well
blossom, and they flower in the spring.
These, too,
as
of
show the
advantage of the wild garden as regards cultiAation
They
KXAMPLK FROM much
llu'hc
\\']\]
mniually
hedge hanks, old
cases
it is
Rome them
any
even in
ditlereiice
in
effect
tlie
in
tAvo
tlie
needless to speak. of the ^Nronkslioods are very handsome, hnt all
virnlent
at
slopes,
or rough movnds, than in the ordinary
Of the
and,
poisons;
l)earin,u
mind what
in
accidents have arisen from their nse, they
used
27
or copses, or in
htsliy places,
groups on irarm hanks and
i/i/arrics,
harder.
garden
in
hetfrr
shelf rriny
(ILOBE FLOWRIJ ORDEH.
in
all
the
,^ardeii
ai'e
fatal
l)etter
not
tall
and
Amongst
proper.
ol"
vigorous herliaceous plants few are more suitable for wihl
and semi -wild to
grow anywhere
in
An
sliady
with
spikes, loaded
tall
Tliey are hardy and rohust enougli
places.
illustration in the
(ir
l)lue
('ha])ter
lialf-sliady
very
tlieir
beautiful.
on the ])lants suited for the
common Aconite
wild garden sliows the
and
s])ots:
are
flowers,
in a Somersetshire
valley in
company with the Butterbur and the Hemlock.
In
]ilace its
.such a
l)lue
kinds,
grown
When
in
beauty
deep
stiff
wild garden
Tlie larger rich
very striking.
and the blue and white one, are very showy soils, in
out of flower, like
were often
is
and ugly
tlieir
Mdiich
many
they attain
a
great height.
other stately Perennials, they
in the old borders
stately beauty
Avill
and
l)eds.
In
tlie
be more remarkable
than ever under the green leaves in copses and by streams.
And when
Hower-time
is
gone, their stems, no longer tied into
bundles or cut in by the knife, will group finely with other vigorous herbaceous vegetation.
The Delphiniums, the most lieautiful of
shade of
lilue,
or tall Terennial Larks|)urs, are all flowers.
amongst
They embrace almost every
from the rich dark tone of D. grandiflora to the
THE WILD GARDEN.
28
eharming can-ulean
tints of
such as D. Belladonna
and being
;
make way among long grasses and vigorous weeds, unlike many things for which we have to recommend an open space, or a wood with notliing usually of a tall
and strong
type, will
but a carpet of moss under the
One
trees.
of the prettiest effects whicli
I liave ever seen
was a colony
of tall
Portions of old roots of
Larkspurs.
several species
and
had been
varieties
chopped of
l)ed
when
off
these
a
plants
was dug in the autumn. For convenience sake the
had
refuse
been
thrown into the neighl)Ouring shrubbery, far in
among
and
the shrubs
trees.
Here they
grew
in
half- open
spaces,
which were
so
Tall Perennial Larkspurs, naturalised in Shrubbery (1878).
far
removed from
margin that they were not dug and were not
saw the Larks]iurs
in flower they
things that one could see.
seen.
were certainly the
tlie
When
I
loveliest
They were more beautiful than they
are in borders or beds, not growing in such close stiff tufts, but
mingling with and relieved by the trees above and the shrubs around.
Little
more need be
cares about such plants,
and
said to lias
any one who knows and
an opportunity of planting
in such neglected places.
This case points out that one might
make wild gardens from
the mere parings and thinnings of
EXAMPLE FKOM GLOBE FLOWER ORDER. the beds and borders in
autumn
in
2!)
any place wliere there
is
a collection of good hardy plants.
The engraving on the next page represents one beautiful effects
of tlie
most
obtained in his wild garden by an acquaintance
mine who began when he knew very little of plants and their favoured haunts, and succeeded well in a not very of
favourable
Herbaceous Piconies were amongst those
site.
The
that succeeded best.
hand
close at
effect
was very
of perennial plants, beautiful effects
room.
Even
may be
carried out in
free, vigorous,
most places where there
in comparatively small gardens, a group or
two outside the margin of a shrubljery woidd be
The
effect of the
garden
is
liner
Herb-
off.
and hardy and with them alone most novel and
aceous Pseonies are amongst the most
is
l^eautiful, either
or seen at a considerable distance
desirable.
blooms amongst the long grass of the wild
than any they present in borders, and when
out of flower they do not seem to be in the way, as they often are thought to be
when
in borders
and beds.
It is almost
needless to speak here of the great variety of forms
obtainable amongst these herbaceous Pieonies, are agreeably scented.
(jf
of
which
The older forms were not remarkable
in that respect, but rather the contrary.
splendour
many
now
In addition to the
colour for which Pffionies are long and well
known, there are now many delicately -coloured and tinted varieties. The whole race is undeservedly neglected. People spend plenty of money on greenhouses which will nevei" produce anything so handsome as a well-grown group of herbaceous Pieonies in the open garden
;
yet
when they
they are often begrudged a few feet of good is
all
soil,
they would require for years at a time.
are
grown
though that
My
friend's
THE WILD GARDEN.
30
Pieonies formed a group that could be seen from a distance
wlieu
T
grass.
;
saw tliem they were surrounded by long and waving I
cannot give any idea of the
tine effect.
The Clematis-like Atragene alpina
one of
is
flowersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; seldom seen now-a-days, or indeed of a botanical garden, It lii<es to trail
and
till
at
my
favourite
any time, out
lately not often seen in one.
over an old stump, or through a thin low busli.
Âťrja ^^^ hHt""
Double
or over a rocky bank,
Criiiisoii
and
it is
Peeonies
a perfectly hardy plant.
would
ing of such plants as this, one distinction
between them and the
subjects wliich are
now
in tfrass.
vari()us
creeping into cultivation owing to
the revival of interest in hardy plants.
some botanical garden. tion
Our
interest, but they can
chief danger
now
which are neither very
perhaps we neglect
Speak-
draw a sharp weedy and indistinct
like to
many
is
Many
l)e
of these have
only useless in the
getting plants into cultiva-
distinct nor \'ery beautiful, while
of the
really
tine
kinds.
This
EXAMl'i.K Atrageiie
is
a
FROM
(iLol'.K
F]A)\\l-:il
OKDKi;.
plant tur kiw Imsli and
precious
:U
liaiik
wild
oardeii.
Aiuon,u plants which une nevL^- sees, and which, indeed,
uue never ought
Eues
;
to see, in
and vet there
is
plants which entitle flowers,
shown
When
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
in
too,
of
garden,
a quiet beauty
them
certain
aw
and grace
the ]\[eadow aliout
some consideration
to
species,
particularly
and the
;
one
tlie
these
here
])age 1, are of singular beauty.
considered that
the species will grow anywhere
it is
anv hedgerow or lane
common
should not Li'arden.
tiowt-r
in the illustration im
or in a copse, or to
a
under
or
bvewav, or among coarse
the shrubs, in places usually
weeds, there
be
all
rescued
is
no
from
rea-^on
the
why numbers
oblivion
of
grass,
abandoned
the
of
them
botanic
CHAPTEE
V.
PLANTS CHIEFLY FITTED FOR THE WILD GARDEN.
What
tirst
suggested the idea of the wild
garden, and even the
was the desire
to
to provide a
number
for a great
name
me,
home
of exotic plants
that are unfitted for garden culture in the old sense.
plants
of these
Many
have great beauty when in
and perhaps
flower,
at other seasons, but they are
frequently so free
and vigorous in growth
that they overrun and destroy all their delicate neighbours.
Many,
more
too, are so coarse
that they are objectionable in choice borders,
and
after flowering they leave a
mass of unsightly stems. unsightly in gardens, the neglect of hardy flowers; yet
A
stages.
tall
blank or a
These plants are
and the main cause of
many
are beautiful at certain
Harebell, for example,
stiffly
tied
up
in a
garden border, as has been the fashion where plants of this
kind have been grown at object
;
but the same
all, is
plant
at best of times
growing
an unsightly
amongst the
long
PLANTS FITTED FOR THE a
in
UTass
wooel
tliiu
WlT.l)
GAEDEX.
luvelv.
is
The Golden -rods and Michaelmas overrun
used to
Daisies
mixed
and
horder,
abolished.
were
wood
autumn
also there are
old
mn
fi
Xew EuQ-land ^
So
numerous exotic plants
not he so striking,
Ijut
in groups
and
some
distance
colonies, off,
may
which, grown
and seen
at
/^
afford heauti-
ful aspects of vegetation,
new
ir
a picture.
of whicli the indi^•idual iiowers
little
iP
with
even the poorest of
lUit
these seen to£i-ether in a in
the
and
cpiite
so far as gardens are concerned.
"When
I first
one of
tliese
wrote this book, not plants was in cultiva-
tion outside botanic gardens.
It
was
even considered by the best friends
ALf
of hardy flowers a mistake to recom-
mend one that
it
of them, for they
was the j^redominance
weedy vigorous
knew
of these
subjects that
made
people give up hardy flowers for the sake of the glare of bedding plants therefore, the wild
garden in the case
of these particular plants opens
us a
new world of infinite and
beauty.
In
it
;
up
ti
w^ rA:i
i
stranae
every plant vigorous
/ \
V5«r~
£v:
enough not to require the care of the cultivator or a choice place in the
D
The Giant Scabious
(o feet high).
(Cephalaria procera.)
THE WILD GARDEN.
34
mixed border numbers travellers
may
find a
home.
taller
Of
sucli plants there
are
and mountainous country, wliich
gather and
The
gardens.
the
Avill
in every northern
afterwards
grow
the
Achilleas,
seldom -seen Actreas, the huge
in
own
their
stately
Aconites,
and vigorous, but
certain seasons handsome, Altlueas, Angelica with
its
at fine
foliage, the herliaceous kinds of Aralia from the American
woods,
with
also
(Artemisia),
the
(Asclepias),
certain
Asters and
fine
stronger
foliage,
Wormwood
the
family
kinds of American cotton -weed
of the vigorous
species
their allies in great variety,
of Asparagus,
the larger and more
vigorous species of Astragalus, certain of the larger species of Betonica, pretty, and with delicate flowers, but hardly
fit
for
the mixed border, various free and vigorous exotic Grasses,
and showy Bupthalmums, the handsome creeping Bindweeds, too free in a garden, the most vigorous Campanulas,
large
exotic Thistles (Carduus)
able kinds
of Carex,
coarse for the garden;
and their
allies,
the more remark-
numerous Centaureas, somewhat too and among other strong and hardy
genera, the following are chiefly suitable for the wild garden Cramlie.
Galega.
Rhaponticum.
Digitulis.
Helenium.
Rheum.
Dipsacus.
Helianthus.
Rudbeckia.
Doronicum.
Heracleum.
Scolymus.
Echinacea.
Inula.
Senecio.
Ecliiiiops.
Kitaibelia.
Sida.
Elymiis.
Lavatera.
Silphium.
Ejnlobiuin.
Ligularia.
Solidago.
Eryngiiun.
Ligusticuni.
Sonclius.
Eupatorium.
Mulgedium.
Symphytum.
Euphorbia.
Onopordon.
Veratrum.
Ferula.
Phytolacca.
Verbascum.
Funkia.
Polygonum.
Vernonia.
:
PLANTS FITTED FOR THE WILD GARDEN.
Giant
Cow
Parsnip.
Type
of Great Siberian herbaceous vegetation.
For rough places only.
35
CHAPTER
VI.
DITCHES AND NARROW SHADY LANES, COPSES, HEDGEROWS,
AND THICKETS,
Men
usually seek sunny positions for tlieir
v^
gardens, so that even
those obliged to be con-
tented with the north side
would scarcely
of the hill
some
appreciate
above named -
What,
the
weedy dyke
the
of
positions.
gloomy
and
as a garden
!
Yes, there are ditches, dry
and wet, that
in every district,
may
readily he
made
more beautiful than many -'
^*
'
"
a
Foliage of Dipsacus, on hedge-bank in spring.
them
?
of our
]\Iany of the beautiful
own and
"
modern flower-garden,"
-g^^^
^^,|^^^
^^.^^^^d
grOW
wood and shade-loving
similar latitudes
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; things
iu
j^lants
that love not the
wide meadows, but take shelter in the
open sunny
hillsides or
stillness of
deep woods or in dark valleys, are happy deep
DITCHES AND XATtROW SHADY LANES. between riven rocks, and gaily
37
dark caves
oc('n]iy the little
beneath the ureat boidders on maiiv a horror-stricken nioiintain gorge,
and whicli garland
Avith
inimitable grace the vast
flanks of rock that gnard the dark conrses of the rivers on their
the
paths throngh
ruined
ceaseless
by
And
hills.
pulse
of
the
as
these dark walls,
ties
the shady
all
dykes and narrow lanes that occur everywhere the nymph-gardener of the raA^ne
beautiful
are
torrent,
moiv may we make
exceedingly, liow iniich
may depend
For while
!
for
her novel-
on the strav grains of seeds brouuht in the moss bv the
robin
wave,
when
building her nest, or on the mercy of the hurrying
we may
by side the snowy white wood lily whose home is in the shades of the
place side
(Trillium grandiflorum),
American woods, with the twin flower of Scotland and northern Europe, and find Ijoth thrive on the same spot in ha^jpy com-
And
panionship.
may we
so in innumerable instances.
And
not only
be assured of numbers of the most beautiful plants of
other countries thriving in deep ditches and in like positions,
but also that not a few of them, like the white wood thrive
much
borders.
as
This plant,
any white
them than
Ijetter in
lily,
when
while
it is
in
any
111}-,
will
position in garden
in perfection, has a flower as fair
seldom a foot high
;
but, in con-
sequence of being a shade-loving and wood plant,
it
usually
perishes in the ordinary garden bed
or border, while in a
shady dyke or any like position
be found to thrive as
well as in
vegetable
its
it
native woods; and
soil, to
grow
will if
in
deep, free, sandy, or
so as not to be surpassed in loveliness
by anything seen in our stoves or greenhouses.
Our wild
flowers take j^ossession of the
stiff',
formal, and
THE WILD GARDEN.
38
shorn hedges that seam the land, often (heaping them with such innnitable grace that half the ecjuservatories in the country, with their collections of small red pots and small
mean
plants are
stiff
and poor compared with a few yards'
The Wild
length of their blossomy verdure.
Eoses, Purple
Vetch, Honeysuckle, and the Virgin's Bower, clamber above
and throw a
smaller, but not less pretty, wildlings,
graceful
life
over the mutilated shrubs, reminding us of the
plant-life in the nest-like thickets of
dwarf shrubs that one Tn these
often meets on the Ingh Alpine meadows.
bushes in a sea of grass one
have been
all
may
browsed down on the
interesting aspects
tracery of low -climbing things
grass,
gather Howers
Next
turf.
there
of Alpine vegetation,
nothing in the world of plant-life
northern and
veil of
they
to the
most
is
more lovely than the
wedded
to the
islets of
after
perhaps delicate
bushes in
all
Perishing like the
temperate regions of the earth.
they are happy and safe in the earth's Ijosom in winter
in spring they
come up
finding the bushes once
as the
buds swell, and soon
more enjoyable, rush over them
joyously as children from school over a
meadow
Over bush, over brake, on mountain or lowland
;
after,
as
of cowslips.
copse, holding
on with delicate but unyielding grasp, they engrave themselves on the mind as the central type of grace.
In addition to
of
which the stems
climbing Pea-flowers, Convolvuluses, perish in winter, in
foliage
we
etc.,
have the great tribes of wild vines, noble
and often in
fruit,
from coral red to pale yellow,
the numerous Honeysuckles, all beautiful
;
and the Clema-
and lovely beyond description, from those of which each petal reminds one of the wing of some huge tidie, rich,
varied,
DITCHES AND XARROW SHADY LANES.
39
tropical butterfly, to those with small flowers borne in showers
from a fountain
like drops
jet,
and often sweet as Hawthorn
blossoms.
This climbinti'
vegetation
be trained and in
Q-ardens,
but
never be seen
will
its
beauty
until
we
entrust
it
may
tortured into forms
to the garland-
ino-
and
of shrub,
copse, or hedge-
row,
of
fringes
dwarf plantation, or
of
groups
and
shrubs
trees.
All to be done
few
put in a
any
is
to
tufts of
desired kind, and leave tliein
alone, adapting the kind position.
The
Bindweed,
for
to
the
large, flesh-coloured
example, would be best in
rough places, out of the pale of the pleasureground or garden, so that its roots would not spread wliile a
where they could do harm,
dehcate Clematis might be placed
beneath the choicest specimen Conifer, and allowed to paint flowers.
its
rich gi-een witli fair
it
type of nobler climbing plants, with annual stems.
For copses, hedgerows, and shrubberies.
In nature we frequently see a Honeysuckle clamber-
ing up through an old
with
The large white Bindweed,
as to
Hawthorn
tree,
and then struggling
which should produce the greatest profusion
THE WILD GARDEN.
40 of blossoms this
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hut
cannot he done in gardens
hetter in gardens than for gardens
can
we can
Some may say
gardens not yet.
in
it
has ever been done in nature
from
select plants
effect contrasts, in
can he done infinitely
l)nt it
;
which nature
that
many
because,
;
We
countries.
poor in any one place
is
in consequence of the comparatively few plants tliat naturally
art itself is nature;
"
and
"
People seldom remember that
inhabit one spot of ground.
foolish old laws laid
down by
the
land-
scape-gardeners are yet fertile in perpetuating the notion that a garden
"
a
is
work
we must
fore
of art,
and there-
not attempt in
it
to
imitate nature."
Sometimes,
and bare
Uirge effect
may
where slopes,
there
are
an excellent
be obtained by planting
the stouter climbers, such as the
Mountain
Vines,
Clematis,
and
Honeysuckles, in groups or masses
on the grass, away from shrubs or
low
trees
;
while,
when
the banks
are precipitous or the rocks crop forth,
we may
allow a curtain of
<!S*!^
climbers to The Nootka Bramble
;
growing flowering copses and woods.
spots are
near
among
type of freeFor shrub.
may
most the
fall
country
be made in this way in
houses.
climbing and
The following
clinging
suitable for garlanding copses, hedges, lasting Peas
Clematis
(many
(wild
kinds), the
species
over tliem.
Endless charming; combinations
many genera
hardy plants most
and thickets
:
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ever-
hardy exotic Honeysuckles,
maiiily),
the
common
Jasmine,
DITCHES AND NARROW SHADY LANES. tlu'
Amines
Ui'iiialilc,
tlitiil)l(,'
and
(Ainerican
41 (â&#x20AC;˘(tmiiioii
llie
varieties), single Ivoses, the A^irginiau creepers (Anipelopsis),
Bindweed (Calystegia and A. tomentosa, and several
ol'
T.
and tuberosum.
the hirge
pentaphylhini,
speciosnni,
Sniihix, too, are very
only
daliuiiea), Aristolochia Sipho,
the ]ierennial Tro])ieohims,
handsome, and the Canadian Moonseed, kind of gardening.
suita])k' for this
the families of plants
Among
tliat
various positions enumerated at the
may be
The hardy
named â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Acanthus,
are suitable for the
head of
this
variety, Viola,
any
chapter
both
the
sweet varieties and some of the large scentless kinds, the I'eriwinkle,
Globe
Speedwells,
Ferns (Struthiopteris), and the Valley and
its
many
Flowers,
many
Trilliums,
other kinds, the
varieties
and
allies,
I'lume Lily of
the Canadian
Bloodwort, the Winter Greens (P}'rola), Solomon's Seal, and allied
exotic
Narcissi,
hardy
many, the
common
Peas and
May Apple, Orobus in variety, Common Myrrh, the perennial Lupin, the
species,
Lilies,
the Snowflakes,
allied plants,
all
kinds of Everlasting
admirable for scrambling through low
hedges and over bushes, Windflowers, the taller and stronger kinds in lanes and hedgerows, the various Christmas Eoses wliicli will
repay for shelter, the European kinds of Crladiolus,
such as segetum and
Coh^illi, the taller
and more vigorous
Cranes Bills (Geranium), the Snake's Head variety, Strawberries of
any variety
(Fritillaria)
in
or species, the beautiful
Plume-leaved Giant Fennel, Dog's Tooth Violets in bare spots or spots bare in spring, the for
peaty spots or leaf
soil
under
Winter Aconite, the Barren Worts,
soil,
the j\Iay Flower, for sandy poor
trees, the Dentaria, the
coloured and sliowier forms
of I'rimroses, Oxslips, I'olyantlius, the hardy
European Cycla-
THE WILD GARDEN.
42
mens
in
carefully chosen
spots,
under
Crocuses in places
branches and trees not bearing leaves in Spring, the yellow
and pink Coronilla forms of Bindweed,
(C.
montana and
many
varia), the
larger
and
finer Harebells,
among
the taller plants
of the taller
Star worts (Aster), for hedgerows, and
C.
the Italian Cuckoo Pint (Arum), and also the Dragons, for
warm sandy
soils,
the
Monkshoods which people
dens and which do admirably in species of Onion, also
are very
beautiful,
many positions
unwelcome
as,
for
in gardens,
;
fear in gar-
the different
some
of
which
example, the White Provence
kind and the old yellow garden Allium (Moly).
With
above almost exclusively exotic things and our
own
flowers and ferns Ijeautiful colonies
'I'he
may
be made.
Yellow Allium (A. Moly) naturalised.
the
wild
CHAPTER
VIL
DKAPEKY FOR TREES AND BUSHES.
The numerous hardy climbers
wliicli
we
pos-
sess are very rarely seen to advantage, owingto
tlieir
stifHv trained
l)eing
Indeed, the greater
number
of
against walls.
hardy climbers
have oone out of cultivation niainlv for this reason.
One
using them
is
manner over
ways of
them
in a free
way many
beautiful
that of training
trees
be
may
effects
of the happiest of all
;
in this
Established trees
secured.
have usually exhausted the ground near their
which may, however,
base, to a
hardy climbing
the graceful companion
the stem only
may
In some low trees
garland their heads
may
at first
shrul).
afford nutriment
be adorned.
;
in tall ones
But some vigorous
climbers could in time ascend the tallest trees, and there can be
nothing more beautiful than a veil of such a one as Clematis
montana suspended from the branch host of lovely plants
may
Ije
of a tall tree.
A
whole
seen to great advantage in this
way, apart from the well-known and popular climbing plants.
There
are,
for
example, man}- species of Clematis which
THE WILD GARDEN.
44
have never come into cultivation, but which are quite as beautiful
as
any climbers.
The same may be
said of the
Honeysuckles, wild Vines, and various other families of which
Large White Clematis on
the names tree
may be
Yew
tree at
found in catalogues.
and shrub world
is
in hedgerows. first
The
[C.
montana
grandifiora.)
IMuch of the northern
garlanded with creepers, which
be grown in similar ways,
have the
Great Tew.
as,
for
may
example, on banks and
trees in our pleasure-grounds, however,
claim on our attention in planting garlands.
DRAPET^Y FOR TRp]ES There would scldtun
AND BUSHES.
45
need to fcnr injury to established
1i<'
trees.
Some time a^o a lake, that had
smv
T
a AVeepiiig' AVilloM',
on
margin of
tlu;
trunk clothed with Virginian Creeper, and
its
when
the effect in autumn,
the sun shone throuLih the
branches
drooping
AVillow— whose l)ecoming
just
gold
— upon
the
leaves were
the crimson of
trunk
creeper covered
The Hoji
fine.
effective
very
a
draping
with
tinged
-
was very a
the
of
plant
thin
Arbor -vita', or
specimen
Yew
the shoots should
is
for
l)e
tree,
but
thinned
out in spring, and not more
than three or four allowed to
climb
When
u])
the
to
the
leader
tree.
emerges The way
from the top of the Imsh,
and throws
most
— winter
efifect (<x
faith-
fnl skfUh). its lonu;, o-raceful
wreaths of Hops over is
the climbing plants of the world are
crucified in gardens
effective.
tlie
dark green
The Wistaria,
if
foliage, the
planted before
contrast
its sup])ort
has become old, will combine with excellent effect with any single specimen of not too dense a habit.
A
correspondent,
a place in
follows
:
—
"
who has added
Suffolk l)y
means
Some time aso
largely to the
charms of
of the wild garden, writes as
I disc()^'ered
and had removed from
the woods to the pleasure-grounds a robust round-headed
THE WILD GARDEN.
46
which had been taken
entire possession of
by a
wild Honeysuckle, which, originating at the root of the
tree,
Holly
tree,
had scrambled up through the branches to the extending itself in all directions, had formed a
hung
in
festoons
round
all
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
and
top,
highly ornamental object
The Holly had endured the subjection
indeed.
there,
large head and
years,
seemed
for
many
and
still
put forth
to
sufficient shoots
leaves
annually
and to
ensure a steady supjiort to
its
climbing-
The
companion. Ijirds
had
also
thicket
the
that
covered
dense
dis-
and
tangled
created
by
the Honeysuckle was a suitable
home
for
their young, for in'^My^t Climbing shrub (Celastrus), isolated on the grass way of growing woody Climbers away from walls or other
side of it was a regular
:
settlement
supports.
and,
since
of
the
tree
complete possession
has of
in
moA'ed
l)een
again is
1jy
instance, than
white
Clematis
a
lofty
What
the
various
nests
kinds
;
has been taken
bird
tribe."
The
an example of what might
(piestion" Honeysuckle done with such handsome and 1)6
and scraml)ling Eoses.
it
of
free
growing climbers
could be more effective, for
tree -like
mass of the purple and
mixed, or either of
tliese alone, or,
better
DRAPERY FOR TREES AND BUSHES. still,
a
gigantic head of Eoses
for those
who
such as I
have described,
choose to
?
47
tlirow out these
I
act
upon them.
may
soon be had.
hints
Draped I
do not
trees,
know
that a better tree than the Holly could be selected for a support.
Where
the trees are not in
are wanted, they sliould be to the desired situation,
decayed manure it
—
is
place in which they
tlie
moved about the end
and
if
some good
rich soil
furnislied to the roots at tlie
will he in proper condition
f(^r
August
same time,
climbers in spring.
latter sliould be planted pretty closely to the
and a
of
—loam and
stem of the
Tlie tree,
should be made with good vigorous plants, whether
start
of Honeysuckle, Eoses, or Clematis.
The Eoses and other
things will want a
first till
little
leading off at
of their supporters, but afterwards
they get hold
no pruning or interference
should be attempted.
Mr. Hovey, in a
letter
from Boston,
follows, on certain interesting aspects of
]\Iass.,
wrote as
tree drapery
:
—
Some ten or fifteen years ago we bail occasion to plant three or four rows of popular climbers in nursery rows, about 100 feet long these consisted of the Virginian creeper, the Moonseetl (Menispermum), subsecj^uently, it hajj^jened Periploca gra-ca, and Celastrus scandens ;
;
accidentally that four rows of rather large Tartarian (so-called) Arbor'\ita\s were planted on one side, and about the same numl)er of rows of
Smoke
trees,
For Philadelphus, and Cornus tlorida, on the other. many of these climbers were taken up annually
three or four years
and year l)y year the Arbor-^vitits and shrubs were thinned out until what were too large to safely transplant
until rather too old to remove,
But the land was not wanted then, and the few
remained.
scattered
and climbers grew on while cultivation was partially neglected, a large specimen being occasionally taken out until the climl)ers had fairly taken possession of the trees, and are now too beautiful to trees
disturb.
ever seen.
It
forms the most unic|ue specimen of tree drapery I have of the Arbor-vita^s are entirely overrun with the
Some
Moonseed (Menispermum), whose
large, slightly-scalloj)ed leaves over-
THE WILD GARDEN.
48
lap one unotlier from the grouml to tlie top like slates on a roof. Over others, the gloomy leaves of the Periploca scramble, and also the Celastrus, and on still others the deep green leaves of the Ampelopsis of some trees all fonr and otlier climbers completely festoon the tree and from taken have among the tops of the Snmach the possession ;
;
feathery tendrils of the Ampelopsis, and, just now, its deep bine berries And these are not all. Tlie Apios tuberosa is hold full sway.
indigenous, and springs np everywhere as soon as onr land is neglected. has also overrun several trees, and coils np and wreaths each out-
Tliis
stretching branch with its little bunches of fragrant brownish coloured It is the Arbor-vita's which give the peculiar l^eanty of this
flowers.
description of tree drapery. lengthens rapidly, and the Arbor-vitiBs,
On
the deciduous trees the
new growth
branches soon get far apart
but with
;
which always present a round compact head, the
effect
they are covered so densely that it is impossible, in some instances, to say what the tree is that supports the climljers. One Hemlock Spruce (Abies canadensis) has every branch loaded with is
entirely ditt'erent
;
but this one sees happen witli the Apios and profuse with blossoms The Smoke tree looks interesting just now, while its other trees. flowers are fresh, but soon they will fade, and the dry tops will be a ;
disadvantage
but
;
foliage, flowers, frosts
the Arbor-vitse
and berries
too,
will
remain
of the Celastrus
have shorn them of their beauty, and
The
scattered around.
Arbor-^'itte
is
(dothed
with
imtil the
the
autumn
no
falling leaves are
the tree I
would recommend
when it is desirable to produce such effects as I have described. When such strong-growing climbers as Begonias and Wistarias take possession l>ut the very slender stems of of a shrub they generally injure it ;
Menispermum and Apios
ground after the first sharp do not stems of the others slender the and appear to arrest the growth frost, of the Arbor-vita'S, which are restored when the climbers are down, and, after full
die entirely to the
eight months' rest, are again ready to aid in sustaining tlieir
The Honeysuckle, the Clematis, and more dependent companions. similar plants might, no doubt, be added to the list, and give more variety, as well as fragrance and beauty, but I have only detailed the effects of
future
what has been done, leaving what might be
effected for
some
trial.
But
tlie
noblest kind of climbers forming drapery for trees
are not so often seen as
tioned above.
A
some
of the general favourites
men-
neglected group are the wild Vines, plants
DRAPERY FOR TREES AND BUSHES. of
the
liighest
and
beauty, if
M'liicli,
lowed
al-
to spring
through the
tall
trees,
Avhich
they
\yould
quickly
do,
would
soon
charm by their bold grace.
Some
them
of
are fine in colour of
autumn.
Witli
these be
in
foliao-e
might
associated,
though not
so
;^
fine in form, cer-
tain free -grow-
ing
species
of Ampelopsis, in
some
nurseries.
The
grown
Wistaria
is
also
worth
well
growing
on
in
dis-
trees, tricts
where
flowers
it
freely
A
Liane
in the
North.
E
.Aristolochia
and Deciduous Cypress.
49
THE WILD GARDEN.
50
away from at
In visiting the garden of INIM.
walls.
Haarlem, I was
surprised to see a Liane, in the
well-known Aristolochia clambered high into a
much
interested in
was able
to procure,
old deciduous Cypress.
through the kindness of
leaves
tlie
and
When
was engraved.
had not appeared on
its
I
Being
companionship,
long-estahlished
Eden, photographs of the tree illustration
shape of the
Dutchman's Pipe, which had
or
fine
this
Van Eden,
INIessrs.
I
Van
Liane, from wliich this
saw
it
early in spring
either the tree or its
com-
was very panion, and the effect of the old rope-like stems picturesque.
The Aristolochia ascends
to a height of
35
ft.
G in. on the tree.
The injured
tree
was a superb specimen, and was not
in the least
What
a beautiful
by the growth
of the climlier.
effect a graceful flowering
climber would afford in a similar
Imagine one of the white-flowered Clematis (which may be seen as many as over forty feet in height under suitable conditions) garlanding such a tree, or any tree, with case
!
wreaths of fragrant blossoms. vegetation
Strange and lovely aspects of
be created in our pleasure-grounds by the
may
to the trees judicious use of these climbers, varying according
and
their
position,
summer-leafing.
and also
little
value,
old or dead trees.
to tlieir being evergreen or
Even where one might
valuable tree by a
found of
as
fear to
vigorous climber, trees
and much
may
may
injure a easily be
be done even with the
A
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
A colony of Myrrbis odorata, establisbed white Harebells here and there. (See p. 60.)
beautiful accident.
CHAPTER
in
shrubbery, with
VIII.
THE COMMON SHRUBBERY, WOODS AND WOODLAND DRIVES. It
must not
1)6
formed in places where there ground.
wild garden can only be
tliouglit that the
Excellent results
is
some extent
may
in comparatively small gardens,
Ije
of rough pleasure-
obtained from the system
on the fringes of shrubberies
and marginal plantations, open spaces l)etween shrubs, the surface of Ijeds of Rhododendrons,
where we may have plant-
beauty instead of garden -graveyards.
I call garden -grave-
yards the dug shrubbery borders which one sees in nearly
all
Every shrubbery and plantation needlessly and relentlessly dug over by the
gardens, public or private. surface that
is
so
gardener every winter, propose,
as
may
well as wild
shrubbery borders prevails
be embellished in the
places.
now
in
The custom
way
I
of digging
every garden, and there
is
THE WILD GARDEN.
52 ill
tlie
whole course of gardenmg no worse
custom.
Wlien winter
altliougli
animated
to
.
make war upon
is
M-itli
or
more
profitless
once come, almost every gardener, hest intentions, simply prepares
tlie
the roots of everything in his shruhliery
The generally-accepted practice is to trim, and often and to dig all over the surface that
border.
to mutilate the shrubs,
must be
full of
Delicate half- rooted shrubs
feeding roots.
are disturbed; herbaceous plants
displaced and injured are mutilated
the roots as well as the tops of shrubs
;
and a sparse depo^Dulated
;
the margins, while the only
by the process
are destroyed; bulbs are
is
"
asjiect is "
improvement
that
given to effected
is
the annual darkening of the surface by the
upturned earth. Illustrations of these
London parks
in winter.
bad practices occur
l)y
Walk
of
through any
miles in our
them
at that
season, and observe the borders around masses of shrubs, choice
and otherwise.
Instead of finding the earth covered, or nearly
covered, with vegetation close to the margin, and each indi-
vidual plant developed into something like a fair specimen of
its
kind,
plants upon
we
find a spread of recently-dug ground,
it M'ith
an
air of
and the
having recently suffered from a
whirlwind, or some calamity that necessitated the removal of
mutilated l)ranches.
Eough-pruners precede the diggers, and
bravely trim in the shrubs for them, so that nothing the
way
;
and then come the
deeply about plants, shrubs, or
may
be in
diggers, plunging their spades
The
trees.
first
shower that
occurs after this digging exposes a whole network of torn-up roots.
There
no
is
occurs everywhere
West-end parks
;
relief to the
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in
spectacle
;
the same thing
liotanic gardens as well as in our large
and year
after year
is
the process repeated.
THE COMMON SHRUBBERY. AVhilu sucli
is
the case,
it
53
will he impossible to
have an
agreeable or interesting margin to a shrubbery or plantation.
What these
where first
secrets one
might have in the central hidden portions of
now dug and little
l)are
shrubberies
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
in the half-shady sj)ots
colonies of rare exotic wildlings
introduction to our
^^"ild
garden
1
might have their
Of course
all
the labour
required to produce this miserable result of dug borders
worse
tlian tlirown
awav, as the shrubberies
Large White Achilleas spread
if let alone,
and by
into
wide masses under shade of trees
utilising the
we
in
shrubbery.
power thus wasted, we might
that are liighly beautify the positions If
resolve that no annual
now
so ugly.
manuring
or digging
is
at permitted, nobody will grudge a thorough preparation
When
a plantation of
shrubs
is
woidd do better
is
keep the ground open by lightly
quite
stirring
young it
it
is
to be first.
well to
for a year or two.
Then the planting should be so arranged as to defeat the To graduate the vegetation from the taller subjects digger. behind to the very margin of the grass
is
of
much
importance,
THE WILD GARDEN.
54
and
be done best by the greater use of dwarf ever-
this could
greens.
Happily, there
suitable for every
is
quite enough of these to be
had
Light, moist, peaty, or sandy soils,
soil.
where such things as the sweet-scented I)a})hne Cneorum
would spread
more desirable than,
say, a stiff clay
might be found.
suitable plants
we
dwarf cushions, would
forth its
;
somewhat
l)e
but for every position
Look, for example, at what
could do witli the dwarf- green Iberises, Helianthemums,
Aubrietias,
Arabises,
Alyssums, dwarf
conifers like the creeping
shrubs,
and
little
Cedar (Juniperus squamata), and
the Tamarix-leaved Juniper, in spreading groups and colonies.
All these are green, and would spread out into dense wide cushions, covering the margin, rising but grass,
and helping
which usually
to cut off the formal line
divides margin and
1
above the
little
Behind them we might use other evergreen, in endless variety; and of
)order.
shrubs, deciduous or
course the margin should be varied also as regards height.
In one spot we might have a wide-spreading tuft of the prostrate Savin pushing
over the grass
;
its
graceful evergreen branchlets out
in another the
dwarf
little
Cotoneasters might
be allowed to form the front rank, relieved in their turn
pegged -down Eoses plants, that die
;
and
down
afterwards, should not
near the front.
so
on without end.
in winter
and leave the ground bare
be assigned any important position
Evergreen Alpine plants and shrubs, as
before remarked, are perfectly suitable here
herbaceous type, and the larger bulbs, like in groups
we
sliould
effect,
Ijy
Herbaceous
;
but the true
Lilies,
should be
between spreading shrubs. By so placing them, not only secure a far more satisfactory general
but highly inii)rove the aspect of the heihaceous plants
THE COMMON SHRUBBERY. To cany out such
tlieiuselves.
more time at
All
tliat
;
Init
more
Here and
what a
a
little
diti'erence in
the
borders would require
well- covered
llie
would be an occasional weeding of the
plautiiig properly,
and a great deal more taste than are now
first
employed would be required result!
55
or thinning, and, in the case
select spots, a little top-dressing -with fine soil.
between and amongst the plants, such things as Forget-me-nots and Violets, Snowdrops and Primroses,
might
l>e
there,
scattered altout, so as to give the borders interest
Lilies
coming up through carpet of White Arabis.
even at the dullest seasons; and thus we should be delivered
from digging and dreariness, and see our once ugly borders alive Avith flowers.
the naked earth to rise in their
a
:
The clothe
it,
rule should be
is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; never show
and then allow the
own way through
sketch of what
little
cliief
taller plants
the turf or spray.
meant.
A
Here
is
colony of the white
Arabis carpets the ground in which strong hardy Lilies are
growing
;
and the
The
shoots.
Lilies are
latter are
pushing up their bold unfolding
none the worse in winter
for this light
carpet of foliage over the l)order; and then for a long time in
spring
it
is
good seasons
bedecked with white flowers. it
l)looms in winter too.
It
Indeed, in
fiairlj^
would take a big
THE WILD GARDEN.
56
book
charms and merits belonging
to tell all the
to tlie nse
of a variety of small plants to carpet the ground beneath and
between those of larger growth.
need hardly be said that
It
this argnnient against digging applies to
shrubs, and places
where the
the dining-room, as
much
two or three beds of
"
shrubbery"
is little
larger than
as to the large country seat, public
park, or botanic garden.
There are great cultural advantages
too, in leaving tlie
whole of the leaves to nourish the ground and protect
it
from
append a note from a correspondent inquiring about what he sujjposes practical difficulties, and an answer
frost or heat.
to
them
:
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Ydu draw and biiw
and the
I
a pretty picture of
what a
fallen lea\es should be
left.
^jlinibbery border sliould be
There .shouhl be no digging,
j^bould be kept in winter.
it
I
fully agree, except as to the
seems quite right to allow the leaves to lie and decay amidst the surrounding plants, but in practice it does not There are, for instance, in most gardens such things as slugs answer.
leaves.
and frost
the
Theoretically,
it
by the
These delight in a leafy covering, and, protected from shelter, will prey upon the perennial green leafage and
starting
crowns of the herbaceous plants, and do an immense
snails.
Then there are usually in gardens in Avinter, in hard weather, blackbirds and thrushes, which in their especially efforts to obtain food set all notions of tidiness at defiance. troop
amount of
mischief.
A
would hardly turn a flower border more topsy-turvy than would a few of these birds. The first storm that came would whirl
of fowls
the disturbed leaves
all
over the place,
much
to
the disgust of the
cultivator, and the hardy plants would find that the theory of a natural I detest the forking of dressing of leaf manure had broken down.
borders so first
common
A
in winter.
with a two or three-tined rake
moderate stirring of the surface good, then a dressing of soot or
is
guano, or both, and over all a thin surfacing of old pot soil, or the rough screened jjroduce of the rubbish heap, or, in fact, any kind of refuse soil that
that such
a
may
offer.
I
think that most cultivators will agree Ijetter than the natural, but very
plan Would answer
inoperative leaf-dressing.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A,
THE COMMON .SHEUBBERY.
57
How do the swarming herbs of the woods and copses of the world exist in spite of
tlie
shigs
A good protection
?
for
them
hard gravel walks and paths, where they lay their eggs without danger. Against the door one may dn wliat one is
likes,
a
clump
ground.
dug
not one leaf would
liut
on
of shrubs or trees I
I
ever allow runiuVL-d
my
lawn or in
would prefer the leaves
l)order,
Imt
I
would,
if
need
l)e,
all
my
iiuni
pleasure
over the place to a
meet that
difticulty
by
liPi Colony of Narcissus
in
properly spaced shrubbery.
scattering a light dressing of soil over them.
should
call a
In what
I
properly managed shrubl)ery or clump, with the
bushes well spaced, and their liranches resting on the ground,
with low shrubs between, and evergreen and other herbs, there are natural impediments to the leaves rushing ab()ut in
the
way you
suppose.
This
is
a subject of the greatest interest
and the utmost practical importance.
Our annual digging
THE WILD GARDEN.
58 luutilatioii,
scriipiii<;-
and exposing on bare Natnre shelter each other, and
of leaves,
away
sloppy borders plants that in
are shielded from bitter frost and Ijurning heat
by
layers of
fallen leaves, gradnally sinking into excellent light surface soil for
the
yonng
roots, are ignorant
must be given up by hardy garden
With
all
who
and brutal practices that
really look into the needs of our
flora.
reference to
point, I piint this letter
tiiis
observer of what goes on in the woods of
Our own woods Mr. Falconer's
are full of lessons, letter is
method which must be future
:
and
so
it is
New
from an England.
in all countries.
very suggestive of the revolution in carried out in
the
yardens of the
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
I go into the woods in the spring time, and find tliem carpeted with Dog's-tooth Violets, Wood Anemones, bhie and purple Hepaticas, Spring beauty, Trilliums, Blood-root, Star-flowers, False Solomon's
Seal,
Gold Thread,
trailing Arbutus, wild Ginger,
and a host of other
bright and gay, arising from their bed of decaying herbage and tree leaves, and many of them are in perfection, and thus they glow and revel in too, before a tree has spread a leaf
pretty
little
all
flowers,
;
their cosy bed, fed
and sheltered
1
ly their tree friends.
When their petals
drop and their leaves are mature, the trees expand their leafy canopy and save the little nurslings from the torture of a scorching sun. And early as the earliest, too, the outskirts of the hosts of Violets are painted blue
with Bluets, or
woods and meadows with
and white, and speckled everywhere
Innocents, as the children call them.
little
tiny Aspleniums, and other Ferns are unfolding
Woodsias,
their fronds along the
the common Polypody is reaching over and even the exposed rocks, with their rough and Lichen-bearded faces, are aglow in vernal pride. Every nook and
chinks
among
the stones
blocks and boulders
;
;
cranny among them, and little mat of earth upon them are checkered with the flowery print of the Canada Columbine, the Virginia Saxifrage, and the glaucous Corydalis. But to the carpet. What can be prettier or
more appropriate than the Partridge-berry (Mitchella
Twin-flower (Linnsea borealis
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; does
well with
us),
repens), the
Creeping Winter
Green (Gaultheria proiumbeus), Bearberry (Arctostaphylos Uva-LTrsi),
THE COMMON SHRUBBERY. Cowberry (Vacciniuin Fringed Polygala
Vitis-idseu),
59
Dwarf Cornel (Cornus Connnon Pipsissewa
(P. paucifolia), the
canadensis), (Cliiniapliila
lunbellata) witli
it^; shining deep green heaves, tlie Sjjotted Pipsi^sewa the sombre -luxed Pja'oha and Gakx, and that bright (C macuhita),
and
easily
-grown Club Moss ( Lycopodium luciduluni) as Winter Aconite, Apennine Anemone, ?
these such plants
Add
to
Creej)ing
Forget-me-not, and the like, together with a few of the most suitable kinds of the host of bulbous ornamental plants which A\-e now possess,
and our shrubbery carpets may be
It is replete with garden jewels. surface conceded that in beds whose shrubs thrive better generally undisturbed than Avliere it is annually loosened bv digging or ijoint-
now is
This, coupled with
ing.
light rich vegetable
and
a yearly top-dressing of decayed leaf-soil or
heap compost,
is
ec|ually beneficial
fur i]w slirubs
tlicir carpet.
"
One day last spring, when strolling through the Medford wood, I came ii]ion an open meadow with a high bank
—
cleared timber land
— on
one
rough and rocky course, came a
Adown
side. little
bank
this
in a
stream of water, bordered
on both sides with streaks and patches of Blood-root in
The
its
and showy blossoms, clasped erect and sparkling in the sun, while the sward and other vegetation around were yet dormant, had a state.
gayest
in their
own
large
leaf- vases
cheerful influence indeed.
True, near by in the IioILjw, the
malodorous Skunk Cabbage was rank in leaf and flower, and the Indian Poke Avas rushing out leaves,
and away
'•littered
in
its
plaited, broadly oval
the streamlet a few
on the water.
Marsh Marigolds
But the Blood -root
aquatic nor a bog plant, but most at
home
is
neither an
in the leaf-mould
beds and linings of rich woodlands." "
Hereabout, a little wild flower (Erythronium americanum)
more commonly known
as Dog's-tooth Violet, is a
charming
plant, with variegated liandsome leaves, and comely flowers in earliest spring.
In low copses in rich deposits of A'cgetable
THE WILD GARDEN.
60
mould
grows around here in the utmost profusion.
it
one phice by the side of a wood filled is
with water in winter
collected a
mass of
l)ut
a sort of ditch, which
is
(hy in summer, and wherein
Here the Erythronium runs
leaf-soil.
and forms the densest kind
riot,
is
In
of
matted
sod, all bespeckled
with yellow l)lossoms before a bush or tree has spread a
leaf.
Then blackberry bushes get a growing and sprawling everywhere, the trees expand their leafy shade, and Grrass and weeds grow up and cover the surface of the earth. But all too late for evil, the Adder's-tongue's mission for a year
ended
;
has Ijlossomed, matured, and retired.
it
densest mass I
know
of
is
in a
is
The next
low piece of cleared timber
land, where, besides the profusion in the hollow, the carpet
extends, thinner as
the
As garden
hill.
it
ascends, for
many
yards up the slope of
plants they are at liome anywhere, under-
neath bushes, or in any out of-the-way corner, merely praying to be let alone.
But what
I desire to
ation in your rich woodlands,
Buttercups and
Violets,
urge
their naturalisa-
is
where Anemones and Primroses,
grow up and flower
together."
I cannot better conclude this cliapter than of the It
most interesting aspects of vegetation
was
in
I
by showing one have ever seen.^
an ordinary shrubbery, forming a belt round a
botanic garden.
In the
iinier parts,
hidden from the walk
probably from want of labour, the digging had not been carried
Some
out for some years.
roots of the
common Myrrh
(Myrrhis odorata), thrown out of the garden in digging, had rooted by accident and spread into a
grows freely in any
were
tall
soil.
Among
little
colony.
The plant
the graceful tufts of ]\Iyrrh
white Harebells, and the effect of these, standing 1
See illustration on
p.
51.
THE COMMON SHRUBBERV. above the elegant spreading foliage of of the trees, front of the
was very
slirulibery
discovered was as
stiff
Myrrh
tlie
which
in
and shrubs cut in
winter
Longleat
was
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; raw
for the con-
venience and according to the taste of the diggers. in tlie botanical
shade
exquisite scene
this
and liideous as usual
earth, full of mutilated roots,
in the
Note particularly that the
beautiful. in
61
The beds
arrangement near were ugly beyond description.
is
one of the
places in whicli the idea of
first
was practically carried out and ably by the Mr. Berry. With such a fine variety of surface and
the wild garden forester, soil,
the place naturally offers numerous positions in which
the plants of other countries as cold or colder than our
own
could be naturalised, or so planted that they would increase
and take care of themselves
and opportunities are generally such difficult for
him
A forester's
in the woods.
to carry out
plants even that are likely to succeed
make
as
such an
extremely
To know the
idea.
is,
it
duties
in itself, a species of
knowledge which every planter does not possess
;
however,
the idea was clearly understood and carried out well, so far as possible in the face of rabbits,
which
are the great destroyers
of almost all flowering ground vegetation.
To get the neces-
sary quantities of subjects necessitated a
which a
sufficient
perennials, bulbs,
little
nursery in
numl)er could be raised of the more vigorous
and climbers.
If this
new
idea in gardening-
be carried out on the old dotting principle of the herbaceous border, its great value realised.
does.
To do
it
and
rightly
its
way
is
effects
we must group and mass
Though we may enjoy a
there, the true
charming
cannot be as
Nature
single flower or tuft here
and
natural fringes and masses of plants,
one or two species prevailing in a given spot
;
in that
way we
THE WILD GARDEN.
62
may secure
several important ends
places, a variety as
the wants
mass, or carpet, in putting
we walk
them
we can best in
any
distinct effects in different
and better means of meeting
along,
inasmuch
of a plant,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
dealing with a group, or
as,
observe the result of our judgment
soil or place.
Therefore, although the
quantity of vigorous hardy flowers essential for making good effects in a place of this size
some very charming
effects
features that Mr. Berry
is
has not yet been planted
have been obtained.
working
and
other bushes of
Many
will be
value.
the
to introduce are vigorous
hardy exotic creepers on old little
Among
(Mit,
inferior trees. Thorn,
some time before they show
and
are already planted, but
their full beauty
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; among
them Japanese and other Honeysuckles, Virginian Creepers, A part of the arboretum is Clematis, Wistarias, and others. more particularly devoted
to this
eventually form a very Avild the Poet's Narcissus
may be
kind of decoration, and will
wood and wild
garden, where
found among Sweet Briers, Lilacs,
and many kinds of fragrant - flowering shrubs and vigorous While carrying out the scheme of wild gardening, perennials. pure and simple, that
is
to say, tlie naturalisation of foreign
hardy plants, opportunity has been taken
to establish beautiful
native kinds wliere they do not happen to be present in
brouglit in quantities
and planted
along the drives, and so have the
Snowflakes and Daffodils. natural and easy
tendency of tlie
way
men
in wide-spreading colonies
Meadow
To group and
Saffron
and
tlie
scatter these in a
has required considerable care, the
being invariably, and almost in spite
of themselves, to plant in stiff
Few
sufti-
Tluis the Lily of the Valley has been
cient al)undance.
and
set or too regular masses.
things are more delightful to anyl^ody
who
cares
THK COMMON
SIIHUBBEIIY.
63
liavdy ])liints tlian natnralisiii^- the Lily of the Valley
altnut
in pleasant spots about a coimtiy house,
it
in
is
every gar-
den, of course, and very often so crowded and so starved that it
seldom flowers
able for or in light,
it
A bare
well.
as that in wliich
little
in
openings
and gets shelter
a
too.
would be more welcome garden
;
also
to
by planting
it
Tlie Lily of
garden border
may
it
is
not so suit-
be found in a thin wood,
copse,
where
it
it
than the worn-out
in various positions
tfie
enough
enjoys
Frequently the fresh
wood soil
and
soil
in a
we
soils,
Valley in a copse.
an important difference as regards blooming. In a cool woody place it would bloom ten days later
may
secure
than in an exposed could
lie
increased
warm
by
garden border, and this difference
carefully selecting the position.
altogether from the wild garden and in the time of
as
trouble.
it
Apart
charms, this difference
blooming of the Lily of the Yalley would be a
great advantage to all
much
its
who have
w^ould give
them
to provide cut flowers, inas-
late
However, giving reasons
the Lily of the Valley
is
l)loom in plenty without for the naturalisation
surely unnecessary.
The only
of
sur-
THE WILD GARDEN.
64
that
is
prising tiling
already, because
Eecently a good
— nearly
as
it
is
many
many
has not been done to a large extent
it
as
so very easy
and so very
delightful.
different varieties of Lily of the Valley
twenty
— have been
and are
collected,
beginning to be cultivated by some of our growers of herbaceous
The
is not owing to soil or situasame tion. When grown place they manifest differences in length of spike and size of foliage and also in time of blooming. In some the spike is short, and in others nearly
plants.
difference in these in the
;
one foot long.
This important fact should, of course, be noted
by any who would, in places where the Lily of the Valley does not grow wild, interest themselves in establishing
There are advantages in wood- culture
—the plants conditions
shelter, shade,
more
the wood, too,
is
and
for
it.
many hardy
some things The warmth of
soil affording for
suitable than our gardens.
an advantage, the fallen leaves helping to all ways. In a hot country plants that
protect the plants in
love cool places could be
perish
if
exposed,
grown
Mr, G,
F.
in a
wood
whei'e they
would
Wilson has made himself a
remarkably interesting and successful wild garden in a wood, from W'hich he sent me in the autumn of last year (1880) a flowering stem of the American eleven feet
liigli.
No
Swamp Lily (L. superbum) such result has ever l)een seen in any
garden or border of the ordinary type.
These Lihes of his
grow in a woody bottom where rich dark and where there is shelter and shade.
soil
has gathered,
Placing every plant in one border with the same condi-
and exposure was a great mistake. A great many beautiful plants haunt the woods, and we cannot change tions as to soil
their nature easily.
Even
if
we should grow them
in
open
•rill':
})laces
O.M.MOX SHRUBBKKY.
.V curious instance of ilic
at
gathered to
])laniing
may
where a
A
cool wood.
a
in
indeed be
later bloom,
A\(irlh
wood.
niucli later
little
Mooni was
woodland
for the sake
doing
is
owing
i)lanting
of a prolonged or
e\en fn)m plants that thrive in sunny places.
Okchaed Wild Gakden.
Tup:
Although three years have elapsed since the of this book were connueneed, I regret to issue satisfactory one
showing the beauty which
in the orchard from flowers in
In our orchard
counties — pity
not worthy of the position and climate
it is
— one
without a
it
iiiay l)e
obtained
that all our counties are
the possibilities of their
may now and then see a cloud of Summer SiiowHake, enough to suggest
they would
}ilaces
illustrations
the grass or fences around.
name within
Daffodils or a tuft of
what happy
tlu'
colony of the popular Hoteia japonica,
off a it
in
advantage of planting in a wood
in Anglesey,
Bodorgan
()5
will not l)e so ciuliiring as
lilouiii
tlii'ir
(
for
l»e
many
Inilbous flowers
in the urass.
A
A
AVlLD (JRCHAUD.
correspondent of the
After reading in there named,
and
tlie
tlie
our Orchard in Sussex
— Quince,
"
"
Garden
Garden "'
Cranberries, '•'
of
"
writes
November
tlie
:
—
1 6,
idea struck
about the Bullace
me
of adding unto
a wild Orchard," witli fruit trees sucli as follows,
Medlar, Mulberry, Bullace, Crab, Pyrus Maulei, BarBlackberries (the large kinds for preserving), Filberts, and in a berries, All these, besides the interest of cultivating suitable place. Cranberries. viz.
For instance, we have oldthem, would yield fruit for preserving, etc. fashioned receipts for making an excellent Bullace cheese, Crab jelly. Quince
jelly, etc.
1
venture to trouble you with
F
a
\iew
to
asking
if
THE WILD GARDEN.
66
you can suggest any other similar fruit-bearing
—
[An excellent idea
There are
!
trees or shruLs, as
Our house
should like to carry out our idea well. C. S. R. Midhurst and Haslemere.
many
is
fruits
which could
be grown this way that people do not usually give space
and
we
in Sussex, l)etween
to,
this applies to the varieties of cultivated fruits, as well as
The natural order
species that are never cultivated.
most of our
fruit trees
without merit as
belong contains
fruits, scattered
regions of the northern world.
which
other species, not tlie
throughout
temperate
These trees and shrubs happen
most beautiful of flowering
also to be
spring,
many
to
and shrubs
trees
and are well worthy of culture on that account
in
alone.
In Japan, North America, and even the continent of Europe, one frequently sees
fruits that are
home
never seen in our gardens
;
in the wild orchard.
For
the sake of growing one family of fruiting bushes alone
— the
such
fruits will
be quite at
fruiting brambles of
America and other countries might be
of ground
able piece
is
can only be grown fairly where there iDcauty
and
interest,
found in one neglected family, subject
is
our hardy
when
considerable space.
and even good suggests
how
fruit,
l)e
most remarkable
and shrubs.
A
may
be
interesting the
considered in relation to the great
fruit trees
garden would
it
is
considerable
Such plants
variety and a good deal of unrecognised merit.
much
Even
prufitaljly devoted.
amonccst the Enolish wild Blackberries there
If so
— a consider-
number
of
good feature of such a
plantations of such Apples and Pears as are for the
some being much more
beauty of their flowers and
fruit,
striking in that respect than others.]
CHAPTER
IX.
THE BROOK-SIDE, WATEK-SIDE, AND BOG GARDENS. ISTearly
all
landscape
gar-
deners
seem
have
put
to
a
hidier value on tlie
lake or
|)()nd tlie
fisli-
on
than
lirook as
an
ornament
to the
garden while we
but,
;
allow
that
many places
are
enhanced in
heautv and dignitv,
bv
a broad
expanse of water, Solomon's Seal
might be
and Herb
Paris, in
copse by
streamlet.
nianV
pictUrCS
formed by taking advantage of a brook as
it
meanders through woody glade or meadow. No such beauty is afforded by a pond or lake, which gives us water in repose
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
THE WILD GARDEN.
68
imprisoned water, in fact
by confining water,
in
still,
and altbuugli we obtain breadth
;
many
we
cases,
prefer
brook, or
tlie
water in motion, as
lovers of
it ripples between mossy rocks or flowerThe brook -margin, too, otters opportnnities to hardy flowers which few other situations can rival.
Hitherto
we have only used
fringed banks.
in
and near such places
aipuitic
bog plants, and of these usually a very meagre selection but the improvement of the brook-side will be most readily or
;
by planting the banks with hardy
effected it
a wild garden, in fact.
A
number
great
making
flowers,
of our finest herb-
aceous plants, from Irises to Globe-flowers, thrive best in the
moist also,
found in such positions
soil
numbers
water-side will
Land
pictures.
ones, that
we
to
apt
of hardy flowers,
soil,
would
exist in
The wild garden illustrated by the give us some of the most charminu,- garden
perfect health in
are
;
that do not in nature prefer such it.
])lants
could
would have
this :uh;intage over
fix their position,
water
whereas water plants
everywhere, and sometimes one kind
spread
exterminates the rest
therefore
;
it
might, in
many
cases,
be
better not to encourage the water or water-side vegetation, l)ut to
form
little
colonies of
plants, of course, should be such as
would grow
Grass and take care of themselves. vegetation were encouraged on each effect
would be
all
the better.
hardy things,
be best
;
Day
;
among
types of
of the water, the
The connnon way
different in each place as
Lilies
freely
If different siile
ing a favourite plant at intervals would spoil free
The
hardy flowers along the banks.
all
of repeat:
groups of
one passed, would
Phloxes, which love moisture
;
Irises,
mainly the beardless kinds, whicli love wet places, but the flne Germanica forms will du
;
all
Gunnera; Aster; Anieri-
AND
P.ROOK-SIDE. WATKINSTDK. can swaui}) Lilies in peaty or boggy vavioty of the Loosestrife 1
Sell-flowers
;
(Campanula)
virginica), of whieli
soil
the
fi!)
the taller and stouter
;
Wort
Spider
there are a good
({AEDENS.
the deep rose-coloured
;
Golden Rods ;
1500,
many
(Tradescantia
forms, differing
Colony of hardy exotic Flower?, naturalised by brook-side.
in colour
(Silphium) (Galega)
;
the Broad-leaved Saxifrages
;
;
Everlasting Peas
Baptisia
;
;
IMonkshood
;
;
the Goats Eues ;
the hardiest
the stouter kinds of Yarrow (Achillea)
the common perennial Lupin â&#x20AC;&#x201D; these
hardy flowers
the Compass plants
the free-flowering Yuccas
flame-flowers (Tritoma)
of
;
are
;
some of many types
which would grow freely near the water-side
THE WILD GARDEN.
70
apart wholly from the plants that natural]}' freipient sucli places or which are usually placed there.
as the Struthiopteris
;
these hardy thrive,
the finer types of the Unil)ellate order
(Ferula and others) would also
now
With
hardy ferns would
plants too, a variety of the nobler
come
We
in well liere.
will
consider the plants that naturally belong to such situa-
tions so to say.
Water-plants of northern and temperate regions, associated with those of our own country, add much beauty to a garden
A
well selected and well grown.
if
great deal of variety
be added to the margins, and here and there to the sur-
may
face, of
ornamental water, by the use of a good collection of
hardy aquatics arranged with taste been
Usually we see the same monotonous
fairly attempted.
vegetation
all
round the margin
where the bottom
cases,
but this has not yet
;
is
the soil be
if
of gravel, there
licli is
;
some
in
little
or no
vegetation, but an unbroken ugly line of washed earth be-
tween wind and water. till
they are only an eyesore
Anacharis,
A
gether.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not
well-developed plant or Lily, with
gi'ouj)
it
increases
and water-fowl cannot make plant loses
to-
of plants of the
in our gardens
;
but
and runs over the whole of a piece of water
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thickening together and being in this
when matted
large leaves and noble flowers,
its
an object not surpassed by any other
when
like
submerged plants
such as the Water Lilies
l>ut
queenly Water is
In others, water-plants accumulate
its
their
charms.
consequence weakened
way through
No
it,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
then even
garden water, however,
should be without a few fine plants or groups of the Water Lily.
ment
Where
the bottom does not allow of the free develop-
of the plant, earth
might be accumulated in the spot
BKOOK-SIDE. where
was desired
it
Tliiis
phtTpa.
flAEDENS.
I'.OG
71
encourage the growth of the Nyni-
to
arranged
is iiut dillifult
I
WATER -SIDE, AND
But
woulil not spread too imidi.
it
to prevt'iit tin:
indeed
plant I'rom spreading;
have known isolated plants, and groups of
almost the same size for years.
it,
remain of
The Yellow Water
Lily,
lutea, though not so beautiful as the preceding,
Xuphar
and
well worthy of a place;
the
also
little
K
it
is
pumila, a
variety or sub-species found in the lakes of the north of Scotland.
Then
there
is
the tine and large X. advena, a native of
America, which pushes is
leaves boldly above the water,
its
very vigorous in habit.
It is
most gardens of the same kind. Lily
prove quite hardy in Britain. plant
is
Lily.
in
noble species, which would
It is a pity this
not more frequently seen, as
own Water
some extent
The American AVhite "Water
a
is
(Xympha?a odorata)
Man-
very plentiful in the
chester Botanic Garden, and will be found to
and
noble aquatic
quite as fine as our
it is
Eose-coloured varieties are spoken
of,
but
are not yet in cultivation here.
One
of the prettiest
afforded
by
effects
a sheet of Yillarsia
the margin of a lake near a
have ever observed was
I
uAinphaoides belting round
woody
recess,
and
towards the deep water, a group of Water
it,
more
The
Vill-
l^efore
Lilies.
arsia is a
charming little water-plant, with its Nymphsea-like leaves and numerous golden-yelloM- flowers, which furnish a beautiful efiect on fine days, under a bright sun.
very commonly
It
distributed as a native plant, though,
is
not
where
found, generally very plentiful.
Xot Britain
rare
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; growing,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but
beautiful
in
and
fact,
in
nearly
sinc:jular,
is
districts
of
Buckbean
or
all
the
THE WILD GARDEN.
72 INIarsli
Trefoil (IMeiiyanthes trifoliata), with its flowers deeply
fringed on
inside witli white lilaments,
tlie
and
unopened buds blushing on the top with
a
of an Apple-blossom.
a bog or
place, or
It will
by the margin
of
in
grow
tlie
round
rosy red like that
any moist
For grace, no water-
any water.
plant can well surpass Equisetum Telmateia, whicli, in deep soil,
and sheltered places near water, often grows
in shady
several feet high, the long, close-set, slender branches depend-
ing from each whorl in a singularly graceful manner.
grow on the margins
of lakes
It will
and streams, especially among
water-side bushes, or in boggy spots in the shade.
For a bold and picturesque plant on the margin of water, nothing equals the great Water Dock (Rumex Hydrolapathum), which Isles;
it
becoming mass of
is
rather generally dispersed over the British
has leaves quite sub -tropical in aspect and of a lurid red in
foliage
on rich
tlie
autumn.
muddy banks,
It
and, unlike
plants, lias the good quality of not spreading too Cat's-tail
(Typha) must not he omitted,
allowed too angustifolia) folia). its
much is
The
liberty.
l)ut it
many watermuch.
is
The
should not be
narrow -leaved
more graceful than the common one
Carex pendula
size,
forms a grand
one
(T.
(T. lati-
excellent for the margins of watei',
elegant drooping spikes being quite distinct in their way.
common
It is rather
in
England, more so than Carex pseudo-
cyperus, which grows well in a foot or two of water or on the
margin of
a
muddy
pond.
Carex paniculata forms a strong
and thick stem, sometimes 3 tree Fern,
or
4
and with luxuriant masses
on that account cultivated
ft.
is
ft.
high,
somewhat
like a
of drooping leaves,
and
transferred to moist places in gardens, and
by some, though generally these
large s]iecimens
RPvOOK-STDE. WATKh'-SIDK.
remove and soon
arc difficult to
stems, sometimes attaining
even 8
ft.,
desirable
found
Scirpus lacnstris
height of more than 7 :
and Cypeius longus
in flower.
some
is
as it.
its
and
also a
-*?Ji>
the
of
aspect
in
perish.
reminding
plant,
Papyrus when is
a.
look very imposing
the
one of
D'X; (JAIiDHXS.
too distinct a plant to be omitted,
is
(the Bulrush)
AND
of
It
the
southern counties of England.
Poa aquatica might also be Cladium Mariscus is used. another distinct and rather
/}j^i0il
scarce British aquatic whiidi is
wortli a place. If
tlie
one chose to enumerate that
plants
British and
sess
those which pos-
luit
no distinct
very best kinds satisfaction
we
;
cliaracter or
it
Cyperus Longus.
would
flowei'
for
useless,
weeds,
might be
list
no beauty of l)e
in
European waters,
a very long
made,
grow
is
only by
a
judicious selection of
tlie
gardening of this description can give
tliat
therefore, omitting a host of inconspicuous water-
will endeavour to indicate others of real worth for
our present purpose.
Those who have seen the flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) in blossom, are not likely to
water-plants, as
it is
omit
it
from
conspicuous and distinct.
of the greater part of
a collection of
It is a native
Europe and Russian Asia, and
is
dis-
THE WILD GARDEN.
74
persed
Plant
Ireland.
mnddy
the central and southern parts of England and
(n'er
The common Arrow Head
soil.
England and Ireland,
freipient in l)e
not far from the margin, and
it
associated with this
which
exotic kind,
is
but there
;
very
(Sagittaria),
a very
much
finer
doulde
its
flowers
a liandsome plant,
really
likes rich
not in Scotland, might
l)ut is
it
white, and resemblino;, but larger than, those of the old white
Double Eocket.
This used to be grown in abundance in the
pleasure gardens at
Eye House, Broxbourne, where
sort of oblong basin, or
know
I
water.
Calla sethiopica,
of the Nile,
is
ducks destroyed the
these, is
a beautiful bog-plant,
more pleasing
notliing that produces a
boggy ground.
rich, soft,
for
Calla palustris
plants occasionally.
and
wide ditch, and was very handsome in
and in searching
of farina,
all it
will
will not thrive.
cultivated,
it
may be
Pontederia cordata
is
over
also
may
if
planted rather
be placed out for the
but, except in quiet waters, in the south of it
effect
grow by the side of the well-known and beautiful Lily It
hardy enough in some places
deep, and in nearly
land,
a
forms large egg-shaped tubers, or rather receptacles
It
flower.
it filled
However,
as
it is
summer
England and
;
Ire-
a plant so generally
tried without loss in favourable positions.
a stout, firm-rooting,
and perfectly hardy
water-herb, with erect and distinct habit, and blue flowers,
The
not difficult to obtain from botanic garden or nursery. Sweet-flag will be associated with the dacorus),
ground,
and a number of exotic
i.e.
I.
sibirica,
Water
Iris
(I.
Irises will thrive in
ochreleuca, graminea, and many
Aponogeton distachyon
is
a native of the
a singularly pretty plant,
which
climate, and, from its sweetness
Pseu-
is
Cape
of
wet
others.
Good Hope,
hardy enough
for our
and curious beauty, a most
BROOK-SIDE, WATER-SIDE, AND BOG GARDENS. It frequently succeeds in
desirable plant to cultivate.
not choked Ly weeds or springs that tend it
seems
I(Âť
ami
innliiess.
keep the watei'
Ranunculuses, which
slieet
water
wlierever there are
a lilUe
warmer than usual
any part of the country.
to thrive in
75
over our pools
in
The Water
spring and early
sunnner with such silvery beauty, are not w(ulh an attempt at cultivation, so I'amlding are they
;
not a few other things of interest. scarce and
handsome
'rhe
beautiful as
any
Cape
is
acpiatic for a
I'cind
the
occurs most frequently
England and Ireland.
Weed
in
in the
it
to
Orontium aquaticum is a choice collection, and as
an English ditch
in winter.
Water Violet (Hottonia
palustris).
It
eastern and central districts of
The best example
seen was on an expanse of soft
where
and the same applies
mud
of
it
that I have
near Lea Bridge, in Essex,
covered the surface with a sheet of dark fresh green,
and must
liave looked better in that position
than
when
in
water, though doubtless the place was occasionally flooded.
A
suitable
its
varieties
companion is
which grows
for the
Marsh Marigold
the very large and
in rich
ground
(Caltha) and
showy lianunculus Lingua,
to a height of tln-ee feet or more.
THE WILD GARDEN.
76 rr Nvith this
land plants
water-garden
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;herbaceous,
effects possible in
we combine
trailers, etc.
the wild garden of
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some of the
The margins
gardens will be produced.
lakes and streams are happily not upturned
winter iuiy
and hereabouts, just away from
;
loveliest
by the spade
of in
water-line, almost
tlie
vigorous and really hardy flower of tlie thousands now in our gardens may be grown and will after-
wards take care of
The Globe-
itself.
flowers alone
would form beauti-
effects in
such positions, and
ful
would endure
as long as the Grass.
Near the various
Irises that love
the water- side might be planted those
that
thrive
moist
in
ground, and they are many, including the most Ijeautiful kinds.
Among
recently in-
troduced plants the singular Californian Saxifraga peltata is
likely to prove
a noble
one for the water- side,
its
natural habitat being beside
mountain watercourses, dry Day at
rest
;
Lily
by
both
in
margin uf water.
and
flowers
growth very vigorous require a very long
v,-]\en
list
to
foliage in
;
are
autumn wlieU effective,
moist ground.
enumerate
would grow near the margins the aquatics proper
thc
of
all
Avater,
it
is
and the It
would
the plants that
and apart from
but enough has been said to prove that,
given a strip of ground beside a stream or lake, a garden of
AND
iinooK-SIDK, WATKIf-SJl)!-:. the must
kind could
(luliglitt'ul
of [)hiuts inhahitiiioside pLiuts,
and
CAIiDKXS.
I'.OC
The
Ite I'urined.
77
juxtapositiini
situations — water-phints, water— woidd grouuLl so undesirable — a many
dil'tereiit
Liud-iilaiils iliriNini; in iiadst
prevent what wuuhl, in
Ije
cases,.
general admixture of the "whole.
Two
distinct classes of effects
could be obtained, the beauty of the Howers seen close at hand, and or from
An
more conspicuous kinds
of the
tliat
tlie otlier
in the distance,
side of tlie water of a stream or lakelet.
interesting point in favour of the wild garden
succession of effects which
it
may
afford,
is
the
and which are sug-
gested by the illustrations on the next pages, both showing a sticcession of life
summer
early
on
tlie
to flower -gardening is
when
A
the earth
very
make
it
Avithout
same spot of ground. In gardens in whole of the portion de\'oted
at present the
is
dug
is
consideration and oljservation will sufhce to
clear
that a
succession of effects
this
\iolent
disfigurement of our
pernicious in
is
as a plouglied field, just
little
diyuinu' or i»lantin<i- either,
It
raw
naturally must thickly strewn with flowers.
days of early sunmier.
fairest
them
\\\)
may
be secured
gardens in the
These are not the days
for
and the svstem that necessitates
its effects
equally an enemy of
on our gardens. all
peace or rest for the gar-
dener, who, having trenched, dug, enriched, planted, and sown,
through the autumn,
wintei',
to look for the fruits to face the
and flowers of
most trying
flower-garden in
and spring, might certainly begin
May
effort
liis
of all
labour,
— the
and .June with
when he has
planting of the
a host of flowers tun
tender to be committed to the earth at an earlier season.
The bog -garden
is
a
home
for the
numerous children
of
the wild that will not thri\e on our harsh, bare, and dry
THE WILD GARDEN.
78
must he cushioned on moss, and associated
fjarden borders, Ijut
with
tlieir
own
relatives in moist peat soiL
plants, like the
Wind Gentian and
encroached upon.
own
of the multitude of
liogs have, as a rule,
wood.
own
these
are
now
but a feeble notion
charming plants, natives of northern and
temperate countries, whose Tn our
as
even those acquainted with the l^eauty
P)Ut
of the plants of our
l)eautiful
Creeping Harebell, grow-
much
on our own bo^s and marshes,
Many
home
country,
we
is
the open marsh or Ijoggy
liave l)een so long encroach"J^'UVHi' Will
'
|i^
Marsh
ing upon
them
tlie
INIarigold
and
Iris in
early spring.
See
p. 77.,
bogs and wastes that some of us come to regard
as exceptional tracts all over the world.
travels in
new
countries in northern climes, one soon learns
what a vast extent covered with bogs.
by the margins of
of the world's surface
was
at
one time
In Nortli America day after day, even tlie
railroads,
one sees the vivid blooms
of the Cardinal -flower springing erect
hollows.
But when one
from the wet peaty
Far under the shady woods stretch the black bog-
ground between being so shaky that you move a few steps with difficulty. One wonders how the trees exist And where the forest vegewitli their roots in such a bath.
pools, the
tation disappears the
American Pitcher-plant
(Sarracenia),
P.ROOK-SIDE. WATKH-SrOK. ANJ) BO(i (iARDEXS. Golden
Cinl) (Orontiuni),
Water Anim (Calk
palustris),
7!)
and
a host of other liandsonie and interestmg bog-plants cover the uround fur hundreds of aeres, with perhaps an occasional slender bush of Laurel ^Magnolia (Magnolia glauca^
among
In some parts of Canada, where the painfully long
them.
and straight roads are often made through woody swamps, and wliere the few scattered and poor liabitations offer little to cheer the traA'eller,
The same
he
will, if
a lover of plants, find con-
spot as in opposite sketch, with aftergrowth of and Bindweed. (See p. 77.
of beauty
servatories
in
the
ditches
Iris,
Meadow
Sweet,
and pools of black
water beside the road, fringed with the sweet-scented ButtonIjush,
with
a
profusion of stately ferns, and often
filled
with
masses of the pretty Sagittarias.
Southwards and seawards, the bog-flowers become tropical in size
and
brilliancy, as in the splendid kinds of lierbaceous
Hibiscus, ^vhile far north, and west and south
along
tlie
mountains, the beautiful and showy Mocassin-flow^er (Cypripedium spectabile) grows the queen of the peat bog. Then in California, all along the Sierras, there are a delicate little annual plants
number
of
growing in small mountain bogs
THE WILD GARDEN.
80
long after the plains have become quite parched, and annual N'egetation has
(-[uite
But who
disappeared from tliem.
record the beauty and interest of
shall
flowers of the wide-
tlie
spreading marsh-lands of this glolje of ours, from those of the
wet woods of America, dark and brown, and hidden
\'ast
from the sunbeams, to those of the breezy uplands of the high Alps, far above the woods, where the
little
bogs teem with
Nature's most brilliant flowers, joyous in the sun
worthily little
;
for
known
many mountain-swamp
many
many
we may
plants
who
one
regions are as yet as
strange and lovely flowers.
One
gather from our small experiences
commonly termed
mountains, are true bog-plants.
one
No
to us as those of the HimahiA'a, M'ith their giant
Primroses and
however,
:*
"
alpine,"
thing,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
and found on high
This must be clear to any-
has seen our pretty Bird's-eye Primrose in the wet
mountain-side bogs of Westmoreland, or the Bavarian CTcntian in
the spongy soil by alpine rivulets, or the Gentian ella
(Gentiana acaulis) in the snow ooze. Bou'S are neither
found or desired in or near our <'ardens
n(jw-a-days, but, wherever they are, there are
many handsome
flowers from other countries that will thrive in as in their native A\'astes.
Partridge lierry (Gu;iltheiia).
them
as freely
CHAPTER
X.
HOSES FOE THE WILD GARDEN, AND FOR HEDGEROWS, FENCES,
The wild Eoses alone
make
tlie
l)eautiful
the "Wild Eose
is
which the Eose of a kind
of
is
AND GROUPS.
world, had
other plants, wonld
The unequalled ^raee
wild warden?.
as remarkable as the beauty of
The culture
gro^vn in gardens.
which tends
to conceal
shoot and foliage of the Eose.
may
we no
bloom is
of for
mostly
or suppress the grace of
Therefore
do good work in bringing before the
the wild garden
many who
love
gardens, but have fewer chances of seeing the Eoses in their
native haunts, the native grace of the well-loved Eose, which
even in
charms
and trained into the form of a mop, The Eev. H. jST. Ellacombe writes
its obesity,
us.
:
I lifive liere
a very large
still
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
and thick Box bush, in
tlie
centre of
been for many years an Ayrshire Rose. The long branches covered with flowers, and resting on the deep green cusliion, Other Eoses may be used in the same have a very beautiful effect.
which there
lias
The Musk Rose
of Shakesjieare and Bacon would be particularly and would climb up to a great height. Rosa this, scandens or sempervirens, Rosa multiflora, and perhaps some others,
way.
well suited for
might be grown in the same way experiment
^\'it]l
]^)0ursault, etc.
;
and
it
would be worth while
to
other garden forms, such as Aimee Vibert, purple If grown against a tree of thin foliage, such as a
G
THE WILD GARDEN.
82
but this is not Robinia, they would grow quicker and flower sooner near a tree if even for thick-foliaged tliey will soon grown necessar}'', ;
But besides climl)ing bring their branches to the outside for the light. which in Eoses be combined with is another there may way Roses,
by planting some of the taller-growing These would grow from 6 feet to 10 bushes in rough grassy places. For such a feet high, and would flower well iu such a position. trees to great advantage, viz.
purpose the old Dutch Apple Rose (Rosa villosa var. pomifera) Avould be verj' suitable, and so would R. cinnamomea, R. fraxinifolia, R. sallica,
common monthlv
R. rubifolia, and the
And
China.
if
"rowers
would rear the perpetual and other Roses by autumnal cuttings instead of by budding, they might have hundreds and thousands of fine Roses which would do well planted
woods and plantations.
in the
Another correspondent, Mr. Greenwood Vim, writes ring to the preceding note
I
:
two large exotic
have
refer-
—
Hawthorns
— round-headed
standards,
close together, so that their edges touch, forming, as it were,
growing two gentle
with a valley between, and sloping down to within Of these one is Crataegus Crus-galli the other C. tanacetifolia. Behind, and j)artly through these, climbs a very all that now remains of an arched trellis old Noisette Rose producing
about 6
hills
ft.
of the lawn.
;
—
—
a
vast number of bunches of white flowers,
about lA
in.
or 2 in. across.
six or eight together,
The old gnarled stem
and
of the Rose
is
those of the Thorns till it reaches the top scarcely noticeable amongst of them, whence it descends between the trees in a regular torrent of
blossom, in addition to occupying the topriiost boughs of the Cockspur The general effect is almost that of a large patch of snow Thorn.
between two bright green
hills
hio'her districts of Switzerland.
recently been trained lost its
up a
—
a combination very
A smaller
large Arbor-vitas which,
lower branches for some 4
ft.
or 5
common
plant of the
ft.,
in the
same Rose has
from moving, has its stem clothed
and has
It is now festooned with snowy flo-\\-ers hanging down from and against the dark green of the Arbor -vittx; and Ivy, forming a
with Ivy.
It seems a great pity that we do not oftener thus charming contrast. a stout and strong to a slender and clinging to another tree one wed " one as Virgil in the Georgics" talks of wedding the Vine to the Elm,
—
as
is,
I lielieve,
done
to this
day in
Italy.
ROSES YOU THE WILD (lARDEX.
"We lection
have,"
a correspondent,
"
a pretty extensive col-
ol'
Eoses.
but
one
(if
the
most
attrac-
tive
sayi?
83
speci-
mens on
the
is
an
place
double
old
white Ayrshire
Eose,
growing a
in
grou])
common
of
Laurel inthe shrul3beries.
We tell
cannot
how
the
plant
may it
old
be,
but
has prob-
ably been in its
present
situation for
thirty years,
struo-o-ling
the best \vay it
could
to
keep
its
place
among Wild Rose growing on a Pollard Ash
in
Orchardleigh Park, Somerset.
84 the
Laurels,
tall-growing
of
side
to
on
Howers
white
of
up
THE WILD CxARDEN.
•
tlie
the
this
of the
and
side
sometimes on that
and sometimes
of l)ushes,
clump to2:)s
sometimes sending out a shoot
limbs
tallest
and
scraml)ling
its
blossoms
six feet of the
Nearly to
within
straggling limbs of the
tlie
ground, leaving
them
draping
throughout June and -Tuly. three years ago we had the Laurels headed down with
Eose which were found amongst them, and since then
it
has
grown and thriven amazingly, and now fiiirly threatens to We had the curiosity to measure the gain the mastery. plant the other day, and found circumference.
it
rather over seventy feet in
Witliin this space the plant forms an irregular
undulating mound, nearly in
Eoses that not so
much
all parts so
densely covered with
as a hand's breadth
is left
vacant any-
where, and the Laurel branches are quite hidden, and in fact are
now
dying, smothered
luxuriant development
A
by the Eose.
we never
saw.
mouth
perfect sheet of bloom for a
finer
example of
The plant has been a and there are
or more,
thousands of buds yet to expand, and hundreds of Ijunches of
buds have been cut just
at the
opening stage
than a (lardenia —
neater and whiter
to send
— when they are away.
The
tree
has never received the least attention or assistance with the exception of the removal of the Laurel tops before mentioned, to let the light into
it.
It is
growing in a tolerably deep and
strong dry loam, and this, together with head room, seems to
be of
No
We
all it requires.
what the Eose
is
record this example simply to show
capable without
much
cultural assistance.
doubt, in order to produce fine individual
restricted culture
is
necessary
;
blooms certain
but almost any variety of
Eose will make a aood-sized natural bush of
itself,
and
as for
S^^'-^^^ii-^W'
AVhite Climbing Rose scrambling over old Catalpa Tree.
Lhc
ROSES FOR THE WILD GARDEN.
85
tliey are
touched the
or pilku' Ifoses, the less
eliniliiiig
l)etter.
Of course we
are not
rtlluiliiig
to the
Eosery proper,
but of Itoses iu their more natural aspect, as wlien phnited to hide fences, cover rockeries, or as striking objects on kxwns.
Except against walls, and in similar occasion to prune climbing Eoses.
make by
far tlie grandest display,
necessary to provide
them with
the beginning, and to let
situations, there is
no
Left to themselves, they
and
to insure this
it is
only
a good, deep, strong soil at
them have a
fair
amount
of liglit on
Wliether planting be carried out with the object
all sides.
above described, or for the purpose of co^ering naked tree
stumps or limbs, or
for
draping any unsightly object whatever,
liberal treatment in the first instance is the
good
makes
soil
all
nent vigour of the
thing.
A
the difference in time and in the permtitree,
great Eose tree (whether
de Dijon,
main
and were it
Ave desirous of
common
be a
having a
Ayrshire or a Gloire
we expected to produce thousands of blooms in we should, if the soil were not naturally strong
tliat
a few years),
and deep, provide a well-drained pit and fill it with two or three good cartloads of sound loam and manure thus treated, ;
the result
is
certain,
provided an unrestricted growth be per-
mitted."
Eoses on grass are a pleasant feature of the wild garden.
No
matter what the habit of the
hardy, and growing on will
suit
it
of liowers,
will do on level grass,
banks or
own
rose,
provided
roots,
it
be free and
planting on the grass
So treated, the more vigorous climbers
well.
would form thickets
They
its
and graceful vigorous
and be
still
shoots.
more picturesque on
slopes.
The following
description, [)y Mr. E. Andre, of Eoses in
THE WILD GARDEN.
86
suggestive of what
we may
obtain in our
the
Riviera
own
climate later, by using the free kinds on their
or
is
on stocks equally hardy and not
roots,
less vigorous, as in the
case of the Banksian Eoses mentioned below
On my
own
:
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
excursion from Marseilles to Genoa, I was greatly one any seeing them for the first time would be, with the The of the Roses all along the Mediterranean shores. magnificence Rose hedges, and the espalier Roses, especially, offer an indescribably last
struck, as
"orgeous sight.
Under
the genial influence of the
warm sun
of Pro-
veuce, from the Corniche to the extremity of the Riviera di Ponente, that is as far as the Gulf of Genoa, and protected to the north liy the
mountains, which gradually slope down to the sea -coast, Roses attain the size of Pseonies, and develop a depth and brilliancy of colour and But this is in part due to another fragrance of unusual hiteiisity.
two other causes, which lead to the same result, the main point being the choice of suitable subjects for stocks to graft The These stocks are, Rosa Banksise and Rosa indica major. upon.
cause, or rather
Banksian Rose presents three varieties, namely. White Banksian, producing a profusion of small white flowers, scarcely so large as those of Yellow the double-flowered Cherry, and of a most delicious fragrance ;
Banksian, with still larger clusters of small nankeen -yellow scentless flowers Chinese Thorny Banksian, flowers less numerous and ab(jut ;
three times as large as in the two jn-eceding, and of the most grateful odour. These three forms attain an unsurpassable vigour in this region.
In two years one plant will cover an immense wall, the gable of a house, or climl) to the top of a tall tree, from which its branches hang like flowery cascades, embalming the air ar(jund with a rich perfume during
months of April and May. Now, if these be taken for stocks upon bud some of the choicer Teas, Noisettes, and Bourbons, the The stock should be two years of the latter will be prodigious. growth the
Avhich to
old,
In this way such having well ripened, though still smooth, wood. Marechal Niel, Lamarque, Safrano, Chroma-
varieties as Gloire de Dijon, tella,
Aimee
Vibert, le Pactole, and
all
the Teas, attain such dimensions
be no longer recognisable. Rosa indica nuijor is almost naturalised throughout the whole of this region. It possesses the additional claim to faAour of flowering nearly all the winter, forming beautiful hedges of dark green shining as to
foliage,
from which thousands of clusters of lovely flowers
rise,
of a
EOSES FOR THE AVILD OAEDEN.
87
tender
delicate transparent pink, or a]nuj?-t pure wliite, with a brighter This Rose is an evertinge in the centre and at the tips of the petals. It is green, and makes an excellent stock for gi-afting or budding. eitlier
planted iu nursery
bed.-*,
aide for standards in the same
hedges, and left to
where
way
it
as
quickly throws up a stem
we employ
the
Dog
suit-
Rose, or in
naturally luxuriant growth to produce its own charming floAvers in rich pi'ofusion, or rows of cuttings are put in where it is
its
intended to leave thnii, and >ubsoi|Ut'ntly budded with some of we have named.
varieties of the' diverse trilies
^>^^''
Climbing Rose isolated on grass.
tlie
CHAPTER XL WILD GARDENING ON WALLS OR RUINS. TiiEitE are
of
many hundred
species
mountain and rock plants
which will thrive much better on an old
wall, a ruin, a
fence,
a
stone,
Avitli
sloping
sunk
bank
earth
of
behind,
than they do in the most carefully
and therefore
may here,
border,
prepared
their culture
be fittingly considered particularly,
as
once
established in such positions
they increase and take care of themselves unaided.
deed, Arenaria balearica, in a hole Great Tew.
in wall at
would, thrive on any old
in its Avail,
many
which may
In-
an alpine plant
have
perished
place in the garden,
near at hand,
as, for
example,
the pretty I'yrenean Erinus, the silvery Saxifrages
of the
Alps, pinks like the Cheddar Pink, established on the walls
AVILD at Oxford,
GARDENING ON WALLS OR RUINS.
many
Stonecrops and
alliiMl
8f)
plants, the Aubrietia
and AraLis,
A on
most interesting
the
in
opposite
In
page.
this
Oxfordshire,
exani})le of "wall gardening is
the
exquisite
little
Great
at
gardens
alpine
shown
plant,
Tew,
which
usually roots over the moist surface of stones, estal)lished itself
high up on a wall in a small recess, where half a brick
had been displaced.
The
illustration tells the rest.
It
is
z^:^^^--,
'Mm Cheddar Pink, Saxifrage, and Ferns, on cottage wall
as so
suggestive,
things are, of the numerous plants
grown on walls and such unpromising surfaces. A mossy old wall, or an old ruin, would afi'ord a position many rock -plants which no specially prepared situation
that
for
many
at IMells.
may
could
l)e
rival
;
lÂťut
some
establish
even on well-preserved
little
walls
we can
beauties, wdiich year after year
Mill
al)undantly repay for the slight trouble of planting or sowing
them.
Those who have observed how dwarf plants grow on
the tops of mountains, or on elevated stony ground,
have seen perfect
in
what unpromising
health â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
fine
tufts
j^ositions
many
must
tiourish in
sometimes springing
from an
THE WILD GARDEN.
90
almost imperceptible chink in an arid rock or Ijoulder.
and diminutive
are often stunted
more lonu-lived than when
Now, numljers
ground.
f'rown
is
viijorouslv
l)ut
They always
upon the
of alpine plants perish if planted in
the ordinary soil of our gardens,
pains
such places,
in
and many do
so
where much
This results from
taken to attend to their wants.
over-moisture at the root in winter, the plant being rendered
more
by our moist green winters make a lingering growth. But it is interesting of
susceptiljle
inducing
it
and useful ])lants
to
know
to
injury
that,
by placing many
of these delicate
where their roots can secure a comparatively dry and
well-drained medium, they remain in perfect health. ])lants
from latitudes a
from alpine regions,
little farther
may hnd
Many
south than our own, and
on walls, rocks, and ruins, that
dwarf, ripe, sturdy growth, stony firmness of root medium, and
dryness in winter, M'hich go to form the very conditions that will
grow them in a climate entirely
In
many
parts of the country
it
different
may
from their own.
be said with truth
that opportunities for this phase of gardening do not exist; l)ut in various districts, such as the
are miles of rock
AVye and other
valleys, there
and rough wall-surface, where the scattering
few pinches of Arabis, Aubrietia, Erinus, Acanthus, would give rise Saxifrage, Violas, Stonecrops, and Houseleeks,
of a
to a
"arden of rock blossoms that would need no care from
the gardener.
Growing such splendid alpine plants
as the
true Saxifraga longifolia of the Pyrenees on the straight surface of a wall is quite practicable.
I
have seen the rarest
and largest of the silvery section grown well on the face of a the dry wall therefore there need be no doubt as to growing :
more common and
liardv kinds.
WILD GARDENING OX WALLS OR RUINS.
A
tew seeds of the Cheddar Pink,
Cor
91
examph;, sown
in a
(hist n( line mossy or earthy chink, or even covered with in a dwaif and for years soil, would soon take root, li\inLi; ;i
perfectly healtliful state.
'I'he
seedling roots A'igoronsly into
the chinks, and gets a hold which
many
of the plants wliieli will
amoii'''
the selections near
tlie
it
rarely relaxes.
grow on walls end
of the hook.
"I^^^m
The Vellow Fumitory on
wall (Corydalis lulea).
will
A l)e
list
of
found
Large Japan Sedum
(S. spectabile)
and Autumn Crucuses
CHAPTER
in the
Wild Garden.
Xll.
SOME RESULTS. In addition to Longieat, and other cases previously mentioned, a
few of the results obtained, where the system
was
and
tried,
interest.
fully
well
so far as
How much out
carried
shown
known
to nie,
may
not be without
a wild garden intelligently and taste-
may
effect for
in a garden in
a
country seat
Oxfordshire.
Here
is is
fairly
one of
the earliest, and probably one of the largest wild gardens existing, full
and which,
visiting
of novel charms.
No
it
on the 27th May, I found
old-fashioned garden yields
its
beauty so early in the year, or over a more prolonged season,
than the wild garden, as there
is
abundant evidence here
but our impressions shall be those of the day only.
may
serve
to
throw light on the
possibilities
;
It
of garden
SOME RESULTS. embellishment in one blank in
maker which
many
of
gardens
at a season
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
attempts in this direction so variety of
soil,
grown
with rather a poor gravelly part,
little
there
much
;
surface,
before.
with
site
iu^'iting
easier
Tlie
which makes
and happier
;
no
different
only a neglected plantation,
soil
variety of surface
thrown up long
a great
is
which might enable plants of widely
natural habitats to be
and
or
no great variety of
;
when
time of "l)ed(lnig out."
had no favourable
this
deal
to
way
93
and a gentle slope in one
beyond a few gravel banks
The garden
is,
for the
most
part,
arranged on each side of a Grass drive among rather open ground, few trees on the one hand and rather shady ground
The most beautiful aspect at the end of IMay a singularly ungenial spring, which had not allowed the
on the of
other.
I'ieonies
to
was that of the German
unfold,
Irises,
with
Orchid-like blossoms seen everywhere through
their great
the wood, clear above the Grass and other herbage, stately
and noble flowers
that, like the Daffodils, fear
no weather,
yet with rich and delicate hues that could not be surpassed
by tropical
flowers.
this effective
kinds
good
of Iris service.
If this wild garden only should teach
way of using the various beautiful and vigorous now included in our garden flora, it would do The
Irises are perfectly at
and among the Grass and wild
flowers.
home
mixed
rest
border," tempting one to
quietly
among
wood
By-and-by, when
they go out of flower, they will not be in the "
in the
remove them,
way lÂťut
as in a
grow and
the grass until the varied blossoms of
another year again repay the trouble of substituting these noble hardy flowers for some of the familiar weeds and wild plants that inhabit our plantations.
THE WILD GARDEN.
94
In
may
tlie
wild garden the fairest of our
own
wild flowers
be happily associated with their relatives from other
Here the sturdy Bell -flowered
countries.
panulata) grows wild with our wliite
and
jiink
own
nutans); the
(S.
common well-known
earlier Scillas are of course past
wild garden,
of
tlie
which thrives
:
freely
Valley did not inhabit the before
/
The
form.
they are admirably suited
;
especially S. Ijifolia,
The Lily
in woods.
Bluehell
cani-
(S.
forms also of the last-named look beautiful
here associated with the
for the
Scilla
t'M:
wood
therefore
;
was pleasant out some of
it
to thin
over-
its
matted tufts and carry
them garden, Crane's
'^^i beauty. stately
Bill wild, in grass.
relation
the
when is
with
Solomon's
Solomon's Seal, wliich
is
it
this plant when
spots for
it.
its
thev fullest
tall
Seal.
and
The
effective
issuing forth from fringes of shrubberies,
here best arching higli over the Woodrufi'
seems a giant, with every
lines of beauty.
in
usually
and other sweet woodland which
where
now
are
associated
It is
wild
the
to
leaf,
flowers,
among
and stem, and blossom
The additional vigour and beauty shown by in rich soil well
repays one for selecting suitable
The greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) and
its
double form are very pretty here with their tufts of golden flowers
;
they grow freely and take
all
needful care of them-
The same may be said of the Honesty, the common forms of Columbine, and Allium Moly, an old-fashioned plant,
selves.
SOME RESULTS. and one of
tlie
subjects at
nmny
home
95
in the wihl garden,
and
The myriads
wliich are better left out of the garden proper.
of Crocus leaves dying off without the indignity of being tied into Itundles as
common
is
and Snowdrop
Aconite
I'rinu'oses
garden in
dense growth of
in gardens, the
leaves,
of
and common
coloured
and Cowslips, suggest the [)eauty of this wild The yet unfolded buds on the many tufts spring.
and groups of the numerous lierbaceous Piconies, promise nolile effects early in
Jmie
so do the tufts of the splendid
;
Eastern Poppy (Papaver orientale) and the Williams, and Adam's Needles, and that will
show
many
their blossoms above or
Grass in due time.
Among
here at present, are
tlie
the
Lilies,
best
and Sweet
other subjects,
among
summer
the
of the Borageworts
Caucasian Comfrey (Symphytum
caucasicum), an admirable wood or copse plant, and
red-
purple or Bohemian Comfrey
very
handsome me-nots
here.
And what
bohemicum), which
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the wood Forget-me-not, and the
not (M. dissitillora) are here l)lue in
(S.
is
lovelv effects from the Foroet-
!
where
Early Forget-me-
their soft little clouds of
the Grass are nnich prettier than tufts of the
kind surrounded by
the l)rown earth in a prim l)order.
same Here
the pushing of the delicate Grass blades through
tlie
mass and the indefinite wav
the tufts
in
which the
frinijes of
blue
mingle with the surrounding vegetation are very beautiful.
The onlv gravel lÂťanks, Saxifrages,
noticeal)le variation of surface
which are properly covered
and the
like,
chance in the Grass,
which would,
is
that of
some
witli Stonecrops,
as a rule,
have a poor
Surfaces that naturally support a very
sparse and dwarf vegetation are valuable in a garden, as they
permit
(jf
the culture of a series of free-growing alpine and
THE WILD GARDEN".
96
rock r)lants that would not
able to liold their
l)e
Grass and ordinary weeds and wild flowers.
own amonoOne
of the
happiest features of this wild garden results from the in
which dead
have been adorned.
trees
smaller branches are
of the
lopped
climbers planted at the base of the
new kind
Eose, a
a climbing
Virginian Creeper, have
all
off,
way
Once dead, some and one or more
Here a Clematis,
tree.
of Ivy, a wild Vine, or a
they require, a firm support on
which they may arrange themselves
after their
own
natural
habit, without being mutilated, or without trouble to the
and fresh ground
planter,
admirable way, of Clematis
and
may
roots
mixed border
look
to
A
and is
tosses
up a mass
ready with some
adorn the projection, and
collection of Ivies
much more
all
"
Fernery
it
among
may
and
interfere
be grown in
the flowers than in
properly so called.
Ferns, and in some cases
old
Ferns are at home in the wild
air.
the strong hardy kinds
better in
grown on
satisfactory than on a wall,
liable to robe each other at the roots,
with each other in the ;
varied species
allow some choice Bramble or wild Vine to scramble
tree-stems would be
garden
old tree falls
the wild gardener
over the prostrate stem.
and not
many and
an
as beautiful as varieties with flowers as large as
!
subject from his
he
What
themselves.
to
growing the
Even when an
saucers.
of soil
too, of
free
more
Even more
the
it,
"
and
hardv
graceful than the
useful, because
they send up
their plume-like leaves very early in the year, are the giant
Fennels (Ferula), which grow well here, and hold their own easily
among
also here,
but
The common Fennel
the strongest plants. it
seeds so freely that
it
is
becomes a troublesome
weed, and shows a tendency to overrun plants of greater
SO-ME KESULTS. This reniiiuls
value.
introduced with
wild garden.
many
others,
but destroy
lis
97
of certain sulijects that should be
I'autioii into all
Imt the remotest parts of the
Such plants as Heracleuni, Willow Herb, and that overcome all obstacles, and not only win
all
only be planted
their fellows in the strujigie for in
untlving
])(i>itinns. islands,
life,
should
hedges, small
-^S'ff'
Large-leafed Saxifrage
l)its
of isolated
wood
visible for a season,
destroying. it
is
in
the Wild (larden.
or copse, where their effects might l)e and where they might ramble without
In short, they never should
l)e
planted where
desired to encourage a variety of beautiful sul)jects.
liabbits
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; dreaded
vermin
the wild gardener
to
out here effectually by means of wire fencing.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are
kept
The presence The
of these pests prevents all success in the wild garden.
encouragement of creatures that feed on slugs
is
desirable, as
these are the most potent cause of mischief to liard}^ flowers.
H
THE WILD GARDEN.
98
To succeed with the wild garden, one should have a good hardy flowers from which
collection of
can be supplied.
it
Here one has been
1100
formed, consisting of about
From
mostly arranged in borders.
species,
these, from time to time,
over- vigorous and over-abundant kinds
may
be taken to the
wilderness.
In a large collection one frequently finds species
most suited
for
good
in all
liberty in woods.
full
positions,
increase
may
Tlie in
many
these
subjects
l)orders
till
enough for planting out in some quantity in the wild garden. The wild garden here lias l)een wdiolly formed
plentiful
by the owner, who planted with
now adorn
subjects that
been done within four or
own hands
his
the various
throughout the year.
it
five years,
It
has
and therefore many uf
the climbers have not as yet attained full growth.
Tew Park
will long be interesting, from the fact that
it
Loudon practised agriculture before he began the writing the works which were such a marked addition to The Grove there is a horticultural literature of England. was there
J. C.
plantation of fine trees, bordering wdiich varies in width.
This grove, unlike
of the ground, does not vary tliat
a wide sweep of grass,
one of the greatest aids
much
in surface, or luit is
absent.
of the rest
very
little,
Originally this
so
now
on pleasant grove was a dense wood, with Gout-weed mainly the sround, and troublesome
flies
in the air.
A
few vears
ago the formation of a wild garden was determined upon, and the
first
moving
operation was the thinning of the
air
removed.
were This,
let into
so
far,
it,
wood
;
light
and weak or overcrowded
was
a gain, quite apart
flowers that were in good time to replace the few
weeds that occupied the ground.
Of
and trees
from the
common
these the unattractive
SOME RESULTS.
99
Gout-weed was the most abundant, and the
was
to
di'j; it
It
up.
was found that by deeply digging the
wood Forget-me-not
ground, and sowiug
tlie
weed disappeared.
Who
Lilies of the
in its place, this
would not exchange
Yallev aud AVood Forget-me-nots
broad sheets of this
thing to do
first
Wood
foul !
weeds
The
for
effect of
Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)
beyond, and seen above the long waving Grass gradually receding under the trees, was very beautiful now (June) its ;
is
beauty
not so marked as earlier,
when
from the plants being more compact wild garden
is
source of a
but one charm of the
that the very changes of plants from
thought their most perfect
be
;
the colour was fuller,
new
may
state,
be in
what may the
itself
pleasure instead of a warning, such as so
often occurs in the garden, that
we must
cut
them down
or
replace them. to
iSTot
mow
is
almost a necessity in the wild garden
considering that there
is
frequently in large gardens
more
mown
surface than
this
need.
Here the Grass
manv it
necessary, is
be cut
when
ripe,
of danger
no flowers are planted the Grass
meadow.
may
quite as
Grass
good an
in
Of course
saved.
;
even in parts where
is left till
long enougli to cut
Except where actually required as a
often be allowed to
unmown
left
and most of the spring flowers have
past and their leaves are out
as
is
much
will not regret
many
desi^nedlv
and therebv much labour
iilaces,
may
is
:
carpet. Grass
grow even in the pleasure ground
effect is afforded
by the unmown
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; indeed, better when the long Grass
is
as the
;
mown
full of flowers.
Three-fourths of the most lovely flowers of cold and temperate regions are companions of the Grass ness, like Grasses in
summer
life
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like Grasses
and winter
in hardi-
rest, like
them
THE WILD GARDEN.
100
Whatever plants may seem best more gardens, an innnense nun:iher
even in stature.
with in
thousand species of those perfection
to
among our meadow
Grassy breast of the mountain
Grasses, as they do on the in
many
above the delicate bloom of the will
multij^lying
the
The
varieties of
open
tlieir
variety
(
their heads clear
irass
;
cups below
of effects
Some, like
lands.
show
the tall Irises or Columbines, will
Cerastiums,
to associate
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; than two now cultivated â&#x20AC;&#x201D; would thrive
that
others, like the
in
it,
this
way
be obtained.
may
Columbine in the Grass were perhaps
prettiest flowers at the time of
tlie
my visit. The white, purplish,
and delicately -variegated forms of
this
charming old plant,
just seen above the tops of the long Grass, growing singly, in little groups, or in spreading colonies,
were
sufficient in
themselves to form a wild garden for June.
among
the Grass, they will henceforward, like
The
themselves.
rosy,
Established
it,
take care of
heart-shaped blooms of the Dielytra
spectabilis are recognised at
some distance
tlirough the Grass,
and, so grown, furnish a bright and peculiarly pretty effect.
Tree Pa^onies succeed admirablv, and their oreat heads of flower quite light up this charming wilderness. Goat's Beard Spinea ful,
(S.
I'lants of the
Aruncus) are very stately and grace-
even now, before their flowering, being quite G
It.
high.
In a few weeks, when the numerous flowers are open, they will present quite another aspect.
In the wild garden, apart
from the naturalisation of free-growing
ment
of rare British flowers
occupations
;
and
here,
is
exotics, tlie establish-
one of the most interesting
under a Pine
tree,
the modest,
ing Linmea borealis of the northern Fir- woods to spread.
The Foxglove was not
is
trail-
beginning
originally found in the
SOME RESULTS. iiei"hl)oiiili(Âť(t(l
forms of
tliis
now
;
fino
llio
10]
ordinnrv kind and the various other
wild fiower adorn
tlie
woods.
In
also the Lily of the Yallcv has heen introduced and ino-
rapidlv.
^lanv
clinddnii-
have been ])lanted
at
lie
good
wny
spread-
Eoses ami various other climbers
the bases of trees and stumps, but,
though thri\ing, the plantation 1
tliis
is
effect that these will
is
as yet too
young
eventually produce.
to
show
There
is
Large-flowered Clematis.
no finer picture
at present to
be seen in gardens than a free-
growing flowering creeper, enjoying its own wild way over an old tree or stump, and sending down a rain of flower -laden shoots.
A
wall, sent
Clematis montana here, originally trained on a
up some
of its shoots through a tree close at hand,
where, fortunately, they have been allowed to remain, and
now large
the long shoots hang from the tree full of flowers.
plumes of the
noljler
The
hardy Ferns are seen here and
THE WILD GARDEX.
102
there tliroiigh the trees and Grass, and well they look
here
the Grass and flowers, partially shaded by trees,
among
than in the hardy Fernery, which
when
a success, often
"
too
much
so often
is
the Ferulas, and
of foliage,
a failure,
tlie
in the wild garden.
true
home
rivals of the
um-
have also their
The Welsh Poppy
might be expected, admirably in the grove,
of
Ferns
various other
belliferous plants with beautifully cut foliage,
homes
and
of a muchness," so to say.
The wild garden of the future will he also all the more important hardy Ferns. The in beauty
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;better
thrives, as
rich yellow
its
cups just shoAving above the meadow.
In another part of the grounds there
away from
quite
each
This
side.
trees,
may
Eoses,
Rock
open and dry, with sloping banks on
Eoses, etc.
will probably soon
ing
flora.
a raised walk
be called a sun-walk, and here quite a
different type of vegetation is
Sun
is
grown
;
Scotch Ptoses, Brooms,
It is quite recently formed,
and
accommodate a more numerous and interest-
Such an open sunny walk, with dry banks
near, is
a capital position in which to carry out various phases of the
wild garden. is
Peculiarly suitable, however, in such a position
a good illustration of the vegetation of the hot, rocky, and
gravelly hill-sides of the Mediterranean region, and this
is
quite easily represented, for the various leguminous plants
and dwarf Pea-flowered shrubs, such
many
of the beautiful
Eock Eoses
(Helianthemum), and the Lavenders,
as the Spanish (Cistus), the will,
Broom,
Sun Eoses
with a host of com-
panions, for the most part thrive quite as well on a sunny
sandy bank in England garden
it
is
as in Italy or Greece.
In the wild
easy to arrange aspects of vegetation having a
geographical interest, and a portion of such a sunny bank as
SOME RESULTS. i
nllude
lo
worthily funiisluMl with the various
lÂťe
uii^lit
niniiiatic jiliints (nearly all
wild
tlie
Tliynie,
103
hardy) which one meets with on
of Southern France,
liill-.sides
and which include
Bahn, Mint, Eosemary, Lavender, and various other
old oarden favourites.
True taste in the garden
is
iuihai)pily
Xo amount
much
rarer than
of expense, rich collec-
many
people suppose.
tions,
good cultivation, large gardens, and plenty of
suffice
;
these and nnich more
all
it is
glass, will
not difficidt to see, but
a few acres of garden showing a real love of the beautiful in
Nature, as is
seen
This
is
it
it is
can be illustrated in gardens,
is rare,
and when
it
often rather the result of accident than design.
partly owing to the fact that the kind of knowledge
one wants in order to form a really beautiful garden
Xo man
unconmion.
is
can do so with few materials.
very It is
necessary to have some knowledge of the enormous wealth of beauty
gardens liut
;
which the world contains and yet
this
for the
adornment of
knowledge must not have a leaning, or
very partially, towards the Dryasdust character.
disposition to
"
"
dry
and name
The
everything, to concern oneself
entirely with nomenclature and
classification, is not
cordance with a true gardening spirit
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
it is
the
life
we
in ac-
want.
The garden of the late Mr. Hewittson, at Weybridge, contained some of the most delightful Ijits of garden scenery Below the house, on the slope over Oatlands Park, and Ijelow the usual lawn beds,
Avhich I have ever seen.
the water of
heathy ground which, when we saw it, was charming beyond any power of the pencil to show. The ground was partially clad with common Heaths with trees, etc., there is a piece of
little
irregular green paths through them,
and abundantly
THE WILD GARDEN.
104 naturalised
which are shown there
among
warm sandy
the
in
were the Sun Koses,
soil
the
Heaths,
creeping
])rostratum), witli other
Among
to the situation.
large
a
in
aliout
natural-looking fashion, too, was the (Jentian
(Lithospermum
Here and
in the foreground of the ]ilate.
perfectly
Cromwell
l)lue
hardy plants suited
these naturalised groups were
tlie
Evening Primroses and Alstrcemeria anrea, the whole
so being well relieved by bold bushes of flowering shrubs,
grouped and arranged as not
tastefully
formality.
Such plants
show a
to
trace of
and
as these are not set out singly
without preparation, but carefully planted in beds of such outline, that
naturally irregular established they
seem
the Bracken and
the
from
tlie
that require special care and attention
It is
more
free
all
as all
most
Closely-shaven glades and wi(U^
Grass belts wind about among such objects, while
they find
much
remarkable how
It is
in the least detracting
perfect order and keeping.
size that
l)econie
plants
native children of the soil, as
Heath around.
done without
this is
when
show
l)y their
all trees
health and
they require in this beautiful gardeu.
from needless or offensive geometrical-twirling,
barren expanse of gravelled surface, and
all
kinds of puerilities
— than new-fangled
nny garden
following, from a correspondent,
shows wliat
— old-fashioned and
I liave
seen for years.
The
done with few advantages as
We tlirough carried
have a it.
with a small
ilell
When
to
I
first
underground by a
came tile
to
— space or situation
may
lie
:
stream of
Brockhurst
culvert,
sjiiini,^
I
water
found
and the valley
nuniiiiL;
this stream
sides covered
between carefully raked and kept
free with Rhododendrons, the soil from weeds, so that it was only during springtime that flowers relieved After five years this has all been the sombre eff'ect of this primness.
Sun Roses
(Cistus)
and other exotic haidy plants among heather, on sandy
slope.
SOME changed into
wlial
]ia\e clieerfuliicss Ill tlie first
tliink
I
and ln'auty
r!KsrT/rs.
ymi WdiiM
call
all tlu- yt-ai'
nmiid.
was
tlu- liidnklft
jilacf
10;
wild
a
to
ludui^lit
,L;ai'ili'ii.
ainl
the surt'ace, iuul
\vv
its
Marsh Marigolds, Forgetme-nots, CVlandiiies, Irises, Pi-i mioses, and Kanumuluses, together with Osnuunlas, Hart's-tongnes, and other Ferns. Many large-growing Loiirse
fringed with
inaisli
Carexes and ornamental
Wood and
and
filled
T!
plants,
siu'li
nsh<-s are als(
I
as
tierbaceous Meadow-sweets grouped together
with
peat,
in
which
(
Little llats
liere.
in
Vprijiediiuns,
were formed
Mr. Hewittsnu's garden.
Trilliums,
Orchises,
In the valley Solomon's Seal, and many rare bog plants find a home. we have planted hnlhs by thonsands Crocuses, Snowdrops, Daffodils, The Rhododendrons were thinned and interspersed with Narcis.?i, etc.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Azaleas, Ancnbas,
and other handsome-foliaged shrubs,
to give bright-
ness to the sjiring flowering, and rich colour to the foliage in autumn. In the spaces between we introduced wild Hyacinths everywhere, and
THE WILD GARDEN.
106 in patches
amongst these the Red (Jampion, together with vvcvy other flower
]tretty wilil
we couhl obtain
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Forget-me-nots,
Glolje- flowers,
(Jolunri lines,
Anemones, Primroses, Cowslips, Polyanthuses, Campanulas, Golden Rods, ete. All the bulbs which liave bloomed in the greenhouses are planted out in these spaces, so that there are
\u>^y
large
clumps of choice soils of Crocus, Tulip, Narcissus, and Hyacinth. We have also planted Ijulbs very extensively, and as they have been allowed to grow on undisturbed we have
now
large patches of Daffodils,
and other spring flowers in great beauty and exuberance. we trim the garden all tlie spare plants are brought here, where
Narcissi,
When
they form a reserve, and it is thus gradually getting stocked, and all the bare ground covered witli foliage and flowers. Lastly, iov autumn
blooming we raised large quantities of Foxgloves in every colour, and the larger Campanulas, and these were pricked out everywhere, so tliat we have a glorious show of Foxglove flowers to close the year worth all
A
the trouble.
ground, wliere
wild garden of this sort
many
is
a plant survives after
a very
it
useful
reserve
has been lost in
tlic
Such spare seedlings as the Acpiilegias, Campanulas, Primulas, Trolliuses, and other hardy plants can here find space until wanf('(l
borders.
elsewhere, and one can dell Avlien the
Sweet Violet
Hower more
frecj[\iently
find
also
flourish
blooms
for bouc^uets
The Lily
in the
of the Valley
and
here, creeping over heaps of stones,
and
garden flowers are over.
freely than they do in more open situations.
A^isitors
often say tliat the dell beats all the rest of the garden for beauty, and it
certainly gives less trouble in the attainment.
Brockhurst, Didslmry.
Wm. Brockbank.
In (hvnh'n.
THE WILD GARDEN IN AMERICA.i Probalily
When liad
I
many
came
to
of your readers will ask,
London,
al)out
fifteen
but one mode of expression only,
harshest form
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
viz.
"What U
a Mild garden /"
years ago, "flower-gardening" " bedding out," and that in its
ribbons, borders, an<l solid masses of flowers of one
The old hardy flowers had been completely colour and one height. the once popular race of so-called florist's flowers various and swept away ;
As a consequence, gardens were indescribably monotonous to any person with the faintest notion of the inThis kind of flower-gardening exhaustible charms of the plant world. were rarely or never seen.
has the same relatidu to true art in a garden which the daubs of colour 1
A
letter written
by
re([uest, in the
Rural
New
Yorker, July 1876.
SOME on
ail
Indian's blanket havi- to
years later, in
tin-
In fighting, some
best pictures. tn
various' journals njicn
tlie
107
KESUI/rS.
tin-
me,
battle nf nature
and variety against this saddening and blank nKmotony, I was occasionally met by a ridicule of the old-fashioned mixed border which the bedding plants had supplanted. Now, a well -arranged and varied mixed border may Vie made one of the most beautiful of gardens Imt ;
some kncjwledge of plants, as well as good taste. the Nevertheless, objection was just as concerned the great majority of mixed borders they were ragged, unmeaning, and even monotonous. to so fijrm
it
re(|uires
;
next began to consider the \'arious ways in which hardy plants might be grown wholly apart from either way (the bedding plants or I
mixed
that of the
border),
and the
vsild (jurden, or
garden
foriiu'd
in
the wilderness, grove, shrubbery, copse, or rougher parts of the pleasure garden, M-as a ]iet idea which I afterwards threw into the form of a
book with
this
name.
In nearly all our gardens we have a great deal wide spaces in the shrubbery fre(|uently
of surface wholly wasted
dug over
in
banks, slopes,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
the winter, plantations, grass- walks, hedgerows, rough etc.,
ami on these a
which hitherto have grown only grass and wee<ls, Hundreds of the garden flora may be grown.
rich
more vigorous and handsome herbaceous plants that exist will thrive and do further good in exterminating weeds and pre-
in these jilaces
venting the need of digging.
Every kind
by a person
knowledge
vrith.
any
slight
of surface
of
may
hardy plants
be embellished
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;ditch-banks,
gravel-pits, old trees, hedge-banks, rough, grassy places that are never
mown, copses, woods, lanes, rocky or The tendency has always been another country than our^ own was a
stony ground. to
suppose
that
subject retjuiring
a
from
plant
much
attention,
not thinking that the conditions that occur in such places as mentioned above, are, as a rule, quite as favourable as those that obtain in nature throughout the great northern regions of Europe, Asia,
and
Here some common plants of the woods of the Eastern States are considered rarities and coddled accordingly to their destrucAmerica.
tion.
It is quite a
phenomenon
to see a flower
on the
little
Yellow
Dog's-Tooth Violet, which I remember seeing in rpiantity among the When one has but a few specimens grass in your noble Central Park. of a plant,
it
is
best no
doubt
to
carefully watch
exposed and carefully dug garden border
many wood and
copse j^lants
such places), and in
many
is
them.
But
an
the worst place to grow
(I mean plants that grow naturally in uncultivated spots here the American
Dog's-Tooth Violet would flower
([uite
as freely as at
home.
Your
THE WILD riARDEN.
108
beautiful little Mayrt(jwer, Epigpea repejis, we liave never succeeded in growing- in our best American nurseries, as tliey are called, whicli
grow vdur Rliododendrons and
number
of
young
otlier fioweriiiiT;
shrubs so well.
If a
plants of this were put out in a sandy fir-wood,
under the shrubs and pines, as they grow in
Your
succeed at once.
l)eautiful
New
Jersey,
we should
Trillium grauditloruni
is usually seen here in a pour state luit I have seen a plant in a shady position in a shrubbery, in rich, moist soil, ([uite two feet through and two ;
feet high. I
mention these things to show tliat tlie wild garden may even from the point of view of cultivation. Another
have a<lvantages
Wuodruft and Ivv.
the facilities
is
atl'ords us
for
fujoying representations of Here, for example, the j)oorest soil in the most neglected copse will grow a mixture of golden rods and asters, whicli will give ns an aspect of vegetation everywhere seen in
advantage
it
the vegetation of other conntries.
American woods in autumn. place delight Besides,
we
the garden
;
but as
in this
This to you
we have nothing
may at
all
appear a very commonlike it, it is welcome.
way get the golden rods and which they nsed to overrun
coarser asters out of
proper, in
and where they did much in
New England
manner, you may, of such of our English flowers
or
the choicer jjlants,
mixed border.
to disgrace the
New
So, in like
make wild gardens For example, the now
Jersey,
as you love. numerous and very handsome varieties of our Primroses, Polyanthuses, and Oxlips would probably succeed better with you in moist places, in
woods, or partially shaded positions, than
in
the open garden.
There
SOME KKSULTS. caul>e
IK) (Iniil>t
fur a
.suppose
in wliidi
"ardcn in America inhabit the land,
jKisilidii
that
nuiiui'iit lliaii
umwiiiL;
tiie
dtlicr
Ini'
olijecL
lovdv wild
iiiaiiv
we
darlings of our rock-garden _L;rowers, though all
Bui
wdulil Link Lest. in)
the hi'ight Howcrs an<l graceful
Wddds and heaths nf the Kastern
trailers
States.
lis
tlowcr.s
tliat
the
arc,
are far tinm |nisscssing
that aduin It
Ift
the wild
Here some of your wildlin^s
sullicicnt.
it is
lIu'V
was
llicic
10!)
wnuld
the
lings
and
ninst wise, in
ln'
case of possessing a little liil nf wnnd or copse, adorned naturally with the trailing Partridge Berry, and the rosy Lady's Slipper ((Jyju'ipediuni acaule), which I noticed growing so plentifully, to jireserve the spot as
wild garden, and add to it such home and plants, as one could ohtain.
a
foivign, free
and
handsome hardy It
is
ini])ossible
in
this
letter
to
sjieak
nf
tlu'
\ai-ious
kinds of
gardens, hut the opportunity which the system otters for eniludlishing mol shady places is one which should make it interesting \\ild
the people to whose language belongs the term Usually flower beds and borders are in the full sun
to
arrangement the
in a
But even
cool country.
warm months many days
in
in
"
—
shade
trees."
a very projier
our climate, there are in
which the woodland shade
is
sought
the open lawn, and when the fully-exposed garden is Therefore, it is clearly desirable that we have flowers in
in preference to
deserted.
shady as well
as
sunny
places.
Many
plants, too,
l(.i\e
the shade, and
we (jnly require to plant the most suitable of these to enjoy a charmIt need not be pointe(l out to Americans that a vast ing wild garden. In America, iiiunl)er of herbaceous jdants naturally inhabit woods. where shade
is
such a necessity, the wild garden in the shade will be
In it many of the the most delightful retreat near the country house. countries will, witlujut plants common in the gardens of all northern
wearisome attention, flower in the spring. For the early summer numths flowers of ^vill
be selected,
as, for
a
exam})le, the later Irises-
somewhat
later period
— lovely hardy
flowers,
Asphodel A. ranmsus, the Day Lilies (Hemerocallis), the Solomon's Seal and some of its allies, the Veronicas, tall Phloxes, the
the
tall
great Scarlet
Poppy (Papaver
bracteatum),
Symphytums
in variety
;
—
these are all free-growing ami admirable plants for the wild wood-garden.
Mulleins (Verbascum), Salvias, Harebells (Campanula), Willow herbs, tall Lupines, Geianiums, Sjiurges, Meadow Rues, Columbines, Del-
phiniums, and the latest \\ind flowers (Anemone). Later still, and in the sunny days, would come the various beautiful
everlasting
jieas,
various
])lants
of the
Mallow
tribe,
the
Poke
THE WILD (4ARDEN.
110
otlier vigorous kinds, the Globe the free-flowering Yuccas, such as Y. flaccida and Thistles, Acanthuses, and in Y. filanientosa, the common Artichoke, with its nol)le flowers
Weeds, broad-leaved Sea Lavender, and
;
autunni, a host of the are so
common
in
Golden Rods and Michaelmas
America that adding them
probably be considered a needless labour
;
Daisies.
to tlie wild
Init
These
garden would
the substitution of the
various really beautiful species of aster tnr those ccimmonly found of inferior beauty M'ould well repay.
In case
it
were thought
and
desir-
making a wild garden in a shady position to grow plants that do not attain perfection in such positions, they might be grown in the more open parts at hand, and sufficiently near to be seen in tlie picture. able in
CHAPTER
XIIL
A PLAN FOR THE l-LMF.ELLISILMENT OF THE SHRUBBEIIY
BORDERS
IN
LONDON PARKS. In the winter seaor indeed
son,
at
any other season, one of
the
most
melancholy things to be seen' in our
parks and gardens are the long, hare,
naked
slirul)heries,
extending, as along
the Dug
:ind
mutilated Shrubbery in St. James's Park. Sketched in iinntcr of i^-]g.
Bayswater
Eoad, more or less
for a mile in a place; the soil greasy, black,
seamed with the
mutilated roots of the poor shrubs and trees
none the
better,
l)ut
;
which are
very mucli the worse, for the cruel
annual attention of digging up
tlieir
young
roots
M-ithout
any adequate nourishment or good to the soil. Culturally, the whole thing is suicidal, both for trees and
returning
plants.
Tlie
mere
fact of
men having
to pass
through one
THE WILD GARDEN.
112 of those
slirubberies
"
"
prune
low
every autumn,
trees, leads to this,
and especially
u.s
tliey
done, and at great waste of labour. l^e
in the
ground
ance of the shrubbery
is
is
fancy,
shrul:)s
and
to the shrubs taking
Thus a double wrong
the appearance of inverted besoms.
might
and,
and otherwise attend to unfortunate
Any
interesting
life
is
that
destroyed, and the whole appear-
made hideous from
the point of view
good culture of flowering or evergreen shrubs This system is an orthodox destroyed or made impossible.
of art;
all
one, that has descended to us
from other days, the popular
idea being that the right thing to do in shrulÂťl)ery.
The
autumn
to dig the
and the adop-
total abolition of this system,
tion of the one to he presently described,
is
would lead
to the
and be a perhappiest revolution ever effected in gardening, the inverted easy, practicable means for the aljolition of fectly
besoms, and the choke-muddle shrubbery, and these awful
wastes of black
Two
soil
and mutilated
ideas should
lie
the one being to allow
roots.
fixed in the all
mind
of the improver,
the beautiful shrubs to assume
their natural shapes, either singly or in groups, with sufficient so that the space between to allow of their fair development,
shrubbery might, in the flowering season, or indeed at all a beautiful winter seasons, be the best kind of conservatory
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
garden even, with the branches of most of the shrubs touching the ground, no nmtilation whatever visible, and no hard dug line outside the shrubs.
be effected
l)y
This last improvement could easily
forming a natural
fringe, so to say,
up the usual hard edge from good planting fact,
;
by breaking
by
letting, in
the edge be formed by well-furnished shrubs projected the hard line, and running in and out as they do on a
beyond
KMBELLTSHj\mNT OF SHRUBBERY BORDERS.
box bushes sometimes do on a Sussex
copse, or as the
liil]
Here
down.
variety in selection, taste
care,
113
and
in
skill
grouping, so as to allow different subjects, whether placed singly or in groups, or little groves, being in a position tliey
well and be seen to advantage, would lead
may grow
to the
most charming
results in the open-air garden.
sufficient preparation at
cause of very
where
little
With
such shrubberies would be the
first,
trouble afterwards.
Now, such beauty could be obtained without any further aid from other plants
and
;
able to consider the trees
and
let the turf
])rivilege
of
adding
this
another world of l)eauty
many
cases
it
might be
and shrubs and their
spread in to
in
desir-
effect only,
among them; but we have the beautiful
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
tree
and shrub
life
bulbs and herbaceous plants,
and innumerable beautiful things which go to form the ground flora, so to say, of northern and temperate countries,
meadow
and which
light
up the world with
or copse, or
wood
or alpine pasture in the flowering season.
The surface which
is
loveliness in
dug and wasted
in all our parks,
and
in numljers
of our gardens, should be occupied
varied
not in the miserable old mixed border fashion,
with
life
;
eacli plant
keep
would not fresh,
this
stuck up with a stick, but with the plants in
groups and colonies between the shrubs. turf
Avitli
thrive, or
where
we should have
it
irises,
In the spaces where
might be troublesome
to
or narcissi, or lupines, or
French willows, or Japan anemones, or any of scores of other lovely things which people cannot stiff'
gardens.
whicli
the
The
soil
tree-roots
now
find a place for in our
which now does
little
work, and in
every year are mercilessly dug up,
would support myriads
of lovely plants. I
The necessity of
THE WILD TxARDEN.
114
allowing abundant space to the shrubs and trees, both in the
young and the adult stage, gives us some space to deal with, which may be occupied with weeds if we do not take care of
The remedy, then, is to replace tlie weed by a beautiful flower, and to let some handsome hardy plant of the northern it.
world occupy each
little
space
it
keeping
;
clean for us, and, at
the same time, repaying us by abundant bloom, or fine foliage
This system in the
or habit.
place allows the shrubs
first
themselves to cover the ground to a great extent.
London parks now every shrub the digger to get near
it
;
and
In the
cut under so as to allow
is
this leads to the
most comical
and villainous of shapes ever assumed by bushes. Even the lilac bushes, which we see so horril)ly stiff, will cover the ground with fore, to
l)ranches if allowed
tlieir
a great extent,
room enough
we should have
little
l)ays
there-
the branches them-
selves covering the ground instead of wdiat
open spaces,
;
we now
see.
But
and avenues running in among the we want to fully enjoy
shrubs, are absolutely essential, if
what
ousfht
garden. flowers,
to
l^e
the beautiful inhabitants of our shrul)
Such openings offer delightful retreats for hardy many of which thrive better in semi-shady spots
than they do in the open, wliile the
effect of the flowers is
immeasurably enhanced by the foliage of the shrubs around.
To carry out
one should have,
this plan well,
good selection of the shrubs plainest shrubbery,
may plan
which
is
to
begin
witli,
if possible,
although the
not overgrown or overcrowded,
be embellished with hardy plants on the ground.
may
a
be adopted in the case of
formed, or in the case of old ones
;
new
The
shrubberies being
though the old ones are
frequently so dried up and overcrowded that great alterations
EMBELLISHMENT OF SHHUEliERY would
liave
young
slirubberies
to
be
made it
is,
lier(>
and
TlORPErtR.
115
In the case of
tlicr(\
of course, necessary at first to
keep
the surface open for a while until the shrubs have taken hold of the ground
alluded
An
may
;
then the interesting colonics to which
we
he planted.
essential thing
is
to abolish ntterlv the old dotting
Colony of the Snowdrop-Anemone in Shrubbery not dug. the place of weeds or bare earth.
principle of the
mixed
border, as always ugly
from a cultural point of view. of things in one place, with
from the back
Anemone
taking
and always bad
Instead of sticking a
many labels,
number
and graduating them
to the front, so as to secure the stiffest imagin-
able kind of arrangement, the true
way
is
to
have in each
space wide colonies or groups of one kind, or more than one
THE WILD GARDEN.
116
Here
kind.
is
a
little
bay, for example, with the turf running
handsome holly feathered to the turf forming one promontory, and a spreading evergreen barberry, with its fine into
it,
a
As
leaves also touching the "round, forminu; the other.
two
turf passes in between those
with
the grass
begins to be colonised
it
groups of the pheasant's-eye Narcissus,
little is
and soon
changed into a waving meadow of these
and their long grayish
the
in
fair flowers
They carry tlie eye in among the other shrubs, and perhaps carry it to some other colony leaves.
of a totally difl'erent plant behind
boragewort,
with
say,
spreading colony.
only last a certain
The answer
is,
its
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an
bright
early and beautiful
blue
in
also
flowers,
a
Some might say. Your flowers of narcissi time how are you going to replace them ? ;
that they occupy, and l)eautifully embellish, a
place that before was wholly naked, and worse than naked,
and in
this position
seen in
that our narcissi should be
bud and bloom and decay without world as soon as their fair bloom is
all their stages of
being hurried out of over, as they are
are
we contend
on the border or in the greenhouse.
worth growing
of vegetation
tlie
if
we only
where before
They
secure this one beautiful aspect
all
was worse than
lost.
We
also
secure plenty of cut flowers without troubling the ordinary resources of the garden.
We
might then pass on
to
another, of the
German
occupying not only a patch, but a whole clump
;
iris,
for these
enormous London parks of ours have acres and acres on every side of this greasy dug earth which ought to sparkle
with flowers; seen
to
gardener
a
and, therefore, a very fine
larae
or
extent.
cultivator
to
And how have
to
plant might be
nnich better for the
deal
with one in one
EMBELLISHMENT OF SHRUBBET^Y BORDERS. witli a place than Le tormented
tlowers
— alpine,
mixed up
in
No
!
are good plants.
we could
all
are speaking
Day
of.
lilies,
for
In some hold opening what a
example, fine effect
get l)y having a spreading colony of these therein
places.
want no
Each plant having a
own
its
forming
—
soup called the "mixed
scores of plants might be named, that
such
plants
plants that require staking ought to be used
way we
the
"dots" of
little
meadow
wood, copse, or
in that usually wretched
"
border
rock,
liuiulred
117
colony, there
of alterations as to
is
sufficient
much
less
what should be done.
;
sticking, for
and
space
doubt in case In
fact,
in the
case of an intelligent cultivator, there should be no doubt.
Observe the advantage of
this plan.
Instead of seeing the
same plants everywhere, we should pass on from narcissi to and thus meet with a different kind iris, from iris to bluebell, of vegetation in each part of the park or garden, instead of the
eternal
monotony
and long dreary line of " goldenThe same kind of variety, as suggested
of privet
"
feather
everywhere.
for the
flowers, should
sad planter's
mixture —
colour and all the
be avoided
;
life
so, too,
The
be seen among the shrubs. privet,
laurel,
etc.
— taking
all
the
and charm out of the shrubbery, should the oppressive botanical Inisiness, with
of doors as they everything labelled, and plants classified out
They should be put where they would look well and grow liest. Well carried out, such a system would involve labour, and, above all things, taste at first but are in an herbarium.
;
it
would
eventually resolve itself into the judicious removal
of interloping weeds.
The labour that
and mutilate once a year and keep clean
is
now
given to dig
at other times of the
vear would easily, on the plan proposed, suffice for a
much
THE WILD GARDEN.
118
More
would certainly be required. ignorant man can dig around and mutilate a shrub and up a white lily if he meets it But any person tauglit to
larger area.
Any cliop
intelligence
!
distinguish between our coarse native weeds and the beautiful plants
we want
would keep
On
to establish, passing
round now and then,
all safe.
a large scale, in the
London
parks, such a plan wouhl,
be impossible to carry out without a nursery garden to say, the things
making the
wanted should be
features of the kind
The
to the superintendent.
should themselves
where the
afford
many hardy
suggest would be easy
and
plants adapted
in the pure air
—
a
tliere
for this
little
ground
kind of garden-
This, supposing that a
want of the public gardens of London
managed nursery
is
and acres of black surface
ing might be placed and increased. real
that
in such abundance, that
we
acres
here
;
is
—a large and well-
never carried out
:
the
—
even the wastefulness of buying everything they want is a costly drawback to our London commonest things
—
At
public gardens.
the very least
we
acres of nursery gardens for the planting
the London parks.
So, too, there
some variety
taste for
100
and replanting of
ought to be intelligent
labour to carry out this artistic planting;
awakened
should have
and with the now-
in the garden, one
cannot
doubt that a few years will give us a race of intelligent
young men, who know a little of the plants that grow in northern countries, and whose mental vision is not begun and ended by the ribbon border.
The treatment
important point here. in
or tlie trees
margin of the shrubbery
of the
cut
At in,
present
and
it
is stiff
is
a very
—the shrubs cut
an unsightly border running
EMBELLISHMENT OF SHRUBBERY BORDERS. straight along, perhaps with a tile edging.
way
is to
have a broken margin,
out themselves, and
come
to the
ground
let
Well, the right
to let the shrubs run in
tliem form
in fact, not
11!)
tlie
stitiiy,
let
margin;
and
them
and here and there
growing right outside the ordinary bcjundary, in a
little
group.
Throw away altogether the crowded masses of starved pri^et and pruned laurel, and let the turf pass right under a group of fine trees where such are found. This turf itself might be dotted in spring Avith snowdrops and early flowers in fact,
would be
knew and cared for trees wall of .shrul)bery into
abounding
most delightful of open-air gardens
life,
from the red
tassels
to flowers in the grass for children.
Colony
nothing,
any intelligent person, who and shrubs, to chano'e the monotonous
tlie
in beautiful
most maples
;
easier than for
of the
Summer SnowHake,
on margin of shrubbery.
on the top-
;
CHAPTEE
XIV.
THE PRINCIPAL TYPES OF HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS FOR THE WILD GARDEN.
Wherever grown
there
is
room, these plants should be at
in nursery beds to ensure a
The number
good supply.
of nursery collections of hardy plants being
now more numer-
ous than they were a few years ago, getting the plants so difficult as
nurseries
many
;
it
once was.
seed houses,
kinds
may
The sources
who have
lists of
first
not
is
of supply are these
hardy plant seeds
be easily raised from seed
;
—
botanic gardens,
which many plants are grown that hitherto have not found a place in our gardens, and were not fitted for any
in
mode
of culture except that herein suggested
cottage gardens
in
pleasant
country places
desirable things from time to time
may
;
;
orchards and
may supply
and those who travel
bring seeds or roots of plants they meet with in cool,
temperate, or mountain regions.
Few
plants, not
free
of
growth and hardy in the British Islands without any attention after planting, are included here
Bear's Breecll,
Acanth^is.
:
—Vigorous
—
perennials witli noble
from Soutliern Europe. Long cast out of gardens, now beginning to receive more of the attention tliey deserve. age, mostly
foli-
tliey are
In no
position will they look better than carelessly planted here and there on the margin of a shrubbery or thicket, where the leaves of the
Acanthus contrast well with those of the ordinary shrubs or herbaceoiTs
HAKDY EXOTIC FLOWERTNd PLANTS. Tliou-li quite liunly in
vesetation. in free
loamy
Not
sdils.
vnryiiij;-
all
very
snils,
iiiiich
tlicy tlower in
121 iiinst
diai'acter, all
freely
nhtaiii-
hardy species would j^'roup well toj^ctluT. The most vigorcjus kind at present in cultivation is one called A. latif<jlius, almost everFew plants are more green, and a fine plant when well established. fitted fur adorning wild and semi -wild places, as they grow and ul)le
increase without care, of the
are for foliage or bloom unsurpassed by any that have been so long neglected through tlieir
and
numerous plants
not being available in
any popular system of " Hower gardening."
Monkshood, Aconitum.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; These
are
handsome peren-
tall,
with very poisonous roots, which make nials,
it
danger'ous
them
to
or
in
plant near
gardens. Being usually
very vigorous in con-
they spread
stitution, freely,
and hold their
own
amongst
strongest
plants
masses in
the
herbaceous
and of
weeds
;
them seen
flower in copses or
near hedgerows
very
fine effect.
are
many
atfi
ird a
There
species,
nearly of equal value for the wild garden.
Coming from
'J"he
Mon]<shood, iiauiralised by wet ditch
in
wood.
the plains
and mountains of Siberia and Northern Europe and America, they are
among the hardiest
of plants.
When
spreading groups of Aconites are in
bloom in copses or open spaces in shrubberies,
their effect
is
far finer
The old than when the plants are tied into linndles in trim borders. in blue-and-white kind is charming half-shady spots, attaining stately The species grow in any dimensions in good soih .somewhat stunted in growth on clay.
soil,
but are often
THE WILD GARDEN.
122
—
Not a very iiuintToiis family so far as represented but some of the species are valuable for the wild _i,'arden,
Bugle, Ajuga. in gardens,
notably Ajuga genevensis, which thrives freely in ordinary
soils
in
open and half- shady places among dwarf vegetation, and affords beautiful tufts and carpets of l)lue. It spreads rapidly and is hardy
The plants mostly come from the cool uplands and hills of the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. everywhere.
—
A numerous family of hardy plants spread Achillea. Northern Asia, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Hungary, etc., but more in Soutliern than in Central or Northern Europe. In the Alps Yarrow,
tlirougli
and Pyrenees numerous species are found. The Golden Yarrows (A. Eupatorium and A. filipendulina) are stately herbaceous plants, witli
handsome corymbs of brilliantly showy flowers, attaining a height and growing freely in any soil. These are well Various other Achilleas would grow worthy of naturalisation. liroad
of 3 feet or 4 feet,
quite as well
in
we know
of
l)ut
copses and rough
none more
places as
distinct
and
the
brilliant
common Yarrow,
than
tlie
preceding.
The vigorous white-flowering kinds are superb for shrubberies, where tlieir numerous white heads of flowers produce a singularly pleasing effect under the trees in summer. With few exceptions these plants have never been grown out of botanic gardens, many of them being thought too coarse for the mixed border. They are, nevertheless, remarkablj^ l)eautiful
both in flower and foliage, and many effects never before seen may be obtained by massing tliem under trees in shrubberies
in gardens
or copses, as a rule allowing one species to establish itself in each place
and assume an easy natural boundary of its o\vn. The small Alpine species woidd be interesting plants for stony or bare rocky places.
— A most
extensive genus of plants scattered in abundance the northern throughout temperate and alpine regions of Europe and and also iu Some of the species are very beautiful, America. Asia,
Allium.
so
mucli so as to claim for them a place in gardens notwithstanding It is in the wild garden only, however, that
their disagreeable odour.
this family can find a fitting
home
;
tlrere
species tliat
do not seem
garden proper would afford novel effects at enough certain seasons. One of the most desirable effects to produce in the wild garden would be tliat of the beautiful white Narcissus-like Allium attractive
for the
Europe (A. neapolitanuni). The sheets of this in the orchards of Provence will be remembered with pleasure by
of the south of
Lemon
many allied
travellers.
species
(A.
would thrive in warm and sandy soils there is an ciliatum) which does well in any soil, affords a
It
:
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS. similar
eftect,
and
myriads
produces
of
star-like
123
white
flowers.
Numerous singular eft'ects may be pi-oduced from species less sliowy and more curious and vigorous, as for exampli- lln- old yellow A. Moly.
The
white Narcissus-like Allium, in the orchards of Provence tj^pe of family receiving little place in gardens which may be beautiful for a season in wild places. ;
—
All who care for hardy iiuwers must admire the Alstrcemeria. Leauty of Alstroemeria aurantiaca, especially when it spreads into Ixdd
healthy
tufts,
and w1k-u there
A
flowering stems.
is a great variety in the height of the valualde (piality of the plant is, that in any light
For dry places between spreads freely, and it is quite hardy. shrubs, for dry or sandy banks (either wooded or bare), co^jses, or soil it
heathy places, this plant the shade of
fir
plant, thriving in
is
It
trees.
any open
admirable. is
I
have noticed
it
thriving in
interesting as beinu a Soiith
American
soil.
—
Marsh Mallow, Althmi. These are plants rarely seen out of botanic gardens now-a-days, and yet, from their vigour and showy The flowers, they may aftbrd unique effects in the wild garden. common Hollyhock is an Altluea, and in its single form is typical of the vigorous habit
and the numeroiis showy flowers
pant species, such as A.
ficifolia.
A
of other
grou}> of these plants
ram-
would be
very eflective seen from a wood walk, no kind of garden arrangement It is not a numerbeing large enough for their extraordinary vigour. ous genus, but there are at least a dozen species, ])rincipally found on the shores and islands of the Mediterranean, and also in Western Asia.
Alyssum.
— In
s^jring
every
little
shoot of the wide tufts and flakes
THE WILD GARDEN.
124 of these plants sends
up a
little
fountain of small golden flowers.
For
sandy ground, and ruins, they are admirable. Alyssiun Wiersbecki and A. saxatile are strong enough to take care of themselves on the mai^gins of shrubberies, etc., where bare, stony, or rocky banks, poor
the vegetation is not very coarse, but they are more valuable for rocky or stony places, or old ruins, and thrive freely on cottage garden walls iu
some
districts
in such places.
France, Siberia,
;
some of the
less
There are many
grown
would be welcome
species
species, natives of
Germany, Russia, Hungary, and Dalmatia Asia, principally the Altai Mountains, Georgia, Persia, and the entire basin of
Ital^',
the Caspian,
Corsica, Sicily,
is
rich in them.
Windflower, Anemone.
;
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A
numerous
The Alpine Windflower (Anemone
race of
dwarf
herT)s that
alpina).
contribute largely to the most beautiful effects of the mountain, wood,
and pasture vegetation of all northern and temperate climes. The flowers vary from intense scarlet to the softest blue most of the exotic kinds would thrive as well in our woodlands and meadows as they do ;
in tlieir own.
There
is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
hardly a position they may not adorn warm, tlie Grecian A. blanda might open its
sunny, bare banks, on whicli large Iduc flowers in winter
the tangled copse, where the Japan might make a bold show in autumn and the shady wood, where the Apennine Windflower would contrast
Windflower and
its
charmingly with the
;
varieties
;
Wood Anemone
so
abundantly scattered in our
IIAItDY iiwii
T]n' HeiKitiras shmild
woiiils.
same
EXOTIC FLOW'KlilXC IM.ANTS.
gciius,
not
tin-
InruvttiiiL;'
cnnsiilcrcd as
lie
lliuiuaiiaii
Hepaticas thrive best and are seen
l^est in
125
bi'l(iiigiu<;' t<i tlic
A. aiigulnsa.
oir',
liall'-wuddy places,
Tin-
where the
8U11 may elieer tlieni bypassing through the branches, which afterwards become leafy and shade tliem fi'um the scorching heats of summer. One of the most lovely as])ects St. Bruno's Lily, Antliericvm.
spring
—
meadows
of vegetation in the alpine delicate wlnte
flowers of the
of
summer, looking like miniature white would no (hmbt like to enjoy the same places,
and there shonhl be no
is
Europe
St. l>runo"s
that affordeil l)y the
Lily in All
Lilies. in their
the
({rass in early
who have
seen
it
turfy lawns or Grassy
difticultv in establishing
The
it.
.large-
flowered or major variety might lie tried with advantage in this way, and the smaller-flowered kinds, A. Liliago and its ^•arieties, are equally suitable.
Tliey are not so likely to tind favour in gardens as the larger
kind, and therefore the wild garden is the home for them, and in it many will admire their graceful habit and numeron.s flowers. All the sjiecies best
worth growing are natives of the alpine meadow.s of Europe Tall and handsome herbaceous plants, with
Alkanet, Anchusa. numerous flowers of a places in
suimy
—
tine blue,
admirable for dotting aljout in open copses. They mostly come from
woods or
glades in
Southern Europe and Western Asia. A. italica and A. capensis are among the most usefuL The English Anchnsa sem])er\irens, rare in
some
places, is
an excellent wild garden plant.
Snapdragon, Antirrhinum. A'arieties
beautifully spotted ruins by sowing the
seed
Asarinnm, rupestre, and
ohl
in
niolle
do
or
mossy chinks.
well
They mostly come from
Columbine,
Aquilegia.
treated
in
Antirrhinum the
same way.
The
the shores of the Mediterranean.
—Favourite
herbaceous plants, generally purple, white, and sometimes Itright
various shades of blue and
(U'ange.
its
many
in cultivation.
of
common Snapdragon and
other species would be fonml good in like places. two dozen species are known, but comparatively few of these are
Proljably
About
— The
are easily naturalised on old walls and
varieties of the
common kind
(A. vulgaris), whicli are
In elevated very numerous, are those most likely to be naturalised. and moist ilistricts some of the beautiful Eocky Mountain kinds would be worth a
trial
been tormed the
in bare places. ett'ect
of
In places where wild gardens have in the Grass has been one of the
Columbines
most beautiful that have been obtained.
The flowers group themselves showing just above the long Grass, and The vigorous and handsome A. possessing great variety of colour.
in all sorts of pretty ways,
THE
]2fi
AVILD OARDEN.
most hardy and enduring of chrysantha of Westevn America is the a truly northern and alpine of are The the American kinds. species family, most alnmdant in Siberia. Wall Cress, Arabis. Dwarf alpine plants, spreading in hal)it, and generally producing myriads of white flowers, exceedingly suitable for the decoration of sandy or rocky ground, where the vegetation is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
very dwarf.
With
tliem
may
be associated Cardamine
Thlaspi which
trifolia
and
latifolium,
resemble
Arabises in
the
habit and
All these are
flowers.
particularly
suited
for
association
with
the or
Aubrietias,
purple
yellow Alyssums, and in bare and rocky or gravelly places, old walls,
sunk
fences, etc.
Are-
Sandwort, naria.
family of plants wild garden,
ant for
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A most import-
the
though perhaps less so lowland for gardens where more vigorous There types flourish. certain
however,
are,
are vigorous species that
and indispensable, such A. montana and as A.
graminifolia.
smaller Siberian Columbine in rocky place.
places,
and the
value, inasmuch It
covers
numerous
are
alpine
charming
creeping A. balearica has (pite a moist rocks or stones suttice for its
little
as
such surfaces with a close carpet star-like
flowers.
Some
of green,
of the smaller
The species
for rockj-
peculiar
support. dotted with
species,
such
as
Arenaria c;espitosa (Sagina glabra var.), better known as Spergula be grown in the gravel, and even used to convert pilifera, miglit In certain bare and sandy places into carpets of Mossy turf.
H.AKDY EXOTIC KLOWKlJlXCi PLANTS.
127
largo gardens it \vonl<l bo an inijuovfniont to allmv or drives to become walks covered with very dwaif very be walked which could upon witli little injury. The plants plants
in
positions
the
—
surface
would be dry enough, being drained below, and would Ix' Removing any coarse weeds that established
more agreeable to the feet. themselves would be much or
rough
— the places walks
than the continual hoeing and scraping Of course this only refers to walks in
picturesque wild gar-
den and the like Avhicli
easier
keep the walk bare.
required to
formal
—
in
l>are
somewhat
are
out of place.
Asphodel, Asjohodelus.
are
— The have
that
Asphodels the plants never been
among
popular in the mixed border, nor are they likely
to
be
habit
of
the
so,
the
species
being somewhat coarse
and the flowering period not long, and yet they of a stately and
are
distinct order of beauty,
which well deserves
to
be represented in open sjiaces,
in shrubberies,
or on their outer fringes.
The
plants are mostly natives of the countries
Tall Asphodel in copse.
round the Mediterranean, and thrive
freely in ordinary soils.
Lords and Ladies, Arum.
a tropical
family,
some of which grow
— Mostly
as far north as southern
are cpiite hardy in our gardens. a place in the wild garden, from
The
Italian
its line
Arum
foliage in winter.
be placed in sheltered half-shady places where
much from
storms.
The
old Dragon
and
it
snb-tro])ical
These Europe. is well worthy of It
would not
should suffer
(A. Dracontium) grows of rocks or walls in sandy, or dry, peaty freely enough about the foot
plant
THE WILD GAEDEN.
128
The nearly
place.s.
as a water
allied
Annii Lily
and water- side plant
and Ireland.
in
(C'alla icthiopica) is ipiite
hardy
the southern counties of England
—
Silkweed, Asdepias. Usually vigorous perennials, ^\hh \-ery curious and ornamental flowers, common in fields and on river banks in
North America and Canada, where thej' sometimes become troubleOf the species in cultivation, A. C'urnuti and A. Douglasi
some weeds. could
naturalised easily in rich deep soil in wild 2)laces. The and dwarfer Asclepias tuberosa requires very warm sand soils showy to flower as well as in its own dry hills and fields. A good many of l>e
the hardy species are not introduced
Some
garden.
Swamp
of
them
for such the place is the wild are water-side plants, such as A. incarnata, the
Silkweed of the United
Starwort,
Aster.
—A very
;
States.
large family of usually vigorous, (iften
showy, and sometimes beautiful perennials, mostly with bluish or white flowers, chiefly natives of North America. Many of these, of an inferior order of beauty, used to be planted in our
which they very much helped
to
mixed
borders,
bring into discredit, and they form a
very good example of a class of plants for which the true place is the copse, or rough and half-cared-for j^laces in shrubberies and coi:)ses, and
by wood-walks, where they will grow as freely as any native weeds, and in many cases prove highly attractive in late summer and autumn. Such kinds as A. pyrenseus, Amellus, and turbinellus, are amongst the most ornamental perennials we have. With the Asters may be grouj^ed the Galatellas, the Yernonias, and also the handsome and rather dwarf Erigeron speciosus, which, however, not being so tall, could not fight way among such coarse vegetation as that in which the Asters may
its
be grown.
—
Associated with the Golden Rods (Solidago) also common American woods and copses the best of the Asters or
—
plants of the
Michaelmas Daisies It is that
when (
)ne of
Avill form a very interesting aspect of vegetation. one sees in American woods in late summer and autumn
the Golden Rods and Asters are seen in bloom together. It is numerous aspects of the vegetation of other countries which the
" wild garden" will
make
possible in gardens.
To produce such
effects
the plants must, of course, be planted in some quantity in one part of a rather open wood, and not repeated all over the place or mixed up with many other things. Nearly 200 sjjecies are known, about 150 of
which form part of the rich vegetation of North America. These from Mexico where a few are
fine plants inhabit that great continent,
found \\l^
—
to the
—
United States and Canada, where they abound, and even
to the regions altogether arctic of that quarter of the world.
HARDY EXOTIC I'LUWERIXG PLANTS.
129
Astrdf/alu!^.— An enormously numerotis
family of
Milk Vetch,
beautiful liardy plauts, represented to but a very sli<j;lit extent in our of them are hardy, and many of them among gardens, though hundreds the most pleasing of the many Pea flowers which adorn the hills and
mountains of the ntnlhern world in Asia, Europe, and America.
They
are mostly suited for rocky or gravelly situations, or bare banks, though some of the taller sj)ecies, like A. galegiformis, are stout enough to take care of themselves
This plant
the larger perennials.
among
is
valuable
handsome port and foliage, though its flowering equalities The numerous such as recommend it for the garden proper.
for its
are not species
and islands could be successfully introduced on banks and slopes in our chalk districts and in rocky places. A. ponticus, a tall kind, and A. monspessulanus, a dwarf one, are both
from the Mediterranean
worth
"I'owiiiL!;.
Masterwort, species are
known,
among
— This an — found genus, being European — from Europe
Asfrantia. five
Greece, and the centre of are
sIku'cs
is
elegant
of
which few
in Italy, Carinthia,
jSTorthern Asia.
others
They
the few umbellates with attractive and distinct flowers, and
In the wild garden they are quite yet they are rarely seen in gardens. home among the Grass and medium -sized lierbaceous plants, and
at
partial shade prolongs their cpiaint beauty.
home
in the thin
wood
Blue Rock Cress,
Auhrietia.
lish flowers, quite distinct in aspect
in our gardens,
In fact they are far more at
or copse than in the open exposed
— Dwarf Alpine
mixed border.
plants, with purp-
and hue from anything
and never perishing from any
else
grown
cause, except being over-
run by coarser subjects. They are admirable for association with the Alyssums and Arabises in any position where the vegetation is very There are several species and varieties, dwarf, or in rocky bare places. all
almost equally suitable, but not differing much in aspect or stature The Aubrietias come chiefly from the mountains of
from each other.
Wherever there is Greece, Asia Minor, and neighbouring countries. or sunk or a bare a bank, evergreen curtains may wall, fence, be formed of these plants, and in spring they will be sheeted witli
an old
purple flowers, no matter
Great Birthwort,
how harsh
the weather.
Aristolochia Sipho.
—A
noble plant for cover-
ing arbours, banks, stumps of old trees, etc., also wigwam-like bowers, It is American, and will grow as high formed with branches of trees. as thirty feet, A. tomentosa is distinct
will scarcely be trees
grown
and not
for their flowers
they are valuable, and
afi"ord
;
so large in leaf.
a distinct type of foliage.
K
These
but for covering stumps or
THE WILD GARDEN.
130
Virginian Creepers,
Ampelopsis.
— Although
thi«
is
chapter
the Viroiuiaii Creeper and its mostly devoted to herbaceous plants, allies are so nseful for forming curtains in rocky places, ravines, or over These plants are not very old trees, that they deserve mention here. distant relations of the vine
—
American vines which
wild
the
are
do in a grand worthy of a place in our groves, garlanding trees as they U. Huniin nurseries are of leaf in colour noble Some growTi way.
—
Iwldti being remarkable both for colour
Bamboo,
Bamhusa.
— In
many
and
parts
size of leaf.
of England, Ireland,
are perfectly hardy, and
Wales, various kinds of Bamboos In cold, dry, and inland hardy, but thrive freely.
—
and
not only
districts, it is true,
all the greater reason for making the best they grow with difficulty Their beauty is the more use of them where they grow freely. their being wholly distinct in habit from any other from precious
we grow. The delicate feathering of the young, plants or shrubs that the charming arching of the stems, have often tall, and slender shoots, the Japanese artist, and often adorn his be enjoyed with all the charms of life in many
fertile in suggestion to
been
best work.
wardens.
They may The wild garden, where
the climate
suitable, is the best
is
enduring at the roots that and strongest plants tallest the they will take care of themselves among
home
for
Bamboos.
They
are so tall
and
so
and the partial shelter of the thin wood or copse preserves abundant leaves from violent and cold wimls. Along by cpiiet
or bushes, their
Grass walks, in sheltered
dells, in little
or in bogs, in the shrubbery,
lawns opened in woods for the formation of wild gardens, the Bamboo will be at home. Tlie commonest kind is that generally
little
known
as Arundinaria falcata (sometimes called
Bambusa
gracilis)
;
but others, such as Bambusa Metake, B. Simmonsi, and B. viridisvalue. glaucescens, are of eciual or greater light,
and moist
Baptisia.
They
all
delight in rich,
soils.
—A
but beautiful when
in gardens, strong Lupin-like plant seldom grown of blue racemes for its in bloom pea flowers, long
c^rowin" three to four feet high
—A
;
it
will hold
its
own
in strong
soil.
Borage, Borago. genus seldom seen out of Botanic gardens, where they form part of the usual distressing arrangements honoured " with the name of scientific." Among the best kinds for our purpose are B. cretica and B. orientalis, even the well-known annual kind will be found
a
pretty plant,
mounds.
Bell-flower, Camimnula.
—
naturalised and
useful
for
covering
Beautiful and generally blue-flowered
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS. vai'viiig iVdiu a
lu'i'lis,
scattered in
nortliern
All
iiiltivafiiiii.
tlif
few inclics to 4
ami
li'ni])crat('
nic(liuiu-pi/(Ml
in
I'l.
lieight,
and abiuulantly
Many
ciinntrii'S.
131
kinds arc
in
and large kinds thrive very well in
rough places, woods, copses, or shrubberies, among grasses and other while those smaller in size than our own harebell herbaceous plants at home, and very pretty, on any arid f)r (C. rotundifolia) are ipute ;
hare surfaces, such as sandy baidvs, chalk pits, and even high np on In such positions the seeds have only to be walls, ruins, etc.
old
scattered.
shrubberies rainmculoides and C. lamiifolia do fin(dy in
('.
Where
or copses, as, indeed, do all the tall-growing kinds.
white varieties they should be secured the great beauty of this lamily for the "rowino-
amons
Red. Valerian,
in the
many
first
The
the "rass or herbs.
than can be obtained
;
garden
CentnoifJtus
there are
people will begin to see
when they
time
effect
far
is
see
them
more beautiful
pro]X'r.
rubrr.
— This
showy and pleasing
only seen in highest perfection on elevated banks, rubbishor old walls, in which positions it endures much longer than on heaps, the level ground, and becomes a long-lived perennial Avith a shrubby is
plant
On the long bridge across the Nore at Col. Tighe's place, WoodKilkenny, it grows in abundance, forming a long line on the of course it could be easily grown on ruins, wall ahovQ the arches for banks of all kinds, chalk pits, etc., and is invaluable it while base.
stock,
;
Some of the level ground, except in heavy cold soils. of them none in but would Valerianas grow places, freely rough larger are so distinct as the preceding.
also for the
Knap-weed, plants, seldom (C.
They
Cvanus).
the wild
Ccnfaurca.
so pretty as
wood
is
— Vigorous perennial
autumn-sown plants
are scarcely important
the place for them.
or annual herbaceous
of our corn bluebottle
enough
Among
for borders
;
hence
the most suitable kinds
be mentioned macrocephala, montana, babylonica, and uniflora,
may
the last
more
suitable for l)aid<s, etc.
Mouse-ear, Cemstium.
— Dwarf
profusion of white flowers. silvery
leaves,
which, with
spreading perennials, bearing a
Half a dozen or more of the kinds have their
Most of these are used
flowers,
give
them an
attractive
bedding plants, but, as they will grow in any position where they are not choked by coarser plants,
character.
they
may
be employed with good
Wallflower,
Cheirtcntlnis.
as
eft'ect
— The
in the wild garden. varieties
of the
common
wall-
flower attbrd c[uite a store of beauty in themselves for the embellishment of rocky places, old walls, etc. Probably other species of
THE WILD GARDEN.
132 Cheirantlnts
present
we
ochroleucum sandy
will be
to
grow on ruins quite
The
but at
as well,
clear yellow
Erysimum
very like a wallflower in type, and thrives well in dry these might be associated Yesicaria utriculata.
is
With
places.
Meadow saffron,
fmmd
are not quite sure of these.
Saffron,
Cokhicum.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; In
addition
to
the
meadow
dotted over the moist fields in A'arious parts of are seA^eral other species which could be readily
plentifully
England, there naturalised in almost any
soil
and
position.
They would be
particularly
desirable where subjects that flower in autumn would
and sought they are charming, seen in tufts or be
;
colonies on
the
lawn
the
or
in
pleasure-gr(.)und.
Crocus.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; One or two Crocuses are
naturalised in Eng-
land
The
foliage of the
Meadow
of
Saffron in Spring
already,
scarcely one
them
that willnot
succeed thus perly placed.
choke them
Some
They should not be placed where iip
and
is
there
coarse vegetation
or prevent the sun getting to their flowers
and
if
pro-
would leaves.
worth dotting accompany the snow-
of the delicately-tinted varieties of vernus are w^ell
about in grassy places and on sunny slopes, if only to
C
Imperati is a valuable early-flowering kind, and the autumnal drop. but we must not particularise flowering ones are particularly desirable where all are good. " In the plantations here," writes a correspondent, ;
"
on each side of a long avenue, we have the common Crocus in every shade of purple (there are scarcely any yellow ones) growing literally We have no record of when the roots were in hundreds of thousands. the estate say they have originally planted (and the oldest people about always been the same as far as their recollection goes) but they grow so thickly that it is quite impossible to step where they are without ;
The effect produced by them in spring I but unfortunately, their beauty is but short-lived. magnificent, have transplanted a good many roots to the wild garden, to the great
treading on two or three flowers. is
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWER IXG PLANTS. improvement
of tlie size of the individual
together in the sliruhheries
long in the same
placi', lliat
I
blooms
;
have mentioned, and
133
tliey are so
liave
matted
remained
so
the flowers are small."
Virgin's Bower, Ukmatis.
—
Mostly climbing or trailing plants, sometimes rampant, in habit, with bluish, violet, purple, white, or yellow flowers, produced most pi'ofuselj', and sometimes deliciously fragrant. They are most suited for covering stumps, free, often luxuriant,
planting on rocky places, among low shrulis in copses, for draping over the faces of rocks, sunny banks, or the bmws of sunk fences, covering objectionable railings,
rough
bowers, chalk
pits, hedges, etc.,
and
occasionally for isolating in large tufts in oj)en
where
spaces
their effect
could
be
-=C^-
seen from a distance.
Xot soil,
will
particular as to the stronger kinds
grow
in
.^-^^
ground, but the large-flowered rich,
deep
new
hyljrids will thrive best in warnr,
soil.
C. Viorna,
cirrhosa,
White-flowered European Clematis (C. erecta).
any
C
flanimula,
montana,
must not be omitted from a
new garden hybrids
Dwarf
will also be useful.
Cornel,
campaniflora,
Yiticella,
selection of the wild kinds.
C'ornus canadensis.
— This
charming
plant, singularly beavitiful from its white bracts,
is
little
and
The bushy
a very attractive
subject for naturalisation in moist, sandy, or peaty spots, in
which our
native heaths, Mitchella repens, Linna-a borealis, and the Butterworts would be likely to thrive. It would also grow well in moist woods, where the herbaceous vegetation is dwarf.
Mocassin Flower, Cypripedium spedabile.
—
The noblest of hardy and thriving perfectly in England and Ireland in deep rich or vegetable soil. Wherever the soil is not naturally peat or rich vegetable matter this fine plant will succeed on
orchids, found far north in America,
the margins of beds of rhododendrons, etc. It should be sheltered bj'and be Others of the genus, in a moist surrounding bushes, position.
and various other hardy orchids, are worthy of naturalisation but the is the best as well as the most easily tried at present. Sowbread, Cyclamen. It was the sight of a grove nearly covered ;
mocassin flower
—
THE WILD GARDEN.
134
with Cyclamen hedeKefoliuiii, near Montargis, in France, that tirst " Wild Garden." Both C. hedersefoliuni turned my attention to the with the greatest ease on light, naturalised be and C. europanim may loamy, or other
repandum,
warm and open
are also well
vernum, C. Coum, and C. Nothing can he more agree-
C.
soil.
of trial.
worthy
able to the lover of hardy plants than endeavouring to naturalise these charming flowers, now rarely seen out of the greenhouse. The best
would be among dwarf shrubs, etc., that would afford slight banks or sunny open spots in copses or woods. Bare or be chosen. borders they abhor, and a sunny Avarm exposure shoi;ld dug In the case of C. hedera) folium (and perhaps some of the others) ground under trees, bare, or with a very scant vegetation of herbs, etc., would
positions
shelter, on-
do quite well
if
tlie
soil
were
Cyclamens
free
in the
and warm.
wild garden
;
There
is
scarcely a
from nature.
now almost coimtry seat in England in whieli tlie hardy Cyclamens, not be naturalised. could the gardener, entirely neglected by
The Giant Sea-kale, perennial, leaves, finest
]>ut
its
place
is
Grambe.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
"
C.
cordifolia
on the turf in rich
and small whitish flowers
in panicles.
ornaments in a wild garden of about
Rheums, Ferulas, Gunneras, Acanthus, and others."
Centaure;i
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
soil.
Here
is
It it
a very hue has enormous
is
one of the
five acres, associated
with
babylonica, Arundo Donax,
Bindweed, Calystecjia. Climbing plants, with handsome or rosy flowers, often too vigorous in con&titution to be agreeable in C. dahurica, somegardens, as is the case with our common bindweed. what
larger than the
common
whitt-
hind,
is
verv handsome when allowed
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERINCJ PLANTS. trail
ti)
ami
bridges, etc.,
places, or over stumps, rustic other sundry species will in time be found
in
8lirul)S,
tliruiigli
135
douljtless
rough
(((ually useful.
The
pretty little Eosy
Bindweed
shores of the Mediterranean
that one meets often
home
here depicted at
is
upon the
in an English
garden, creeping up the leaves of an Iris in Mr. Wilson's garden at Heatherbank, Weyl>ridge Heath. It is a great privilege we have of
being able to grow the fair flowers of so many regions in without caring for them in the sense, and with the troubles that attend other living creatures in menageries,
This
aviaries, etc.
is
consider
when we put
plants
in
and
circles
This beautiful pink Bind-
of the rest.
the representative, so to speak,
is
own Rosy
of our
ob-
only,
and variety
livious of the infinite beauty
weed
own, and
an advantage that we do not evia few
dently
lines
tnir
Field Bindweed in the
south, but nevertheless
it
hardy and
own
in our
free
name
botanical
is
perfectly Its
soils.
Convolvulus
al-
Calla, Calla jndustris.
—A
is
tlia3oides.
Marsh
creeping Arum-like plant, with white flowers showing above a carpet of glossy
admirable for naturalisation
leaves,
muddy places,
in
of ponds, etc.
Rosy
Coronilla, Cownilla
On
Europe.
rough
rocky
slopes or tine
in
."
plant
any
—
varia.
grassy banks, stony heaps, ground, spreading over
any
,
"^X
moist bogs, on the nuirgins
lor
like
positions.
T
,.
A ^1
naturalisation,
very •
thriving
soil.
Giant Scabious,
•
(Jcphalaria.
—
A
South B:uropean Bindweed creeping up the stems of an Iris in an English garden.
Allied
to
Scabious but seldom
are worth a place in the wild garden for their fine vigour alone, and the numerous pale yellow ttoAvers will l)e admired by those who do not limit their admiration to showy colours.
grown.
They
Coral-wort, Dcntaria.
—Very
slioAvy perennials, the purplish or
white llowers of which present someAvhat of the appearance of a stockflower, quite distinct both in habit and bloom, and very rarely seen
THE WILD GARDEN.
136
they will be found to thrive well and look well in beneath rhododendrons, and towards the margins of clumps
in onr gardens soil
peat of
;
American shrubs.
Leopard's Bane, Downicum.
well suited for naturalisation
;
Stout, medium-sized, or
and vigorous
perennials, with hardy flowers
—
constitutions,
dwarf
and very sliowy
among herbaceous
vegetation, in
any position where the beauty of their early bloom can be enjoyed. American Cowslip, Dodecatheon. All who care for hardy flowers admire the beautiful American cowslij:) (D. Meadia), found in rich woods in Pennsylvania, Ohio, to Wisconsin and south-westward, in
—
This would be a charming plant to naturalise on rich and sandy loams, among dwarf herbs, low shrubs, etc., in sheltered
America. light
and
sunny
American cowslip
Jeffrey's
sjiots.
vigorous-growing kind,
is
(D.
Jeffreyanum), a
also well Avortli a trial in this way,
though
hardly plentiful enough to be spared for this purpose. Fumitory, Fmnaria, Diehjtra. Plants with graceful leaves and
as yet
it is
—
gay flowers suited for association with dwarf subjects on open banks, except D. spectabilis, which in deep peat or other rich soil will grow a The simjde- looking little Fumaria bulbosa is one of the yard high. dwarf subjects which thrive very well under the liranches of specimen deciduous trees, and Corydalis lutea thrives in every position from the top of an old castle to the bottom of a well shaft. I saw Dielytra eximia naturalised in Buckhurst Park, in a shrubbery, the position shady. Its effect
was most charming, the plumy tufts being dotted all over witli Had I before wished to naturalise this, I should have put it
flowers.
on open slopes, or among dwarf plants, but it thrives and spreads about with tlie greatest freedom in shady spots. The blossoms, instead of being of the usual crimson hue, were of a peculiar delicate pale rose, no doubt owing
to the shade
and, as they gracefully drooped over the elegantly-cut leaves, they looked like snowdrops of a faint rosy hue. Delphinium, Perennial species. Tall and beautiful herbaceous ;
—
M'ith flowers
plants,
of
There are now numerous
many
exquisite
varieties.
in glades, copses, thin shrubberies,
above which their
One
fine spikes of
of the iirettiest effects
ralised plants
was a colony of
shades of blue ami purple.
They are well suited for rich soil or among masses of dwarf shrubs,
bloom might here and there which
tall
I
arise.
have ever seen among natu-
Larkspurs (Delphiniums).
Portions
of old roots
where
of several species and A'arieties had been chopped dtt' a bed of these plants M-as being dug in the autumn. For
convenience sake the refuse had been tlirown into the neiohbouriu"
HAEDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS. shrubbery, for in
juiiiiiil;
the shrulis uiid
tall trees.
certain half- open little spaces, wliieli were so for
maro'in that they were not
dug and were not
137
Here they grew in removed from the
seen.
When
I
saw the
Larkspurs in flower they were certainly the loveliest things that one could see. Thej^ were more beautiful than they are in borders or beds, not growing in smdi close stiff tufts, and mingling with and relie\-eil by the trees above and the shrubs amund. Little more need be .said
any one who knows and cares about such plants, and has an opporThis case points out tunity of planting in such neglected places. pretty clearly that one might make wild gardens fr(jm the mere parings to
and thinnings of the beds and borders in autumn, in any place where is a collection of good hardy plants. The cut on p. 28 does
there
scant justice to the scene, whieh, perhaps,
wood engraving to illustrate. Pink, Dianthus. A numerous
—
it
is
not in the power of
race of beautiful dwarf
mountain
sometimes sportThe finer mountain kinds would
plants, ^^ith flowers mostly of various shades of
ro.se,
ing into other colours in cultivation. be likely to thrive only on bare stony or rocky ground, and amidst The bright D. neglectus would thrive in any A'ery dwarf vegetation.
Some of the kinds in the way of our own D. csesius ordinary soil. grow well on old walls and ruins, as do the single carnations and pinks
;
indeed,
it
is
Foxglove,
many kinds of pink would thrive than on the ground. need not be said here that our own
probable that
on ruins and old walls better Digitalis.
—
far
It
stately Foxglove should be encouraged in the wild garden, jiarticularly in districts where it does not naturally grow wild I allude to it here ;
nundier of exotic species for which a some of them are not very place might be found in the wild garden otherwise. The most satisfactory showy hardy flowers of midsummer to point out that there are a
are the Foxglove
—
and the French willoAV (Epilobiuin angustifolium),
and in wild or rough places in shrubberies, etc., their eft'ect is beautiful. In such half shady places the Foxglove thrives best and, as the French ;
willow
is
much
too
rampant a plant
garden proper, the proper It is a most showy jilant, and
for the
place for it too is in the wild garden. masses of it may be seen great distances
curiously spotted varieties of the as the ordinary wild form.
Hemp
off.
The
delicately
and
Foxglove should be sown as well
—
Agrimony, Eupatorium. Vigorous perennials, with white or purple fringed flowers. Some of the American kinds might well be associated with our own wild one the white kinds, like
—
THE WILD GARDEN.
138 iiroinaticuiu
worthy
and agenitoides, being very beautiful and
distinct,
and
\\\'\\
of a place in the best parts of the wild gai'den.
Sea Holly, Eryngium.
—
Very distinct and noble-looking perwith ornamental and usually spiny leaves, and flowers in heads, sometimes surrounded by a bluish involucrum, and supported on stems of a hue amethystine blue. They would be very attractive ennials,
on margins of 8hrul)beries and near wood -walks, thrive in ordinary free soil, and will take care of themselves among tall grasses and all but the most vigorous herbs.
Heath,
Erica, Menziesia.
— Our own
heathy places are pretty rich is so distinct and attractive
in this type, but the brilliant Erica carnea
that
it
well deserves naturalisaticm
The
them.
among
beautiful St. Daboec's heath
(Menziesia polifolia) deserves a trial in the same way, as, though found in the
west of Ireland, it is to the majority of It will English gardens an exotic plant. grow almost anywhere in peaty soil.
Barren-wort, Epimedium. esting and very tively little
distinct,
known
but
—
-Inter-
compara-
perennials, with pretty
and usually delicately tinted flowers, and singular and ornamental foliage. They most suitable
are
for peaty or free moist
soils, in sheltered, positions,
A
Sea Holly
Eryngium.
;
shrubs on rocky banks, eye.
elegans,
when
in deep peat
high, and in spring flowers, so that
it
is
soil,
The
variety called E. iiinnatum forms tufts of leaves nearly a yard
adorned with long racemes of pleasing yellow well worthy of naturalisation where the soil is
is
suitable.
Globe Thistle,
etc.,
among low
and near the
—
Large and distinct perennials of fine 6 feet high, with spiny leaves and numerous flowers in spherical heads. These will thrive well in almost any port,
from 3
Eclunops.
feet to
and hold their ground amid the coarsest vegetation. Being " of a " type c^uite distinct from that of our indigenous vegetation, they positi(jn,
are
more than usually suited
ft)r
naturalisation.
and E. ruthenicus, are among the best kinds, the
—
Eclunops exaltatus
last the best in colour.
May-flower, Epigaa repetis. A small creeping shrub, with pretty and delici(msly fragrant flowers, which appear soon after the melting
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS. of the
with
snow
of pines
tlicre as
welcnnic as the liawtlinrn
inhabits woods, mostly in the shade wherever I saw it, it seemed to form a carpet usually,
its native,
and
;
ami arc
in N. Anu-rica,
In
lis.
139
countrv
it
—
under three or four layers of vegetation, so to speak that is to say, it was beneath pines, medium-sized trees, tall Lushes, and dwarf scrub about
18
in. lii,uh,
while the plant
itself
was nut more than one or
two inches high. In dur gardens this plant is very rarely seen, ami even in the great American jdant nurseries, where it used to grow it has disappeared. This is no wonder, when it is considered how very different are the conditions
which
it
those which I have above described. ralised easily in pine
woods on
enjoys in gardens compared with Without doubt it can be natu-
a .sandj' soil.
—
Dog's-tooth Violet, Enjthronmm. A few days ago I sa^v a number of irregular clumps of these here and there on a gently sloping bank of turf, and, in front of clumps of evergreens, they looked showed up to much tj^uite charming, and their dark spotted leaves better effect on the fresh trreen Grass than thev do in borders.
were
all
of the red
among them
They
and required a few of the white form
make
the picture perfect. correspondent in Ireland.
to
So writes
\ariety,
a
This beautiful plant, some
years ago rarely seen in our gardens, adorns many a dreary slope in the Southern Alps, and there should be no great difficulty in the way
charms
the wild garden
of adding
its
rather
or under decidu(tus vegetation.
l)are
to
The Winter Aconite,
in peaty or sandy spots,
Erantliishyemalis.
—
Classed
among
British
golden buttons peeping through the moss and grass in snowdrop time form one of the prettiest aspects of our garden vegetation in spring. It will grow anywhere, and is one plants but really naturalised.
Its
of the plants that thrive under the spreading branches of summerthe buds open leafing trees, as it lilo(.)ms and perfects its leaves before
On many lawns, spring gardens might be formed by planting some spring flowering plants that finish their growth before the trees are in leaf. Another advantage of such positions nn the beech.
is,
that the foliage
possession
of
have the ground in the moss and blossoms.
Punkia. being more
—
^I
of
the
tree
ground, ami
the to
prevents any coarser plants taking therefore
these
little
spring plants
themselves, and wander into natural
grass,
little
sometimes covering the surface with
groups
a sheet of
have spoken of the conditions in the wild garden many plants than those which obtain in what
suitable to
THE WILD GARDEN.
140
might seem choice positions in borders, many of the pLants attaining greater beauty and remaining longer in bloom in the shade and shrubby places than when fully exposed. As an instance saw Funkia coerulea the other day, showing a size and beauty in a shady drive at Beauport, near Battle, which I never saw it attain shelter of
of this, I
The plant was over a yard high, and bore with blue flowers. stems The Funkias are exceedhung many stately valuable for the wild not being liable to accidents ingly iilants garden, which are fatal to Lilies and other plants exposed to the attacks of under other circumstances.
slugs
and
rabbits.
Groups of Funkia
Snakes-head,
Fritillaria.
wild, as
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The
.Sieboldi.
beautiful
British
snakes-head
most people know, in ]neadows in various
grows England, and we should like to see it as well established in A^'arious other Fritillarias the grassy hollows of many a country seat. not so pretty as this, and of a peculiar livid dark hue, which is not (F. Meleagris)
j)arts of
like to
worthy
make them popular of a position also
;
fringes of shrubberies.
Giant Fennel,
Ferula.
the parsley order, with
in gardens, such as F.
tristis,
would be
while the Crown Imperial would do on the
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Noble
much and
herbaceous plants belonging to
exquisitely divided leaves
;
y\\\&\\
well developed forming magniticent tufts of verdure, reminding one The leaves appear very of the most finely-cut ferns, but far larger. early in sjiring, and disappear at the end of summer, and the l)est use that can be made of the plants is to plant them here and there in places occupied T)y spring and early summer flowers, among -which
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS.
141
With the Fcrulas mit,dit l)e tliev wcHild produce ;i very fine etl'ect. grouped another handsome umbelliferous plant (Molopospernuim cicuand no doubt, when we know the ornamental qualities of the tarium) ;
order better, character.
Ferns. a
we
sundry other charming
shall find
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Xo plants may
more charming
l)e
than
eft'ect
naturalised
ferns.
The
i)lants of similar
more successfully and with royal ferns, of wliich the
bold foliage is reflected in the marsh waters of Northern America, will The do well in the many places where our own royal fern thriA-es. graceful maidenhair fern of the rich woods of the Eastern States and the Canadas will thrive perfectly in any cool, shady, narrow lane, The small ferns that find a home on avid or dyke, or in a shady wood.
alpine
cliffs
may
be established on old walls and ruins.
Cheilanthes
odora, which grows so freely on the sunny sides of walls in Soiithern France, would be well worth trying in similar positions in the south
sown
of England, the spores to be
in
mossy chinks of the
The
walls.
climbing fern Lygodium jialmatum, which goes as far north as cold Massachusetts, would twine its graceful stems up the undershrubs in
an English wood
In
too.
fact,
there
is
no fern of the numbers that
inhabit the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and America, that may not be tried with confidence in various positions, preferring for the greater best in.
number such positions as we know our native kinds to thrive One could form a rich and stately type of wood -haunting
fern vegetation without employing one of our native kinds at all, though, of course, generally the best way will be to associate all so far as their habits
and
sizes
strong kinds out in glades
;
will permit. Treat them boldly put imagine colonies of Daffodils among the ;
Oak and Beech Ferns, fringed by early Aconite, in the spots overshadowed by the branches of deciduous trees. Then, again, many of these Ferns, the more delicate of them, could be used as the most graceful of carpets for bold beds or groups of floA\-ering plants. would form part, and a very
important part, of what we have written of as evergreen herbaceous
might well
plants,
be
and
associated
with them in true winter gardens.
Geranium, Geranmm, Erodium.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Handsome
and
A hardy
Geranium.
They
THE WILD GARDEN.
142 ratlier
dwarf perennials, mostly with bluish,
aflniirable for naturalisation.
Some
pinkisli, or dee-p rose flowers,
of the better kinds of the hardy
geraniums, such as G. ibericum, are the very plants to take care of With them niiglit be tliemselves on wild banks and similar places. associated the fine
Erodium Manescavi
;
and where there
are
very
bare places, on which tliey would not be overran by coarser plants, tlie smaller Erodiums, such as E. romaiuini, might be tried with advantage. Goat's Rue, Gnlerin. Tall and A'igorous but graceful perennials,
—
with very numerous and handsome flowers, or
blue,
pink, G.
white.
and
otticinalis
white variety are
its
among
the very best of all
tall
Ijorder
and
flowers,
they are equally useful for planting in rough
and wild
places, as is
also the blue G. orien-
and
tal is
G.
are
They
biloba. free
all
Ljrowers.
Gypsophila, Gtjpand Tunica.
.•<op]i,ila
—
neat per-
Vigorous
l)ut
ennials,
very
hardy,
and producing myriads of
and
})inkish hue.
best Snowdrops, wild, by streamlet
in valley.
mostly
flowers,
small,
of a
pale
They
suited for
are
rocky
or
sandy ground, or even old ruins, or any
where they will not be smothered Ijy coarser vegetation. Similar in character is the pretty little Tunica saxifraga, which grows
positi(^n
on the tops of old walls, etc., in Southern Europe, and will thrive on bare places on the level ground with us. Gentian, Gentiana. Dwarf, antl usually evergreen, alpine or high-
—
numerous flowers, mostly handsome, and pasture plants, with large and The large G. acaulis frequently of the most vivid and beautiful blue.
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERINli PLANTS. (Gentianella)
mountains
as freely in moist places
wnnld grow
as
docs on
it
its
native
liills
;
as,
143
on any of our own
indeed,
it
would
in all
moist loams, where it could Jiot lie choked by coarse and taller subjects. Tlie tall willow Gentian (G. asclepiadea) is a handsome plant, which, in the mountain woods of Switzerland, grass in shade of trees,
and
country.
Snowdrops, when naturalised new kinds have
be seen bloomiii,^
may
this fact is suggestive as to
Galantltus.
— The
charms
of
our
its
anion.i;
long
use in
this
own Snowdrop
in the grass are well known to all, but many of the claims also in that respect, such as Elwesi and G.
It is surprising how comparatively few people take advantage of the facility with which the Snowdrop grows in grass, so as to have it in pretty groups and colonies by grass-walks or drives.
plicatus.
The accompanying
illustration,
which shows
it
streamlet in a Somersetshire valley, shows that suggests the
It
situation.
many
places
garden border.
Cow
it
on the margin of a
it is
not particular as to other than the
may adorn
—
Giant herbaceous plants, mostly from Northern Asia, with liuge divided leaves, and umbels (sometimes a foot across) of white or whitish flowers. They are very suitable for
Parsnips, Heracleum.
rough places on the banks of rivers or artificial water, islands, or in any position in which a very vigorous and liold tyjje of foliage may be In arranging them
desired. foliage
dies
down and
it
should be borne in luind that their
disappears
in the end of
When
summer.
sow themselves, so that seedling plants in abundance In all cases it is important that their be may picked up around them. But it is also seed should be sown immediately after being gathered. important not to allow them to monopolise the ground, as then they
established they
Ijecome objectionable. desirable to prevent
Day
To
them
this
end
it
may, in
certain positions,
be
seeding.
Lily, Hemerocallis.
—Vigorous
plants of the lily order, with
and graceful habit, and large and showy red-orange or yellow flowers, sometimes scented as delicately as the primrose. There are two types, one large and strong like flava and fulva, the other short
hjug leaves
and somewhat
fragile like
plants for naturalisation, selves
graminea.
growing in
any
The
larger kinds are superb
soil,
and taking care
of
them-
coarse herbaceous plants or brambles.
among Christmas Rose,
Helleborus.
— Stout but
dwarf perennials, with
and spring when flowers showy blooms and handsome with and leathery glossy leaves. They thrive appearing in winter
are rare, in almost
THE WILD GARDEN.
144 any position or tendency
it is
soil
;
bnt to get the
full benefit of their
early-blooming
them on sunny grassy banks in
desirable to place
tufts
or groups, and not far from the eye, as they are usually of unobtrusive
They form
colours.
beautiful
where the spring sun can reach for naturalisation.
Sun Rose,
ornaments
Helianthemum.
near
wood walks,
wild
Tliere are various kinds useful
tliem.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dwarf
spreading
bearing
shrubs,
myriads of tlowers in a variety The most of showy colours. tasteful
and
satisfactory
of
way
employing these in our gardens is to naturalise them on banks or slopes in the half-wild parts of our pleasure-grounds, mostly
sandy or
in
warm
soil.
They
are best suited for chalk districts (
ir
roclvy ones,
where they thrive
most luxuriantly, and make a There very brilliant display. are
many
varieties,
ing in the hue of
mostly
differ-
tlie flowers.
Perennial Sunflower, Helianthus, RudbecMa, Silphium.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Stout
and usually very tall perennials, with showy yellow flowers, the best is
known
of
Helianthus multiflorus
which fl.
pL,
which plenty may be seen in Euston Stj^iiare and other places of
in Sun Rose on limestone
London.
are all
rocks.
better
As a fitted
rule
these
for rough,
places than for gardens, where, other plants mentioned in these pages, they will tend to H. rigidus is a brilliantly showy form a vigorous herbaceous covert. like
many
plant, running very freelj* at the root,
and an excellent subject
for
H. giganteus, common in thickets and swamj^s in and America, growing as high as 10 ft., is also desirable. The showy and larger American Rudbeckias, such as laciuiata, triloba, and also naturalisation.
the small but
showy
these plants, and
hirta, virtually
many others
belong to the same type.
All
of the tall yellow-flowered composites that
HARDY EXOTTf one sees conspicuous
of
in
cH't'cts
The Silphiums,
year.
and the cup plant
laciniatum),
especially
and there
and are
and rough
suitable for the
same
of its
numerous congeners which
places, in
They
soil.
any
and
will not
haA^e all the
same
are nearly all taller.
newer kinds have the handsome large flowers of the
of the
should be noted that the
John's Wort.
It
exhausts the
soil of
moisture that
it
may
trees,
and should therefore be looked
much
of
it,
(S.
—
bright yellow flowers as the St. John's wort,
Some
compass plant
are allied in general
Wort, Hypericum. Tlie well-known St. John's wort many places made good its claim as a wilderness jslant,
scarcely one
is
vrild.
the
(S. perfoliatum),
purposes. St. John's
thrive in
might perhaps more country seats at that
visit their
aspect and character to the Helianthuses,
has already in
145
T'T.AXTS.
i
and
autunni,
who only
particuLirly interest those
time
LOWERTXi
herbaceous vegetation in America, would
aiiiouL;
showy
very
jii'iKluce
1-
as they
Rocket,
Hesperis.
— The
St.
John's
St.
Wort
so
be the cause of the death of
after.
common
have of the
common
Many
places have too
Laurel.
conmion single Rocket (Hesperis matand very easily
ronalis) is a .showy useful jilant in copse or shrubbery,
from
raised
seed.
Evergreen Candytuft,
Iberis.
— Compact
little
evergreens, form-
ing spreading bushes from 3 inches to 15 inches high, and sheeted with There are no plants more white flowers in spring and early summer. suitable for naturalisation in oj^en or bare places, or, indeed, in
any
not strong enough to overrun tliem. They, however, attain greatest perfection when fully exposed to the sun, and are admirable for every kind of rocky or stony ground and
where the vegetation
position
banks. Iris, rivalling
Fhur de Lis. (or
—These
is
known in our gardens, in beaut\-, are varied and
plants, once so well
rather exceeding) the
lilies
The many a wild garden by themselves. in almost beautiful varieties of germanica will grow any soil, and may
numerous enough
be used with good
to
effect in
margin
of water.
water
and, as this
;
any one taking an
make
woods, copses, by Avood walks, or near the rather a common kind, will grow in the
I. sibirica,
is
not generally known,
interest in aquatics.
it is
worthy the notice of
It is probable that
others of
the beardless kinds will also do well -with their roots below the water,
and
if so,
they will one day
margins of artificial waters.
much imjirove the rather poorly adorned On the other hand, I. pumila, and the
varieties of germanica, are often seen
L
on the tops of old walls, on
146
THE WILD GARDEN,
facts on the Continent, flowering profusely. Tliese irises. the adorned he hy tend to show how many ditfinvnt positions may Common Lupine, Luimms pohjphyllus.— Amidst the tallest and handsomest herhaceonsplants,gronped where they may he seen from grass
tliatclied roofs, etc.,
wood walks,
or
drives
position or soil. rivfr banks, (ir it
copses,
or
in
any
Excellent for
islets
in
in
There are
worthy of culture.
several varieties, all
—
Lunaria.
Honesty,
or
wliich,
spreads freely.
This,
which approaches the Stocks in the of
aspect flowers,
fine
its
of
the appearance
Ijy
It is
peed-vessels.
valuable of
all
type by
plants for naturalisa-
form a
to
It shoAVS itself freely
itself.
in dryish
curious
its
one of the most
and may he said
tion,
violet
purplish
them quite removed from
is
ground or on chalk
Ijanks,
one of the prettiest objects to be met with in early summer
and
in
is
wood
or wild.
Lily, Lilium. lilies
liardy
that
— There
may
situations tliat these
The
are
many
be naturalised.
grow
in,
from the high meadows of Northern the orange lily, Italy, dotted with gorges of the Sierras
tu
the
in
California, rich
woody
fragrant tlu'ir
with
kinds, are such
tall
as
and
make
culture in copses, woods, rough In etc., a certainty.
grassy places,
woods where there of
vegetable
is
a rich deposit
matter
tbe
great
American Lilium superbun:, and no donl>t some of the recentlydiscovered Californian
lilies,
will
do
well.
The European
lilies,
dotted in the grass in the rough unmown glades, W(Uild not grow borders of our cottage gardens nearly so large as they do in the rich
;
HARDY liiit \\
tlic effect
of
ith the tops of
t
lie
FLOWETiTXri PLANTS.
P^XOTir-
lildiniis
large
siiiglr
nf
tlie
orange
the grass, in early sunuiu-r, where
it
147
lily just
grows wild,
level is
at
has hitherto presented in gardens. Along the hed of small rivulets, in the bottom of narrow gorges densely shaded by great Thujas, Arbutus trees sixty and even eighty feet high, least as heautiful as
it
any aspect
and handsome large-leaved evergreen oaks on the Sierras, I saw in autumn numbers of lily stems seven, eight, and nine feet high, so one could imagine what pictures they formed in early summer therefore deep dykes and narrow shady lanes would afford congenial homes for ;
various fine species. that of dotting
to
No mode of cultivating lilies in gardens is equal them through beds of rbododendrons and other
American plants usually
the soil of these, usually the rhododendrons alone, being peculiarly suited to the majority of the lily trilie. As for the wild garden, Mr. (t. F. Wilson sent me a stem of Lilium superbum last year (1880)
and very unwisely
])lanted in peat
;
to
left
in a rirh
woody bottom, 11^ feet high Snowflake, Leucojum. I have rarely seen anything more Ijeautiful than a colony of the summer Snowflake on the margin of a tuft of rhododendrons in the gardens at Longleat. Some of the flowers were grown
I
—
on stems nearly 3 soil
feet high, the partial shelter of the Ijushes and good Both, the spring and causing the plants to be unusually vigorous.
summer Snowflakes
(L.
vernum and
L. a?stivum) are valualjle plants for
wild grassy places.
Gentian Lithosperm, Lithospermum
—A
very dishalf-shrubby plant, with a profusion of flowers of as fine a blue as any gentian. Thrives vigorously in any deep sandy prostratum,
tinct, prostrate, hairy,
and in such well deserves naturalisation among low rock sunny positions. Probably other species of the genus found suitalde for the same purpose. soil,
etc.,
in
Lychnis. 1
— Handsome
dooms, mostly
of a
was only represented one.
This
is
medium
brilliant
rose
-
sized
perennials,
or scarlet
colour.
with If
plants, will be
showv
the
type
the rose campion it would be a valuable a beautiful object in dry soils, on which it does not
])erish in winter.
l)y
They
are most fitted for association with dwarf or
medium-sized perennials, in open places and in rich
Honeysuckle, omitted. Any kind
— Such favourites
soil.
must not be Honeysuckle will find a happy home in the wild garden, either rambling over stumps or hedgerows, or even planted by themselves on banks.
Pea, Lathyrus.
Lonicera.
as these
of climbing
— Much having
lieen lately written
concerning the
THE WILD (lARDEN.
148
wild garden and its suitable occupants, I venture to suggest Latliyrus Most cultivators of flowers are tlie list. pyrenaicus as an addition to
aware of
tlie
raniljling habits of the
number
greater
of plants of the
L. pyrenaicus eclipses them tribe, but in that particular It produces an immense cjuantity of bright orange- coloured all with its thorough blossoms, but the principal difficulty connected of an appro^sriate ])lace for it, for a welldevelopment is the selection
Le<Tuminous
established plant of this species
ramble over, and by
will
its
density of growth prevent every plant and
within
its
indeed,
comes
that
shruli
reach from thriving
it is
;
a greater rambler
than the Hop, the Bindweed, or the Bryony,
and
more handsome.
is
training such a plant
the
question
many
there
it
are
would be quite
home and form an
ive
or
out of
is
rough places in the wild
garden where at
but
;
decidedly
Tying up
feature.
attract-
Every kind of Pea is excellent
Everlasting for the wild garden, either for over hedgerows, scrambling or
stumps,
the grass.- -J.
lus.
the neighbourhood of
my
eye was attracted by
throughout
its
—
"
Wandering one day in
Gruigfoot/'a ciueer-shaped a small
visilde course
among
W.
Monkey -flower, Mima-
Everlasting Pea, creeping up stem in shrubbery.
"
growing
hill in Linlithgowshire,
burn whose banks were
literally jewelled A with an unfamiliar yellow flower.
nearer approach showed me that it was the garden Mimulus (Monkeymust have escaped from some neighbouring flower), the seed of which itself here, in the coldest part of the cottage garden, and established have naturalised it by the banks and I took the hint, British Isles. of a small stream
recommend your
which runs
at the foot of
the blue Forget-me-not, and
Grape Hyacinth,
is
equally
my
garden, and I strongly
mingles charmingly with hardy."— S. in Garden.
readers to do the same.
ilfifsca?-/.— These
It
free
and hardy
little
bulbs
HARDY EXOTIC Fr.OWERTXC are easily natumliseil ami
vtTV lianilsDino,
many shades of lilu(>. Forget-me-not, Mijosntis,
flower.s of
—There
is
willi
PLANTS. tlicii-
one exotic
little
149 .spikes
s^secies,
M.
(if
dissi-
tiHora, not inferior in beauty to any of our handsomest native kinds,
and which
well woi'tliy of naturalisation everywhere, thriving best
is
on moist and sandy
soil.
Molopospei'miim eicutarium.^ There fern-like
of
liferous
a
deep green and
profusely by the Umbel-
played
some
is
dis-
beauty
family, but
I
have rarely met with one so remarkably attractive as this species
very ornamental with large, plant, deeply -divided leaves It is a
of a lively green colour, forming a dense irregu-
The
lar bush.
tlnwers,
which are in.signiheant and of a yellowishwhite colour, are borne small roundish
in
of the
Many
lunbels. (dass,
while
gant,
perish
ele-
very
quickly,
£et shabbv indeed
l:>v
the end of June, and are
therefore
place
sarden
in ;
out
the
but this
of
flower is
Type
of fine-leaved umbellate plants seldom
grown
in
gardens.
firm
in character, of a fine rich green, stout yet spreading in habit, growing
more than 3
feet high,
and making altogether a most pleasing bush.
It
perfectly hardy, and easily increased by seed or division, but rare as It loves a deep moist soil, but will thrive in any good garden yet.
is
soil.
It is a fine
subject for isolation or grouping with other hardy
and graceful-leaved Umbelliferous plants. Stock, Mafthiola. Showy flowers, mostly
—
fragrant, peculiarly well
suited for old ruins, chalk pits, stony banks, etc.
Some
of tlie annual
THE WILD GARDEN.
150
kinds are pretty, and some of a bush-like cliaracter tlie
tlie
when grown
common
varieties
in gardens assume
With
in the positions above named.
may be associated the single rocket (Hesperis matronalis), thrives freely in shruljberies and copses.
Stocks
wliicli
Bee Balm,
— Large
and very showy herbaceous plants, with scarlet or purple flowers, conspicuously beautiful in Auierican and Canadian woods, and capital subjects for naturalisation in woods, copses, etc., or anywhere among medium-sized vegetaMoncmla.
tion,
thriving
best
light or well-drained
in
soils.
Mallow, Malva, A Ithwa, MalojJe, Kitaibelia, Sida.
Gallirhoe,
— Plants •
of
distinct
several
be included under this type, and
genera may from each very shoAvy and useful things maj' be obtained. They are for the most part subjects
which are somewhat
too coarse, wlien
closely examined, to be
generally
;
but among
planted in gardens the taller vegetation iu
wild shrubberies, copses, glades iu woods, of the
etc.,
Some
they will furnish a magnificent effect.
Malvas are very showy, vigorous-grow-
ing plants, mostly with rosy flowers, and would associate well with our own handsome M.
The
moschata.
common and
Althaeas, close
of the
allies
single hollyhock, are very vigorous
fine for this purpose, as are also the Sidas
and Kitaibelia
vitifolia.
The Malopes are among the best of the annual subjects for naturalisation. The Callirhoes are dwarf, handsome trailers, more brilliant than the others, and the only ones of the type that should be planted on l>are banks or amidst dwarf vegetation, as all the others are of the
most rampant
charactei'.
Mulgedium Plumieri
—A
herbaceous jJant of fine and distinct
port, Ijearing purplisli-l)lue Ijlossoms, rather
Till recently
it
was generally only seen in
uncommon among
Ijotanic gardens,
its
but
kind.
it
has,
merits as a wild garden plant, and for growing in small grou]is or single specimens in <piiet gn-en corners of pleasureIt does best in rather rich ground, and in grounds or shrubberies.
nevertheless,
many
such a position will reward
all wh<i plant it, being a really hardy an<l Tlie foliage is sometimes over a yard long, and long-lived perennial. the flower-stems attain a height of over six feet in good soil.
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWKHIXU PLANTS. Water
N'ljmplicea atxl
Lily,
Nuphar.
— Two
151
ikiMo Nurtli Ameri-
can plants Wfll deserve naturalisation in our waters, associated with our own beautiful white and yellow water lilies -the large Nuphar
—
advena, which thrusts parts of
England,
water
many
North America, and the sweet-scented Nymph;ea odorata, which
Hoats in crowds on
New
yreat leaves well out of the Avater in
its
to
a,
many
of the pine
non-hotaniral
lily.
ordered lakes and lakelets of
-1
oliscrver
seeming verv
like
own
our
—
Most people have seen the common dali'odil Daffodil, Narcissus. in a semi- wild state in our woods and copses. Apart from varieties, there are more than a score distinct species of daffodil that could be
We
naturalised (piite as easily as this in all parts of these islands.
need hardly suggest how charming these would be, flowering in early or along spring and summer in the rougher parts of pleasure grounds, wood-walks, or any like position.
Bitter Vetch,
wood -walks,
rocks,
Orohus.
— Banks, of
fringes
grassy
shrubberies,
unmown and
like
margins of places, with
deep and sandy loam, well drained, will grow the beautiful spring Bitter
Vetch or any of
its
varieties or allies perfectly.
Evening Primrose,
Enotliera.
—Among the
largest-flowered
and
The yellow types of herbaceous vegetation. allied to the common Evening Primrose species, and varieties like and be readily naturalised in any position, from a rubbish(CE. handsomest of
biennis),
heap
to
all
known
may
a nice,
sunny copse
open,
;
while such
prostrate
ones as
marginata and (H macrocar})a will prove very fine among dwarf herbs These on banks or in open sunny places, in light or calcareous soil. and flowers are noble and delicately-scented very very easily grown QL.
They, however, from their height and boldwith which they grow in almost any soil, are freedom and the ness, wild the for suited garden, for shrubberies, copses, and the peculiarly beautiful in any position.
like,
sowing themselves
Cotton Thistle,
freely.
Onoimrdon.
— Large
thistles,
with very handsome
hoary and silvery leaves, and purplish flowers on fiercely-armed stems. No plants are more noble in port than these, and they thrive freely in
rough open
places, rubbish-heaps, etc.,
and usually come up
self-sown seeds.
Star of Bethlehem,
Onutho(jaliun.
— Various
well as the species of this genus will thrive as
liem in any sunny, grassy places.
Creeping Forget-me-not,
Ohiphaludes.
from
handsome hardy
common
— The
freely
Star of Bethle-
creeping Forget-
THE WILD GARDEN.
152
is
me-not, Omplialodes verna,
one of the prettiest plants to be natural-
ised in woods, copses,- or slirubberies, running about witli the greatest
freedom in moist
on good
soils
soil.
It is
every country place.
Wood
more comjiact in habit and
lives longer
than the Forget-me-nots, and should \w naturalised round
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dwarf
plants with clover-like leaflets and At least two of the species in cultivapretty rosy or yellow flowers. tion, viz. 0. Bowieana and 0. floribunda, might be naturalised on sandy soils
Sorrel,
Oxalis.
amidst vegetation not more than 5 inches or 6 inches high
the family
is
so
found equally
numerous that probably other members
of
it
;
and
will be
free growing.
The Great Japan Knotweed (Polygonum cnspidatum). (Showing the plant
Polygonum cuspidatum of
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
If,
in flower.)
instead of the formal character
much
were
of our gardening, plants of bold types similar to the above introduced along the sides of woodland walks and
shrubbery
how much more
enjoyable such places would be, as at almost every step there would be something fresh to attract notice and gratify the eye, instead of which such parts are generally bare, or given up to borders,
weeds and monotonous rubbish.
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING
PLANTS.
153
—
Vigorous lierbaceous pLniits, with large and si)lt'n(li(l of various shades of crimson, rosy-crimson, and wliite, well
Pseony. flowers
There calculated for producing the iinest eifects in the wild garden. are many species and varieties, tin- llowers of some of the \arieties llowers we very sweet -.scented, doulilc, and amimg the largest being
and of. Fringes of shrubberies, open glades in A\oods or copses, and they may indeed almost any wild place, may be adorned by them also be advantageou.sly groupe<l or isolated on the grass in the rougher
kmiw
;
I never felt the beauty of the fine saw a group of the double scarlet kind fidwering The owner had placed an irregular in the long Grass in Oxfordshire. group of this plant in an u-nnidwu glade, quite away from the gar<Ien and yet, seen from the lawn and garden, the effect was most proper
of the
parts
pleasure-ground.
colour of Poeonies
till I
;
brilliant, as tell in
may be imagined from
summer
the
way
which such high colours
in
To be
able to produce such effects in the early for six weeks or so is a great gain from a landscape point of
the distance.
view, apart from the immediate beauty of the flowers at hand.
when
seen close
—
The huge and flaming Papaver orientale, var. P. bracteatum, and P. lateritium, are the most important of this type. They Avill thrive and live long in almost any position, but the proper For herbaceous plants. place for them is in open spots among strong Pnpaver, in
Poppy,
the wild garden or wilderness the Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis eambrica) It is a clieerful plant at all seasons is one of the best plants. perched ;
dry wall its mas.ses of foliage are when loaded with a profusion of but very fresh, the plant is strikingly blossoms large yellow
on some
handsome
It
;
it is
a determined coloniser, ready to
own under the most adverse circumstances. home is the wall, the rock, and the ruin.
hold Its
i:ild
its
even surpasses the Wallflower in adapting
to strange out-of-the-way places
it
;
itself
will spring
up in the gravel walk under one's feet, and seems the boulders in the coi;rtyard. (juite happy among It looks down on one from crevices in brick walls, from chinks where one could scarcely introduce a knife-blade, and after all it delights most in
No plant can be better adapted 1 TT on rough stony banks, old quarries, dead walls, and similar places, and
shady places. .
,
1
•
Phlomis.
— Type
of hand-
for naturahsnig
^^^^^^
gravel pits,
ably suited for the wild iSee p. 154.) garden.
Labiates
;
admir-
THE WILD GARDEN.
154
its
large
handsome
flowers will lend a
charm
most uninteresting situations. Phlomis Showy and stately her-
to the /-T<^
—
baceous or half-shrultliy fusion
with a pro-
jilants,
handsome yellow
of
or
purplish Excellent for naturalisation in
tlowers.
warm open
woods, copses, banks,
ing well in ordinary
grow-
etc.,
soil.
rhytolacca dccanrobust perennial, within conspicuous flowers and long dense spikes of
Virginian Poke,
ilra.
a.'-'
X?
—A
tall,
It will
purplish berries.
and in any
soil
;
The
lich deep ones.
by
birds.
but
It is
is
grow anywhere most imposing in
berries are relished
fine for association
with
the largest and stoutest herbaceous plants in rough and half-wild places.
Physostegia
A.
—
Tall, erect,
and beau-
herbaceous plants, mostly with deli-
liful
cate
flowers
rosy
;
among
of
natives
America, thriving in any
North
They
soil.
are
the most x'leasing things for plant-
ing in llalf-^\•ild jdaces, where they will not spread rampantly, nor perish (piickly.
Lungwort,
Pubnonuiia.
— Dwarf
])lants of the borage family, with
showy
blue nr pinkish Idossoms. Easily naturalised in Avoods or copses, in which position the common lilue one must be familiar to in
many The
tlie
woods of England and Frame.
varieties are
dens
;
tliey
The serotinmn.
grow
tall
common in
any
in cottage gar-
soil.
Ox-eye daisy, Pyrefhrum
— This
fine
autumn
flower-
ing pliant, for years left in the almost exclusive possession of the Botanic Gardens,
.1?
is
It
The tall Ox-eye Daisy (Pyrethrum serotinuni).
one of the handsomest things Ave have.
grows 5 or 6
feet
high,
and
floAvers
late in the year, Avhen floAvers are scarce. It is A'ery picturesque in habit.
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWKIUXC PLANTS. Bramble, nearly
fifty
si)ecies,
own. are
—
(ir
we
Altliou.uli
luivc
kinds
reputed
ot
of
tlic
entirely distinct from
our
native in
lininilde
exotic
Hiilni.'^.
kinds
Avell
sonic
Britain,
of
Avortliy
155
naturalisation
among low slirubs and tall herbaceous One of the most charming plants we know for natui'alising in shady woods
A
plants.
be
kanus, Avith A\hich
might
associated the deep
rose-coloured
R.
spectabilis
while
;
white- stemmed
chalk and gravel
the very striking a grand is
This nolde reed
pits, etc.
I
/\
of
sides
Arundo Donax.
—
do not like to omit here,
beautiful in the southern counties
of England, Avinters
sunny
slopes,
The Great Reed; is so
Rubus
R. bifiorus
warm
for
object
tastefully
and the early spring -iiowering
odoratus,
it
Xut-
the large, -white-iiowered Eulnrs
is
it
Bamboos
though
may
in cold soils
Where
perish.
and hard
the hardier
find a jilace this will be welcome, it is only in the
though in our country Avarmer parts that
it
attains the dignitA
possesses in the south of Europe. Rhubarb, Rheum. There are several
of port
it
species of
—
rhubarb in cultivation
in
ad-
commonly grown in garmuch alike in port and are dens. They in the size of their leaves, R. palmatum and Emodi being the most distinct. The rhudition to those
^ sm
barbs are hue things for association Avitb in deep large-leaved herliaceous plants soils.
Rose, branddes, A\
ild
Rosa. Ave
roses in
— As
have
in
the
many more
England than
is
case
commonly
ever thinks supposed, but of course nobody in of planting such things gardens or shrubberies, Avhere
^Sf^'S-^A-*^
of
kinds of
such gems as
privet
rlie
(
^reat RcccI of .Southcni Fairope
(Arundo Donax).
THE WILD GAEDEN.
156
make up
usually
our woodlands it is iTseless
the Tiudcrwouil.
There are
scores
of
and temperate countries which would thrive
of northern
the as
roses
well in
but as these are not to he obtained in nnr nurseries, Any species of rose from a northern
;
mention them.
to
whilst of roses commonly cultivated the country might be tried races such as the climbing Boursault, Ayrshire, and Sempervirens
—
;
—
the most likely to be satisfactory.
are
and hybrid
The Damask, Alba would do, as would
gallica,
Felicite hardy and free, Perpetuelle, Banksipeflora, the Garland roses, Austrian briar, berberifolia, and microphylla rubra plena. Pruning, or any other attention Cliina, being
should of course not be thought of in connection with have seen masses of wild roses the effect of wliich was
after planting,
We
tliese.
hner than anything we have ever seen in a rosery. a very tine free and hardy species from India.
is
Sea Lavender, Ijluisli soils.
Rosa Brunoniana
—Vigorous
perennials, with a profusion of lavender-coloured bloom, thriving freely on all ordinary garden 8. latifolia, and some of the stronger kinds, thrive in any
position
among
tlie
Statice.
medium-sized herbaceous plants.
—
Handsome and usually vigorous herbaceous Spiraea, Kjiiw-awith white or plants, rosy flowers, and generally ornamental foliage. Such beautiful kinds as venusta and palmata it is most desirable to try in wild places
among
the stouter and medium-sized jierennials, where
be spared for this purpose. S. Aruncus is, the finest for tlie wild Mr. Ellaiii planted out perhaps, plant garden. some spare stock of 8. japonica in a wood at Bodorgan, and with tlie happiest effect. The plants grow and llower freely, the flowers sufficiently plentiful
to
appearing a fortniglit later in the moist cool wood than on plants of the same kind on a north garden border therefore they prolong the ;
season of this favourite flower.
They
are planted in
an irregular
such things slKuild generally be, the effect being group, better than that obtained by the connnon dotting plan. as
Golden Rod, flowers,
Solidago.
showy when
—
in bloom,
much
Tall and vigorous perennials with yellow
and
attractive
when
seen in America in
autumn, mingled with the blue and lilac Asters of that country, but These, like the Asters, used larely ornamental as gro'mi in gai'dens. but the only position they wild where in rough places, many cases it would be easy, with their aid and that of the Asters, to form that mixture of Golden Rod and Michaelmas daisies which is one of the prettiest efl'ects
to be
are
of
flt
grown for
is
to excess in the old borders
in
American vegetation
in
autumn.
;
HAEDY EXOTIC Catch-fly,
and
UL'iierallv
such as
Silene.
with
LuWEKlNU
I'LANTS.
157
ur spreudiii*^; plants, allied to tlie pinks, The choice mountain kinds,
rosv flowers.
S. Lagasca), alpestris, Schafta, etc., are
among
tlie
most charm-
naturalised on rocky places or banks, associated dwarf subjects. Such fine annual or biennial kinds as
ing subjects that can Avith
—Dwarf
A\liite oi'
i
very
l)e
S. pendula are anumg the best for this purpose, and established by scattering a few seeds in such j)laces. be easily might This little plant, which Bloodwort, Sanguinaria canadensis. S.
Armeria or
—
Canada and North America, and which is verv rarely indeed seen well groA«i in our gardens, Avill thrive under the branch&s of deciduous trees as Avell as the Avinter aconite, and in abounds in the woods
of
spring will produce an
efl'ect
common
—
as beautiful as singular.
Several kinds of ScUla, closely allied to the bluebell, Avould do quite as well in our Avoods as that Avell-
Squill,
Scilla.
knoAvii native plant, notably S. campanulata, S. bifolia, S. sibirica, etc. Bifolia and .sibirica Avould be better on sunny banks or sheltered frincres of
The
shrubberies Avith a good aspect.
With
AA'Oods or copses like the Idueliell.
associated the grape liyacintli and
amethystinus).
Comfrey,
Hynvphytum.
tlie
is
— Herbaceous
Symphytum
kinds Avould do in
amethyst hyacinth (Hyacinthus
handsome blue usually vigorous, and with somest spring flowers
tall
the dwarfer squills might be
plants of the borage order, floAvers. One of the hand-
caucasicum. and
it is
also
one of
the easiest things to naturalise, running about Avith the greatest freedom
Coarse kinds, like S. asperrimum shrubbA- or any Avild places. thrive iox apace among the largest plants in garden culture), (unfit and there look quite beautiful AA'hen in flower. wild
in
places,
Scabious,
Scabiosa, Cephalaria, Knautia.
and usuallv free-groAving herbaceous yelloAsish
in tone.
Among
these
— Sometimes
plants,
may be
bluish,
handsome
purplish,
seen, in botanic
or
and other
but scarcely Avorthy of a place gardens, plants suited for naturalisation, The fine S. caucasica aa-ouM thrive amidst coarse in the garden. vegetation in ^ood
soil, as
Stonecrop, Sedum.
would the Knautias.
— Minute and usually
prostrate plants, mostly
white, yelloAv, or rosy floAvers, and occurring in multitudes on most of the mountain chains of northern and temperate countries. Avitli
There are few of these interesting and sometimes very pretty plants that Avould not gxoAv on the top of an old Avail, or thatched house, or All stony bank, or bare gi'ound, as AA'ell as our conmion Stonecrop. are as easily increased as any weed, and groAV anygroAv in any soil,
THE WILD GARDEN.
158 where
they are not too
if
Such kinds
tation.
spectabile are
much overshadowed
liy trees
and coarse
as S. spuriuni, S. puh-helluni, kanitschaticuin,
among
the most ornamentaL
ve<i;e-
and
S.
Tlie hxst, being a stout
herbaceous plant, wouhl be worth associating with such in wild places.
100 species of stonecmp in cultivation in Britain. Saxifrage, Saxifmga. A very extensive genus of plants, alranFor our dantly distributed on mountains in northern countries. Tliere are nearly
—
—
the be broadly thrown into five sections in S. the Britain silvery by liypuoides mossy section, represented the London Pride section, by the section, represented by S. Aizoon ])resent
purpose they
may
;
;
Kerry saxifrages the Megasea and the oppositifolia
section,
;
crassifolia
;
With
flowers.
by the large cabbage-leaved
section, distinguished
by
its
S.
rosy-purple
the exception of the Megasea and oppositifolia sections, flowers, most of the saxifrages have white blossoms
which have rosy spotted with red easiest to
grow
;
a few are yellow,
and
all
are very hardy,
The mossy,
of all alpine flowers.
silvery,
and the
and purple
be naturalised with the greatest ease on bare rocky or miiuntainous grounds, amidst dwarf vegetation but, as the places in which this kind of ground occurs are comparatively few, the Megaseas,
saxifrages
may
;
saxifrages, are probably the most generally useful, as their cfm way amongst coarse grass and other common herbs. fight they
and the Kerry
There are probably nearl}' 150 species in cultivation in the botanic gardens of England, though in many private gardens they are very little
known.
Houseleek, Sevipewunmi.
— Veiy
dwarf and
succulent
plants,
with their fleshy leaves arranged in dense rosettes, and mostly with curious but seldom conspicuous flowers, abounding in mountainous regions,
and very
as freely as the
hard\'.
The
greater numljer of these
common Houseleek
where the vegetation
is
not taller
sandy banks, gravelly heaps, in cultivation in the
Meadow Rue,
etc.
grow cpaite and in any position than themselves, such as on bare
in
any arid
soil,
There are about
fifty
hardy kinds
gardens in this country. Tlialidnnn.
— Tall and vigorous herbaceous
plants,
mostly without any beauty of flower when closely examined, but often attbrding a pleasing distant effect when seen in masses, and hence for this mode of gardening, though seldom siiitable for a position in the garden proper. They grow in any soil, and should be placed among rank herbs and coarse vegetation, not in the fore-
desirable
There ground, which might be occupied by more brilliant subjects. many kinds not differing much in aspect some of the smaller ones
are
;
HAT^DY KXOTTC KT.OWERINc PLANTS in the
way
own
nf our
British T. luiuus, deserve a place amon^'
With
vegetation for the elegance of their leaves. associated the Italian
tiower and elegant in
Spiderwort,
159
Iso])yruni thalictroides, leaf.
wliicli
is
dwarf
may
be
handsome
in
these last
'
Tradesccmti((
riryinica.
North American perennial, with purple,
—A
handsome and
distinct
blue, or white flowers, attain-
An admirable subject for naturalisaing a height of l| feet or 2 feet. tion on almost any soil, thriving perfectly on the wettest ami coldest, and therefore suited for many jilaces where other perennials woidd make
little progress.
Wood wood
—
Lily, TrilUimi. Very singular and beautiful American which T. grandiflorum is worthy of special attention,
plants, of
thriving in shady places in moist rich
some vegetable
soils,
in
woods and
copses,
where
soil lias gathered.
—
Globe Flower, Trollius. Beautiful plants of vigorous habit, with large handsome flowers, of a fine golden colour, like those of the buttercups, but turning inwards so as to form an almost round blossom, in aspect.
([uite distinct
in gTassy glades
Few
where the
subjects are
soil
is
more worthy
of a position
rich,
although tliey will grow in ordinary soil. There are several di.^tinct kinds suitalde, thouo-h there
is
little
appearam-e.
Tulip,
Tulipa.
difference in their
— Various
kinds
of
Tulips might be naturalised with advantage bv wood Avalks and in the rougher In parts of the pleasure grounds.
they would not attain
sucli positions
such a
size
as the riclih'-fed garden
flowers, biit that
mme
would make them
the less attractive to those
care about the wild garden.
Telekia, Telekia
cordifolia.
who
—A
vigorous herliaceous plant, suited for association
with Echinops,
and
subjects
and
character.
"rowth, and
grown has
Rheum,
for their foliage
It is lar^re
very free foliage
sunflower-like flowers.
Flame - Flower,
Tritoma.
in Xelekia.
and
— Flame
Type of the Larger Composites. excluded from gardens proper,
Flowers
arc
occasionallv
THE WILD GARDEN.
IGO
planted in excess, sd as to neutralise the good effect they might othei'wise produce, and they, like many other flowers, have suffered from being, like soldiers, put in straight lines and in other geometrical formations. It is only where a fine plant or group of plants is seen in some green glade that the true Leaiity of tlu- Flame Flower is seen, especially at to the
some
little
distance
off.
Altliougli
mended
for the wild garden, they are might with confidence be recommended
Group of Tritoma,
shows
not exactly belonging
very free-growing and extremely hardy genera of plants recom-
a picturesque
so free in
many
for that purpose,
soils
that they
and our sketch
in grass.
group of them planted in this way.
It
would
lie
would study inore the effects For instance, a well and to be realised from certain types of plants. tastefully placed group of these Flame Flowers would for a long time delightful if people having country seats
in
autumn be a most
effective
feature in the landscape of a country
and there are various other plants to which the same remark applies, though j)erhaps to none better than these in the later months seat
;
of the year.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Showy Indian
Cress, Tropceolum speciosum. Against terrace walls, auKjng shrubs, and on slopes, on banks, or bushy rockwork near in deep, rich, and light soil. This is a brilliant the hardy fernery ;
plant, well
worth any trouble
to establish.
Many
fail to establish it in
HARDY EXOTIC FLOWERING PLANTS.
1(51
garden proper, Imt moist, shady, and busliy places, will suit
tlie
better.
Mullein, Verhascmn.
—^Verbascuni
vernale
is
a
noble
it
plant,
been slowly spreading in our collections of hardy plants some years past, and it is a plant of
wliiLli f(jr
lias
I first saw it in the Garpeculiar merit, den of Plants, and brought home some roots whicli gave rise to the stock
our gardens. its
merits, are that
species
—
now
in
Its peculiarities, or rather
at least
it is
a true perennial
on the warm
soils,
and
in tlus respect cpiite unlike other Mulleins
which are sometimes seen
in our gardens,
and oftener in our hedgerows.
It also
has
the advantage of great height, growing, as in the specimen shown in our illustration, to a height of about
Then
even more.
10
feet,
or
there are the large and
green leaves, whicli come up rather early
and are extremely effective. Finally, the colour is good and the c[uantity of yellow flowers with purplisli filaments that are
borne on one of these great branching The panicles is something enormous. use of
sucli a plant
to define,
mixed border,
plants
grouping with other remarkable size or form of
of
here and there in
open spaces among shrubs, the
A
bold group of
Grass by
well-dressed
itself,
soil,
gardens by
tlie
in
it,
name
to it at
it
of
well
effective in a
It is also
Kew.
is
airanged on
deep, light, and
would be
picturesque garden.
was given
difficult
for
foliage, or for placing
suited.
Ije
For the back part of
distinct in habit.
a
cannot
being so good in form and so
it
known
Verbascum
A
tall
Mullein.
in
Chaixii, wliich name,
we
believe,
—
Periwinkle, Vinca. Trailing plants, with glossy foliage and handsome blue flowers, Avell known in gardens. They are admiraljle plants for naturalisation, growing in any position, shady or sunny.
M
THE WILD GARDEN.
162
There are variously-coloured and very pretty varieties of V. minor, while the variegated forms of both species are handsome, and may be naturalised like the green kinds.
Speedwell, feet to
(l|-
3
Veronica.-
feet),
in
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Herbaceous
some
blue flowers in various shades will
grow
in
naturalisation
any
;
All the
soil.
among long
usually
plants,
grass
taller
tall
kinds are admirably suited for
and other herl)aceous vegetation.
number that are in cultivation in borders The dwarf kinds are equally suitaltle purpose. great
among
rather
dwarf and neat alpine plants with are among the hardiest of plants, and
cases
are only
fit
A
for this
for bare places, or
other dwarf plants.
Violet, Viola.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A numerous
race of dwarf
and interesting
plants,
thriving freely in our climate, in half- shady places, rocky spots or The very handbanks, fringes of shrubberies, or almost any position.
some
N. America
(V. pedata) would thrive in sandy In this family occur a good many kinds, such as V. canadensis, which, not being fragrant, or nnt possessing sufficient charms to ensure their* general cultivation in gardens, are
bird's-foot violet of
level places or
on rocky banks.
Our
peculiarly suited for this sort of gardening.
should be abundantly naturalised wherever wild state.
Adam's-Needle,
Yucca.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Although
it
cnTi sweet violet
does not occur in a
these scarcely
come
into this
and their hardiness give them a charm A legitimate aim, on the part of any for us even in a Avild garden. one carrying out this to any extent, would be to try and develop a selection, yet their fine liabit
In such a case the
sub-tropical aspect of vegetation in certain places.
Yuccas could not be dispensed with. The free-flowering kinds (Y. flaccida and Y. filamentosa) should not be omitted, as they are more likely to spread and increase than the larger ones
better held together in groups.
;
all
such plants are
CHAPTER
XV.
SELECTIONS OF IIAIIDY EXOTIC PLANTS FOR VARIOUS POSITIONS IN
THE WILD GARDEN. As it is (lesiralile to kuDw how to procure as well as how to select the best kinds, few words
a ?
subject
may
on the not be
first
amiss
Jiere. jlMlK
A
very important point the getting of a stock of In country or other places
is
plants to begin witli. where many good old border flowers remain in the cottage
gardens,
A
many
species
may be
collected
nursery beds should be formed in some by -place in which such subjects could be Free -growing increased to any desired degree. therein.
series of
spring flowers like Aubrietia, Alyssum, and Iberis,
Ophrys
in grass.
maybe multiplied to any extent by division or cuttings. Numbers of kinds may be raised from seed sown rather thinly in drills, in nursery beds in the open air. The catalogues should be searched every Spring for suitable subjects. The best time for sowing is the Spring, but any time during the Summer will do. Many perennials and bulbs must be bought in nurseries and increased as well as may be in nursery beds. As to soil, etc., the best way is to avoid the trouble of preparing it
The great point is to adapt the except for specially, interesting plants. to in to the soil place plants that thrive in peat, peaty places plant
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
in clay soils those that thrive in clays, and so on. Among coarse before the is to best the ground deeply planting, so dig way vegetation
THE WILD GARDEN.
164
become well
as to allow the planted subjects to is so dried,
and exhausted and impoverished
with coarse weeds, that so
A
selection of
dwarf
much
preparation
Arabis albida.
Waldsteinia
Aiibrietia, in var. Alyssuin saxatile.
Potentilla calabra.
latliyroides.
,,
trifolia.
ffinotliera speciosa.
Odontarrlieiia carsinum.
,,
missouriensis.
Iberis corifolia.
„
taraxacifolia.
„
sempervirens.
„
correfefolia.
Sedum dentatum. kamtschaticum.
,,
Tlilasjii latifoliiiin.
,,
Sieboldii.
^thioiiema
,,
spectabile.
„
sinirium.
coridifoHuiii.
Heliaiitheiuum, in var. Viola cornuta.
Sempervivum calcareum.
cucullata. „ Gypsopliila rejjens. Tunica Saxifraga. Saponai'ia ocynioides. Silene alpestris.
„ „
arboreum.
flavum. Geranium Wallichianuni. striatum. „
and
otliers.
Oxalis floribunda.
Genista
sagittalis.
Aiitliyllis
Astragalus
monspessu-
lanus.
,,
„
longifolia.
„
C'cityledou. rosularis.
Teucrium Chamsedrys. Ajiiga geuevensis. Scutellaria ali)ina.
Prunella grandiflora. Stachys lanata. Zietenia lavandulsfolia.
Dodecatheon Meadia. Acautliolimon glumacenni.
Dondia Epipactis.
Armeria cephalotes.
Atliamanta Mattliioli. Cornus canadensis.
Plumbago Larpentse. Polygonum Brunonis.
Scabiosa caucasica. Hieracium aurantiacum.
Euphorbia Cyimrissias.
Doronicum caucasicuni.
Iris cristata.
Plants of vigoro^is
any other kind.
Pliysalis Alkekengi. Pentstemon jirocerus. Veronica austriaca.
Astrantia major.
Campanula
or
dissitiflora.
Candida.
Hedysarum obscurum.
napellit'olius,
mollis.
„
Myosotis
taurica.
Symjihyandra pendula.
„
subulata.
,,
Lithosijermum prostratum. Pulmonaria grandiflora.
,,
Corouilla varia.
Trollius altaicus.
Vinca lierbacea. Gentiana acaulis. Phlox stolonifera.
,,
Aster alpiniis. Tussilago I'ragrans. Achillea aurea.
montana.
fiagilis.
„ garganica. „ cajspitosa. Gaultheria procumbens.
sedoides.
crustata.
,,
„
Campanula
soboliferum.
Saxifraga Aizoon. cordifolia. „ crassifolia. „
Linum alpinum.
cinereum,
montanum.
,,
grandiliorum. tomentosuni.
,,
liirtuni.
„
Scliafta. „ Cerastium Biebersteinii.
„
necessary.
Plants for Naturalisation in 'places devoid of any hut on hare hanks, etc., and in foorisli soil. Vicia argentea. Orobus vernus.
,,
is
vegetation,
Dielytra eximia. formosa. ,, Cheirautlius alpiuiis.
„
Tlie ground some woodland places
establislied,
in
,,
graminea. immila.
,,
reticulata.
,,
nudicaulis.
,,
carpatica.
Jiahit
for the Wild Garden.
Pseonia, in great var. Papaver orientale.
„
vaccinifolium.
,,
bracteatum.
Althaea „ ,,
iicifolia.
nudiflora.
taurinensis
Thalictrum aquilegifolium.
Macleya cordata.
Lavatera Olbia.
Delphinium, in var. Aconitum, in var.
Datisca cannabina.
Galega
Crambe
cordifolia.
„
officinalis.
biloba.
SELECTIONS OF IIAEDY EXOTIC PLANTS. LathjTUS „
latifolius.
graudiflorus, and any others.
Lupinus polyphyllus. Tlierniopsis baiLata.
Alfredia cernua. Onopordon tauricum.
Asclepias Cornuti. „ Douglasii.
Centaurea babylonica. EchiuoiJS bannaticus. exaltatus. „
Verbascum
Spiraea Aruncus.
Moloposperniuni rium.
Ferula communis. „
glauca.
„
tingitana. sulcata.
„
Novi
„ „
pyrenanis.
,,
ericoides,
„
spinosus.
,,
spinosissimu.s.
Phytolacca deeandra.
Belgii.
Xovce
speciosa.
,,
Acantlius latifolius.
„ purpureus. Aster elegans. cicuta-
Chaixii.
Physostegia imbricata.
rutlienicu.s.
,,
Astilbe rivularis. rubra. „
Polygonum
Angliffi.
Sieboldii.
Rheum Emodi. and
any
other good kinds.
,, palmatuni. Achillea Eupatorium.
Eupatorium purpureum.
Bambusa
Statice latifolia.
Telekia cordifolia.
Peucedanura
Helianthus angustifolius.
Veratnim album. Yucca lilamentosa.
„
involucratum. „
Heracleum „
longifolium. Havesceus.
giganteum.
Dijisacus laciuiatus. Mulgedium Plumleri.
165
falcata.
,,
multiflorus.
, ,
flaccida.
,,
orgyalis.
,,
recurva.
,,
gloriosa.
Harpalium rigidum. Silphixim perfoliatum. Campanula, all the tall and
Peucedauum ruthenicum. Astragalus pouticus.
strong gi-owing kinds.
Hardy Plants with fine foliage
or (jraceful habit suitable for
Naturalisation. Acantlius, several species.
Verbascum
Asclej)ias syriaca. Statice latil'olia.
Spirfea Aruncus.
Polygonum cusi^idatum. sachalinense.
,,
Rheum Emodi, and
other
Panicum bulbosum.
Chaixii.
„
Astilbe rivularis. rubra. ,,
ErjTigium, several
si)ecies.
virgatum.
Dijisacus laciniatus. Alfredia cernua. Carliua acanthifolia.
Ferula, several species.
Telekia cordifolia.
Phytolacca deeandra. Centaurea babylonica.
Echinops exaltatus.
Datisca cannabiua.
Actcea, in var.
Helianthus orgyalis.
Veratrum album.
Cimicifuga racemosa. Peucedauum ruthenicum.
kinds.
Euphorbia
Cj'parissias.
Cranibe cordifolia.
Althwa taurineusis.
Heracleum, several species. Aralia japouica.
arenarius.
Elymus Bambusa,
,,
several species.
Arundinaria falcata.
multiflorus,
,,
and vars. Silybum eburueum. Mariauum. Onof)ordon Acanthium. , ,
edulis.
, ,
rutlienicus.
Macleaya cordata.
arabicuiu.
,,
Yucca, several species.
Plants for Hedge-hanJcs and
like Places.
Clematis in great var. Thalictrum aquilegifolium.
Baptisia australis. Coronilla varia.
Lathyrus latifolius albus. Lupinus polyphyllus.
Anemone
Galega officinalis, both white and pink forms. Galega bilolm.
(Enothera Lamarckiaua.
japouica
vars.
Delphinium, in var. Aconitum, in var. ]\Iacleaya cordata.
and
Rubus
biflorus.
Astilbe rivularis.
Astragalus ponticus.
Ferula, in var.
Lathyrus grandiflorus.
Campanula,
Kitaibelia vitifolia.
„
rotun<lifoIius.
Tropaeolum speciosum.
„
latifolius.
in great var. Calystegia daliurica. ,, pubescens.
THE WILD GARDEN.
166 Verbascnni f'lmixii. Pentsteniou liarljatus. Veronica, tall kinds in
Asparagus Broussoneti.
common kinds. Narcissus, common kinds
Vitis, in var.
Scillas, in
Pliloniis Russelliaiia.
van
Phytolacca decandra. Aristolochia Siplio.
Pliysostegia speciosa. „ virgiuica.
Fritillary, in var.
etc.
Trailers, Climbers,
The
officinalis.
,,
Honeysuckles, in var. Leucojum, in var.
Statice latifolia.
lierba-venti.
„
Acanthus spinosns. Lilies,
var.
selection of plants to cover bowers, trellises, railings, old trees,
stumps, rootwork, fitted for these
etc.,
suitably,
cipitous banks, flanks of rustic
or
cottages
is
important, particularly as the plants
purposes are ecpially useful for rough rockwork, pre-
outhouses, and
bridges,
river-banks, riiins,
other
many
uses
in
covering
garden, pleasure-
ground, or wilderness. Clematis, in great variety, both sjjecies and hybrids. Calystegia dahurica. ,, puliescens plena.
Ampelojisis bipinnata.
Isabella.
Wistaria sinensis.
Jasminuni nudiHonim.
,,
Labrusca.
,,
laciniosa.
Asparagus Broussoueti. Periploca grreca. Hablitzia tamnoides.
Vitis
ffistivalis.
„
amooriensis.
,,
cordifolia.
,,
heterophylla variegata
„
„ „
riparia. Sieljoldii.
vinifera apiifolia.
,,
vulpina. Aristolochia Sipho.
Boussingaultiabaselloides. Meuispermum canadense.
Cissus orientalis.
tomentosa.
,,
„ ,,
Coronaria.
,,
fulgens.
„
,, ,,
trifolia.
amplexicaulis.
montanus. ,, Helleborus niger. ,, olympicus.and
many
other
many
,,
orientale.
Dielytra eximia. spectabilis. lutea.
,,
Cheiranthus alpinus. Cheiri.
Aubrietia, various.
Alyssum
saxatile.
Iberis corifolia.
„
sempervirens.
,,
correai'folia.
Saponaria ocymoides. Silene aljiestris.
kinds.
Epimedium pinnatum
Aral)is.
Viola cornuta.
kinds.
Erantlus hyemalis. Aqnik'gia vulgaris. PiKonia,
bracteatum.
,,
Ranxuiculus aconitifolius. ,,
,,
,,
.
cordata.
,,
hederacea. tricuspidata.
,,
,,
officinale.
,,
revolutuni.
Passitlora ccerulea.
Lonicera Caprifolium. „
confusa.
,,
tlava.
„
japonica.
Periclymenum.
,,
Floirers for Naturalisation.
Corydalis capnoides.
Hepatica. ranuncnloides.
,,
Summer
Pajiaver croceum.
alpina.
„ sulphurea. apennina. blanda.
„
pubescens.
,,
Sfriny and early
Anemone
virginicum.
,,
,,
,,
Arenaria montana. Ononis fruticosa.
Vicia argentea. Orobvis flaccidus. ,,
cj'aneus.
„
lathyroides. variegatns. vernus.
,,
„
Centranthus ruber. Centaurea montana. Doronicum caucasicum. Thlaspi latifolium. Hesperis matronalis. Erica carnea.
Viuca major. Gentiana acaulis. Phlox reptans. Pulmonaria grandiflora. mollis.
,,
Symphytum ,,
Myosotis
boliemicum. caucasicum.
dissitiflora.
SELECTIONS OF HARDY EXOTIC PLANTS. Omphalodes verua.
Iris variegata,
Verbascuni Cliaixii. Dodecatlieon Jeffrey!. Meadia. ,,
other kinds. Crocus aureus.
Cyclamen Cyclamen
,,
liederDefolium.
,,
many Ornithogalum umbellatum. Seilla aiiHi'iia.
susianus, and others.
Primula, in var.
many
Narcissus angustifolius.
Iris amceiia.
Allium neapolitanum.
tlorentina.
,,
.,
gernianica.
,,
moutanus.
,,
graminea.
, ,
odorus.
saiiilnieina.
„
sub-billora.
sibii'ica.
iucomparabilis. major.
,,
,,
,,
italica.
,,
Bulbocodium.
„
oeliroleiica.
„
bicolor.
Haveseens.
]iallida.
patula.
,,
De
„
cainiianulata.
,,
, ,
oristata.
„
,,
,,
Hyacinthus amethystinus. Muscari botryoides. „ mosehatum, and
„
Bergii.
bifolia
,,
speciosus. versicolor.
,,
enroi)aniiii.
aiul
-lC^7
various others.
,,
ciliatnm.
Tulipa Gesueriana.
,, poeticusfe vars. Galautlms, in var.
, ,
suaveolens.
, ,
scabriscapa
many
Leueojum inilchellum. ,,
veruum.
and
others.
Fritillaria, in var.
Bulbocodium vernuin.
Paradisia Liliastriim.
Plants for Naturalisation beneath specimen Trees on Lawns,
etc.
Where, as is fref|uently the case, the branches of trees, both and this, as a rule, they evergreen and deciduous, sweep the turf shoukl be allowed to do where they are planted in ornamental
—
—
a great nunil)er of pretty sjiring flowers may be naturalised grounds beneath the branches, where they thrive without attention. It is chiefly in the case of deciduous trees that this could be
done
;
but
even in the case of conifers and evergreens some graceful objects might be dotted beneath the outermost points of their lower branches. However, it is the specimen deciduous tree that
oft'ers
us the best opportuni-
We know that a great number of our spring flowers way. and hardy bulbs mature their foliage and go to rest early in the year. They require light and sun in spring, which they obtain abundantly ties in this
under the deciduous leaves under
it
tree
;
they have time to flower and develop their then, as the
before the foliage of the tree appears
;
summer
heats approach, they are gradually overshadowed by a cooL canopy, and go to rest undisturbed ; but, the leaves of the trees once fallen, they soon begin to appear again and cover the ground with
beauty.
An
example or two will perhaps explain the matter more
Take the
fully.
a spreading old specimen of any summer-leafing Scatter a few tufts of the winter Aconite beneath it, and leave
tree.
them
case
of, say,
In a very few years they will have covered the ground alone. every year afterwards they will spread a golden carpet beneath the and when it fades there will be no eyesore from decaying leaves tree ;
;
THE WILD GARDEN.
168 as there
would be on a border
Autumn,
—
no necessity for replacing the plants the tree puts forth its leaves, covering the ground till and in early spring we again see our little friend in all the
with others
;
In this way this vigour of his glossy leaves and golden buttons. pretty sjiring fiower may be seen to mucli greater advantage, in a
much more
pleasing position than in
tlie
ordinary
way
of putting
it
in
patches and rings in beds or borders, and with a tithe of the trouble. There are many other subjects of which the same is true. We have
only to imagine this done in a A'ariety of cases to see to what a beautiand novel result it would lead. Given the bright blue Apennine Ane-
ful
mone under one
tree, the spring Snowflake under another, the delicate blue and pencilled Crocuses, and so on, we should have a sjjring garden of the most beautiful kind. Tlie same plan could be carried out imder
the branches of a grove as well as of sjiecimen trees.
Very attractive mixed plantations might be made by dotting tall subjects like the large Jonquil (Narcissus odorus) among dwarf spreading jjlants like the Anemone, and also by mixing dwarf plants of various colours :
diversely
cohjured
varieties
of
the
same
species
of
Anemone,
for
example.
Omitting the various pretty British plants that would thrive in the tliese are not likely to be unknown to the reader
positions indicated
—
interested in such matters
—and
confining the selection to dwarf, hard}', the following are selected as among the most suitable for such arrangements as that just described, with some little exotic
flowers
alone,
attention as to the season of flowering and the kind of soil recj[uired by some rather uncommon species. late- flowering kind, for example,
A
shoiild be planted
under
late -leafing trees,
or towards the points of
their branches, so that they might not be obscured the tree before peifecting their flowers.
Auemone
by the
leaves of
SELECTIONS OF HARDY Plants
Eupatorium, in
Astilbe riviilaris. Aralia edulis. mulicaulis. â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
Ficaria grandiflora.
ffinotliera, large kinds.
var.
Oini)lialodes verna. On()j)ordon, in var.
Galax apliylla. Galega officinalis. Gentiana asclepiadea. Heliantlius
Phlomis lierba-venti.
single and double forms. Heliantlius orgyalis.
Baptisia exaltata.
rigidus. Helonias bullata. ,,
luuljellatu.s.
C'alla palustris.
Caltlia palustris
ti.
pi.
iiarnassit'olius.
Solidago, in var.
var.
Liatris, in var.
Lythnim
Spirrea Aruncus. Statice latifolia.
super-
(roseuni
Miniulas, in var.
Cyx)ripediuin
Moloposperiuuni rium.
Silpliiuui, in var.
Swertia pereunis. Telekia speciosa.
bum).
Ci'inuni cai)ense.
Ecliinops, in var. Elymns, in var.
,,
Heracleum, in
large kinds. Convallaria multiflora.
sjiectaljile.
Rudbeckia liirta. Ranunculus ainplexicaulis. Sanguinaria canadensis.
Iris ochreleuca.
Datisca cannaMna.
Pliysostegia speciosa. Phytolacca decantlra.
Hemerocallis, in var.
Campanula glomerata, and
Colcliicum, in var.
Russelliana.
â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
multitlorus,
Aspliodelu.s ranio.-ius. Aster, in var.
Butonms
11)9
very vioist rich Soils.
for.
Altliffia, in var.
Artemisia, in var. Asclepias Cornuti.
PLANTS.
EXO'I'K'
cicuta-
Tlialictruin, in
vai-.
Mulgedium Plumieri.
Trollius, in var. Vaccinium, in var.
Narcissus, stronger kinds.
Veratrum, in var.
Epilobium, in var.
Plants suited for Peat Alstroemeria, in var. Calluna, in var.
Funkia
Chimaijbila maculata. Clirysobactron Hookeri. Coptis trifoliata. Cornus canadensis.
Galax
C3'pripedium spectabile. Dentaria laciniata. Daj^line C'neorum.
Iris
Soil.
Sieboldii.
Podophyllum Emodi.
grandiflora.
Polygala Chanuebuxus.
,,
Pyrola, in var.
apliylla.
Gaultlieria procumbens. Gentians, in var.
Hardy Heaths, in var. Ramondia pyrenaica.
Helonias bullata.
Sisyriuchium
midicaulis,
and
puniila,
grandiflo-
rum.
JettVrsonia diphylla.
Spigelia marilandica. Trieutalis euro])?ea.
Dryas octopetala.
Linntea borealis.
Trillium grandiflorum.
Epigffia repeus. Epimediuni, in var.
Podophyllum
Lilies, in var.
vars.
peltatuni.
Plants suited for Calcareous or CJialbj Adenophora,
in var.
^thionema, in var. Anemone, in var.
Dorycnium sericeum. Dianthus, in var. Ecliium, in var.
Alyssum,
in var.
Erodium, in
Antliyllis
montana.
Genista, in var.
var.
Antirrhinum, in var.
Geum,
Cistus, in var. Cheiranthus, in var.
Geranium, in
Camiiauula, in ^ar.
var.
Gypsoj^hila, in var. in var.
Carduus eriophorus. Cerastium, in var.
Lunaria biennis.
Corouilla, in var.
Lupinus
Onobrychis, in var. Ononis, in var. Ol)hrys, in var.
Othonna
cheirifolia.
Phlomis, iu var. Prunella grandiflora.
in var.
Hedysarum, Helianthemum,
Soil.
in var.
]iolypliyllus.
Santolina, in var.
Sapouaria ocymoides. Saxifraga (the encrusted and the large-leaved kinds). Scabiosa, in var.
THE WILD GARDEN.
170 Sempervivuni, in var.
Sednm,
in var.
Trachelium coeruleum.
Vicia, in var.
Trifolinm alpinum.
Vittadenia trilolia. Waklsteinia trifoliata.
in var.
Triteleia uniflora.
Tliermopsis fabacea.
Tunica Saxifraga.
Symphytum, Thymus,
geoides.
Vesicaria iitriculata.
in var.
Plants suited for
Dry and
Gravelly Soil.
Achillffia, in var. iEthionema cordifolium.
Dorycnium sericeum. Eehium, in var.
Agrostemma coronaria. Alyssum saxatile.
Erodium, in var. Eryngium, in var.
Onobrychis, in var. Ononis, in var. Ornithogaluni, in var. Plumljago Larpenta?.
Antennaria dioica. Anthyllis montaua. Antirrhinum rujiestre. Arabis albida.
Eui3horl)ia Myrsinites.
Polygonum
Fumaria, in var. Geranium, in var. Gypsophiha, in var.
Santolina, in var.
Aubrietia, in var.
Heliantlieinum, in var. Heliehrysum arenarium.
Armeria cephalotes. Artemisia, in var. Cerastium, in var. Carlina acanthifolia.
Cheiranthus, in var. Chrysopsis mariana. Cistus, in var.
Corydalis, in var.
Dianthus, in var. Dracocephaluni, in var. Dielytra eximia.
Selection of Plants for Achillea tomentosa.
vaccinifolium.
Scabiosa, in var.
Sedum, in great var. Sempervivum, in great var.
Jasione perennis.
Saponaria ocymoides. Stachys lanata. Tencrium Chamaxlrys. Thlaspi latifoliuni.
Lavandula
Thymus,
Hypericum,
in
vai'.
Iberis, in var.
spica.
Lupinus polyphylhis. Modiola geranioides. Narcissus, in var. Nepeta Mussinii.
Growing on Old
in var.
Trachelium, in var.
Linaria, in var. Liuum, in var.
Tussilago fragrans. Farfara variegata. â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
Verbascum, in
var.
Vesicaria utricxilata.
JFalls, Ruins, or
Bochj
Slopes.
SELECTIONS OF HAEDY EXOTIC PLANTS. Sedum album.
171
Sempervivuni tectonim.
Seduni liispaniciim.
aiiglicuiu. arenariuiii.
„
kair.scliaticum.
Sileiie alpestris.
,,
iiiontaiuun.
brevifoliuin.
„
limit iceps.
californicum.
,,
piliferuiu.
„ rupe.'<tris. Scliafta. „ Sj'mphiaiidra iiciidula.
„ „
iiulclinini.
cceruleuni. (lasypliylluni.
Tlilaspi alpestre. Thymus citriodorus.
sempervivoides.
Tiicliomanes, and
Sempervivuni araclinoid-
elegans. Ewersii.
eiiiii.
farinosum.
„
sobolifenim.
.,
spuriiim.
Heuffelli.
,,
sexaiigiilare.
liirtuni.
„
sexfidum.
globiferum.
A
Selection of
Godetia tenella.
Eschsclioltzia californica.
Platystenion californicum.
Clarkia elegans. „ pulchella.
Matthiola annua.
Eucharidium
„
„
bicornis.
conciunum
Amberboa
moscliata. odorata.
„ Heliantlius aunuus.
Iberis coronaria.
Xatiiralisation.
Polygonum orientale. Panicum capillare. Bromus briza:^formis. Briza maxima. „ gracilis. Agrostis nebulosa. Matthiola, in var.
granditlorum.
Arabis arenosa. Alyssum inaritimum.
saxatilis.
Vesicaria utriculata.
Annual and Biennial Plants for
Papaver somuiferum.
var.s.
Tunica Saxifraga. Umbilicus clirysantluis. Veronica fruticulosa.
Lunaria biennis.
umbellata. „ Malcolraia maritima. Erysimum Perotfskianum.
Gilia cajiitata.
Gypsopliila elegans.
Collomia cocciuea.
Saponaria calabrica. Silene Armeria.
Leptosiplion androsaceus. densiflorus. „
Viscaria oculata.
Nicandra pliysaloides.
Dipsacus laciniatus.
Collinsia bicolor.
Silybum eburneum. Onopordum, in var. Campanula Medium. rosea. „ „ Yerbascum phlomoides.
Malope
trifida.
Limnantlies Doiiglasii.
Ononis viscosa. (Enotliera odorata.
Godetia Lindleyana. rubicuuda. „
Dinioi'ijliotlieca pluvialis.
tricolor.
,,
,,
verna.
Dracoceplialum nutans. moldavicum. ,, Blituni capitatum.
Hesperis matronalis. Erysimum asperum. Silene pendula. Hedysarum coronarium. CEnotliera Jaiiiesi.
Oenothera Lamarckiana.
Grasses for Naturalisation: Agrostis nebulosa. Briza maxima. Brizopyrum siculum.
Bromus
brizseformis.
Some
Hordeuni jubatum.
Polypogon monspeliensis. Stipa gigautea.
Panicum virgatum. „
bulbosum.
,,
capillare.
of (jur nnliler grasses, like tlie
„
jiennata.
^lilium multiflorum.
Pampas and
tlie
New
Zealaml
have not the qualities of perfect hardiness ami power nf increase without care in our climate, which would entitle them to a place in
reeds,
these selections.
They belong
to the
garden
propt-r.
Aquatic Plants for Naturalisation.
Nuphar
advena.
Nymphffia odorata.
C'alla palustris.
Poutederia cordata.
Aponogeton distachyon. Orontium aquaticum.
THE WILD GARDEN.
172
Hardy Bulbs for Allium Molj'. fragrans. ,
iieapolitaniiiii. ciliatuiu.
,
,,
Naturalisation.
Cyclamen, in var. Eiytlironium Dens-canis.
Narcissus, iu great var,
Fritillaria, in var.
Scilla, in var.
Ornithogalum, in var.
Gladiolus communis.
Snowdrops,
Hyacinthus ametliystinus.
Sparaxis jndclierrima. Sternbergia lutea. Tricliouema ramitlorum.
in var.
Brodifea coiigesta. Bulbocodium venmiii.
Iris, in
Camassia esculenta.
Leucojum, in
Crinum capense.
Lilium, in var.
Triteleia uniflora.
Crocus, in gi-eat var. Coldiicuni, iu var.
Merendera Bulbocodium.
Tulijia, in var.
great var. var.
Muscari, in var.
List of Plants for Naturalisation in Laicns not frequently
This must of necessity be a limited
foliage large
enough
to
Bulbocodium vernum. ColcliicTim, in var. Cyclamen liederaifolium.
Sno\vdroi)s,
all.
Leucojum veruuni. Scilla bifolia.
,, ,
,
, ,
much
Anemone , ,
ranunculoides. blanda.
,,
trifolia.
tufts or
Narcissus minor. bicolor.
, ,
Bulbocodium.
,,
Antennaria dioica rosea. Antlij'llis montana. Dianthus deltoides.
sibirica.
Helichrysum arenarium.
amcena.
Iris reticulata.
apennina.
to sul)jects
and not form
injure the turf.
italica.
Anemone
other Grassy Places
—being confined
season,
Erodium romanum. Fumaria bulbosa.
alba.
,,
list
grow and flower early in the
tluit will
and
mown.
juncifolius, and many others.
,,
Sternbergia lutea. Hyacinthus ametliystinus.
Merendera Bulbocodium. Muscari, iu var. Trichonenia ramiflorum.
Linum alpinum.
Climbing and Tioinincj Plants for Thickets, Copses, Hedgerows, and Ampelopsis bipinnata. ,,
cordata.
,,
hederacea.
tricuspidata. Apios tnberosa. Aristolochia Sipho. tomentosa. „ AsparagTis Broussoneti. Calystegia dahurica. Cissus orientalis. , ,
Clematis flammula. ,,
montana.
Clematis Viticella,
and
others.
„
„ „
Periclymenum.
Menispermum canadense. „
officinale.
virginicum.
Perijjloca grasca. Roses, single, in great var.
Lathyrus grandiflorus. ,,
Louicera japonica. ,,
Hablitzia tamnoides. Jasminum nudiflorum.
Trees.
latifolius.
Smilax, hardy kinds.
rotundifolius.
Tanms communis.
tuberosus
and
Tropaeolum pentaphyllum.
others.
Louicera Ca|irifolinm. „
confusa.
,,
tlava.
„
speciosum.
Vitis, various.
Wistaria frutesceus. „
sinensis.
These selections are only proposed as aids to those dealing with The most valuable selection and best guide to the special positions. material for the lieginner will be found in Chapter XIV., on the principal types of Hardy Exotic Plants for the wild garden.
RABBITS AND WOODS.
173
RABBITS AND WOODS. This sad subject has been kept for the hx.'^t, as the only disa<i;reeAll I have to say of able one in connection with the wihl garden. but the following it is, there should be no rabbits in the wild garden ;
suggestions
may
prove
useful.
The
subject should be presented in a practical light to landowners and preservers of game, and if it can be shown that the preservation,
on an estate
or rather toleration, of rabbits
a dead loss both to the
is
more active measures would proprietor and his tenants, probably It is incalculable the injury they
taken for their extermination. trees alone
young
indeed, where they j^revail there
;
up cover except destructive, if they damage
getting
at
an
exti'avagant
trees at all
;
and
is
cost.
it is
said
l)e
do to
no chance of
Hares are
less
by experienced
gamekeepers that they never thrive so well where rabbits abound.
them away by eating down the in the way of shelter in their existence to cover so necessary evergreen Pheasants will not remain in a wood where there is not winter.
And
as regards pheasants, they drive
shelter of this kind
;
and nothing are they more
partial to than the
Holly, which ought to abound in every wood, but which the ralibits Here are two sorts of game hares and pheasants which destroy first. have enough of, and the existence of which is directly never can many
—
interfered with
by the
expense of the latter
they should be encouraged at the speak of the expense incurred year after
rabbits
—not
to
—
;
year making up losses in plantation, and the expense of wire-netting and labour, etc., in protecting the trees. The extermination of rabbits is not such a difficult matter as might be imagined. was determined here a few years since to reduce their numbers to a minimum on the farm lands and woods, it did not require more than a couple of years to do so by shooting and ferreting during the
in this country
When
season estate
it
and
are
they — an extensive ;
now
principally confined to one part of the much use for any other
tract of waste land not of
I feel pretty certain that a few active poachers would underpurpose. take to clear an estate of its rabbits in a marvellously short time, and would be glad to pay a handsome consideration for the privilege of
loing
ci
and
so.
it is
crops,
—
In whatever degree rabbits contribute to our food supply much they certainly destroy a great quantity of our coin
—
not
and are no
profit to
gentlemen or game preservers, and there
is
therefore no excuse for their existence.
Hungry
rabbits, like
hungry dogs
or starving
men, will eat almost
THE WILD GAEDEN.
174
anything that can be masticated and swallowed.
Rabl)its, as a rule,
wholesome
prefer to nibble over a pasture that contains short, sweet,
grass, and a proportion of clover, dandelion, and daisies, but in and about woods where rabbits are numerous, the grass, from Ijeing closely and constantly eaten off, gradually disappears, and at the approach of
winter
is
substitute
than
;
succeeded by moss, a very cold, watery, and innutritions then rabbits are diiven to seek food from other sources
and the bark of small
grass,
trees,
the leaves, stalks, and bark of
shrubs, and the protruding roots of forest trees, are eaten almost indis-
Amongst evergreen shrubs, rhododendrons and box are criminately. generally avoided, but I have known newly-planted hybrid rhododendrons to be partly eaten l)y rabbits. The elder is distasteful, and American barked
azaleas
avoided.
are
I
and periwinkle, which
is
Yew
have frecpiently seen
mahonias are devoured in these woods
;
named amongst
eaten to the ground in severe weather.
ral)bit-proof plants,
Some
trees
as soon as planted
of the bulbs
is
;
generally
and flower-
ing plants named l)y your correspondent may well escape in winter, because they are not seen above ground, and where they grow, other
more agreeable herbage appears,
so their immunity consists in being Wliere rabbits are permitted, the fact hungry that they require food daily, like other creatures, should be recognised. In the absence of wholesome food they will eat simply what they can
inaccessible in a
A
time.
certain portion of grass land should be retained for
them and
managed accordingly a few acres might be wired round, more explicit, surrounded with wire-netting, to the exclusion
of rabbits,
get.
;
be
or, to
when it could l)e thrown open cannot be done, and frosty weatlier sets in, when the mischief to shrubs is consummate<l, trimmings of quick hedges should be scattered about, and an allowance of turnips, carrots, or
until the apju'oach of wintry weather, for them.
If this
mangold wurzel made and doled out daily rabbits
experience established.
I
in
planted trees
newly have even had the fronds prefer
bad weather.
and shrubs
of newly-planted
Filix-fcomina eaten, while other ferns have been untouched.
one hint
I
may
In to
my
those
Athyrium There
is
certain breeds of give your rabbit-preserving readers wild rabbits are much more prone to bark trees than others. The :
barking of trees is an acquired propensity more common to northI should advise the destruction of those country rabbits than others. rabbits
whose propensity for shrubs is very marked, and try warren or rabbits from the south of England Imt the best advice I can
common give
is to
have no rabbits at
all.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
;
J. S.
RABBITS AND WOODS.
A
correspoiuleiit
who
lias
175
given niucli attention to tlie subject among the most rabh it-proof of
(Saliiioniceps) gives the following, as
plants
:
—
"
Most
of the Lily family are," he says, " rejected
by them,
including Daffodils, Tulips, Snowdrops, Sno-\vflakes, Lilies, Day Lilies, Asphodels, and others, and they cannot Ije too extensively plaiitt-d ;
but even in that tribe the Crocus (which is also named in the article I gave in an early nmuber of in cj^uestion) is greedily devoured.
your paper (see pp. 9 and 88, Yol.
I.)
—a
—
list
of all rabbit-proof trees,
shrubs, and flowers then kno\ra to me, and I regret that, though keeping a watch ujion the subject, I have not been able to add a single species to
tlie list
AndrosEemum
given below."
officinale.
FINIS.
INDEX. Acanthus, 120 Aceitlent, a beautiful, ol
Achillea, 122 Achilleas, large white, 53 Aconite, the Winter, 139 Aconitum, 121 Adam's Xeedle, 162 Ajuga, 122 Alkanet, 125 Allium, the Wliite, 123 Allium, the Yellow, naturalised, 42 Alstra;nieria, 123 Althaea, 123, 150 American Cowslip, 136 American Swamp Lily, 64 American Wliite Wood Lilv, 59 Ampelopsis, 130 Anchusa, 125 Anemone, 124 Anemone, Blue Apennine, 17 Anemone fulgens, 23 Anemones in the Riviera, 25 Anthericum, 125 Antirrhinum, 125
Apennine Anemone,
7
Aquilegia, 125 Arabis, 126 Arenaria, 126 Arenaria balearica on a wall, 88 Aristolochia Sipho, 129 Arum, 127 Arundo Donax, 155 Asclepias, 128 Asphodel, 127 Aster, 128 Astragalus, 129 Astrantia, 129 Atragene Alpina, 30 Aubrietia, 129
Bamboo, 130 Rjmbusa, 130 Baptisia, 130 Barren-wort, 13S Bear's Breech, 120 Bedding System, Bee Balm,'l50
the, 2
BeU-flower, 130 Bindweed, 134 Bindweed, a South European, 135 Bindweed, large white, 39 Bitter Vetch, 151 Blood-root, 15
Bloodwort, 157 Blue Ajiennine Anemone, 17 Blue Rock Cress, 129 Bog Garden, 77 Bog Gardens, 67
Columbine, 125 Columbine, the Siberian, 126 Columbines in Grass, v Comfrey, 157
Bohemian Comfi-ey,
Lujiine, 146 Copse, Lily of the Vallev in a, 63 Copses, 30 Coral-wort, 135 Cornus canadensis, 133 Coronilla varia, 135
11
Borage, 12
Borage family,
'.i
Borago, 130
Borago cretica, 13 Bramble, 155 Bramble, the Xootka, 40 Brookside Gardens, 67 Bugle, 122 Bulbs, hardy, for naturalisation, 172 Bulbs an<l Tubers in grass, 15
Calla
palustris, 135 Callirhoe, 150 Calystegia, 134
Campanula, 130 Candjimft, Evergi'een.
14.'.
Cape Pond Wee(l, 75 Catch-fly, 157 Caucasian Comfi-ey, Celastrus, 46 Centaurea, 131
9,
Cow
Parsnips, 143
Crambe, 134 Crane's Bill, wild, 94 Creeping Forget-me-not, 151 Cretan Borage, 13 Crocus, 132 Crocuses, 17 Crocuses in turf, 20 Culture in Woods, 64 Cyclamen, 133
Cypripedium spectabile, 133
on
grass, 87
Colchicum, 132 Colony of iljTi-his odorata, 51 Colony of Xareissus in shrubbery, 57 Colony of Summer Snowflake, 119
N
Cotton Thistle, 151 Cow Parsnip, the Giant, 35
den, 134 C\i>erus longus, 73
Cejihalaria, 157 Cephalaria procera, 33 Cerastium, 131 Cheddar Pink, 91 Cheddar Pink, Saxifrage, etc., on wall, 89 Cheiranthus, 131 Christmas Rose, 143 Clematis, 133 Clematis erecta, 133 Clematis flammula, 21 Clematis, large white, on Yew tree, 44 Clematis, the mountain, 22 Clematis, the White-flowered European, 133 Climbei-s, 166 Climbing plants crueitied, 45 Climbing plants for WiW Garden, 8
isolated
Common
Cyclamen, 1%-j-leaved, 5 Cyclamens in the Wild Gar-
10
Centiauthus ruber, 131
Climbing Rose
Comfreys, 11
Daffodil, 151
Day Day
Lily, 143 Lily by margin of water,
76
Delphinium, 136 Dentaria, 135 Dianthus, 137 Dielytra, 136 Digitalis, 137
Digging shrubbery borders, 51
Ditches, 36
Dodecatheon, 136 Dog's-tooth Violet, 139 Doronicuni, 136 Drapery for trees and bushes, 43 Dug and mutilated shrubbery in St. James's Park, 111 Dwaj-f Cornel, 133
EcHixops, 138
EUacombe, Rev. H. the Rose, 81 Bnothera, 151 Epigtca rcpens, 138
X.,
on
INDEX.
178 Eiiinieiliuiu, 138
Eranthis
Hejiatica angulosa, 24 Hepatiea, common, 25 Heracleum, 143 Herb Paris and Solomon's Seal in copse by streamlet, 67 Hespei'is, 145 Honesty, 146 Honeysuckle, 147 Hop, the, 46 Houseleek, 158 Mr., on tree drapery, Hovev, ' 47 Hyi)ericum, 145
l:!',i
liyeiiialis,
Erica, 138
Eryngiiim, 138 ErythroiiiuiH, 139 P^uiiatoriuiu, 137 <
Evening Primrose, 151 Evening Primrose at niglit,
4
Evergreen Candytnft, 145 Everlasting Pea,' 148 Exotic and Britisli Wild Flowers in the Wild Gai-den, 17
MeadowRue in Wild Garden, 1 Meadow Rues, 31 Meadow Saffron, foliage of, 132 Menispermum, 47 Menziesia, 138 Mertensia virginica, 12 Milk Vetch, 129 Mimulus, 148 Mocassin Flower, 133 Molopospermum, 149 Monarda,
1.50
Monkey-flower, 148 Monksiiood, 121 Moonseed, 47
Ferula, 140
Iberis, 145
Mountain Clematis, 22 Mouse-ear, 131
Flame Flower, 159
Illustrations, list of, xi Indian Cress, showy, 160
Mowing Grass, 17 Mulgedium Plumieri,
Ferns, 141 Fleur de Lis, 145 Flowers, Si>ring
and
early
Iris,
145
Summer, 166 Japan Anemone in the Wild Garden, 23 Jajian Knotweed, 152 Japan Sedum in Wild Garilen, 92
Forget-me-not, 149 Forget-me-not, Creeping, 151 Foxglove, 137 Fritillaria, 140
Fumaria, 136 Fumitory, 136 Fumitory, the
Yellow,
on
Knap-weed,
Funkia
Sielioldi,
131
group
of,
nies in, 30 Grass, Star of Bethlehem
Large-flowereil Clematis, 101 Large-leafed Saxifrage, 97 Larkspurs, ]>erennial, 27 Lathyrus, 147
Lavender, Sea, 156 Leopard's Bane, 136 Leucojuni, 147 Liane in the north, 49 Ijilies through carpet
in
Hardv flowers by brook-side, 69
Heath, 138
Hedgerows, 36 Helianthemum, 144 Helianthus, 144 Hellebore in Wild Garden, 26 Helleborus, 143 Henierocallis, 143 Henii) Agrimony, 137
4
Orchard Wild Garden, 65 Ornithogalum, 151 Orobus, 151 O.xalis, 152
Ox-eye Daisy, the
tall,
154
White Wood,59
White W(.>od, 37 Lithospei'mum prostratum, Lily,
147 Longleat, Wild Garden Lonicera, 147 Lords and Ladies, 127 Luuaria, 146 Lungwort, 154
at, 61
Lungworts, 11 Lujiine, connnon, 146 ,
118
Nymphica, 151
()nii]iorilon, 151
of
Lilv of the Vallev in a copse, 63 Lily, Wood, 159 Lilv, Water, 151
the Wihl
Garden, 26 Gromwells, 11 Gypsophila, 142
Nootka Bramljlc, 40 Nuphar, 151 Nursery for Londim Pa 'arks.
Omphalodes, 151 Omphalodes \erna, 10
Liliuni, 146 Lily, 146 Lily, American Swaniji, 64
in,
5S
Pi Eveiung Prim-
(Enothera Lamarkiana,
White Arabis, 55
Lily, American
shrub-
of,
rose, 4
Large Achilleas, 53 Large Bindweed, 39
15 Grassesfrn- naturalisation, 171 Great Siberian ^egetation, type of, 35
Green Hellebore
England, woods
Niglit ettect of
Landwort, 126
Geranium, 141 Geranium, a hardy, 141 Geraniums in Grass, v Giant Comfrey, 13 Giant Cow Parsnip, 35 Giant Fennel, 140 Giant Scabious, 33, 135 Giant Sea-kale, 134 Globe Flower, 159 Globe Flower order, 21 Globe Flowers, 25 Globe Flowers, groiip of, 21 Globe Thistle, 138 Goat's Rue, 142 Golden Rod, 15ti Grajie Hyacinth, 148 Grape Hyacintlis, 17 Grass, double Crimson Pieo-
in
bery, 57
140
GALA>fTHl'S, 143 Galega, 142. (iardens of the future, 58 Gentian, 142
of,
51
New
Knautia, 157
Funkia, 139
Myrrh, 60 M\Trhis odorata, a colony Narcissus, 151 Narcissus, colony of,
Kitaibelia, 150
wall, 91
150
6,
Mullein, a tall, 161 Muscari, 148 Mvosotis, 149
PEONIES
in grass, 30
Pifcony, 153 Papaver, in var., 153
Partridge Berry, .sO Pea, 147 Pea, Everlasting, 148 Perennial Larksjiurs, 27 Perennial Larkspurs naturalised in slirubbbery, 28 Periwinkle, 161 Phlomis, 153 Physostegia, 154 Phytolacca decandra, 154 Piiik, 137
Lychnis, 147
Plants,
Annual and Biennial,
for nattiralisation, 171 I
Mallow,
Plants, Aquatic, 171
150
Malope, 1.50 Malva, 1.50
Marsh C'alla, 135 Marsh Mallow, 123 Marsh Marigold and early spring, 78 Masterwort, 129 .Matthiola, 149 May-flower, 138 Meadow Rue, 158
Iris
in
Plants chiefly fitted for the Wild Garden, 32 Plants, climbing and twining, for cojises, thickets, hedgerows, and trees, 172 Plants for l)are banks, 164 for calcareous or Plants chalky soil, 169 Plants, hardj-, with fine foliage, 165
INDEX. I'hiiits tor lieilgi'
like i>Iaces, I'laiits
-banks and
liif)
for moist
rit-li
soils,
for naturalisation bcon s]ie(.Mnicii trees lawns, 107 I'lants for naturalisation in
I'lants
iieatli
and
lawns
other
i;rassy
jilaces, ]7-
I'lants for iieat-soil, l(i'.i I'lants for the Gai'den, 120 I'lants of vi;;-orous lialiit for
WiM
the Wild Garden, liU Plants, selections of, for old walls, ruins, or roekv slopes, 170 Plants, selections nf hardy,
suited for gra\elly soil, 170
.Iry
Polygonum cuspidatum,
Shrubborj-, Perennial Larksi>urs naturalised in. 2S Sida, 1.50 Silenc, 157 12.S
Silkweed,
Siljihium, 144 Snakes-heail, 140
Snapdragon,
Virgin's.Bower, 21, 133 Virginian Creepers, 130 Virginian Poke, 1.54
12.')
17
Snowdrop,
Snowdroji - Anenioni'. i-olony of, in shrubbery not dug. 115 Snowdrojis, 14:! Snowdrojis, Wild, by stn-amlet,
142
.Snowflake, 17, 147 Soils, KiSi, 170
Waterside Gardens, 07
and
Speedwell, 102 Spiderwort, 15Si
White Climbing
S]iira'a,
1.5ii
44
150
Wild
Rose, 155
Roses for the Wild Garden,
Telekia
l:'.l
Reed, the Great, Results,
Rheum,
.
'.>2
16'j
Rhubarb, Riviera,
l.j")
15.">
Anemones
in the,
2'>
14:,
Rocket, Rosa, 155
heilgerows,
and
fences,
Rosy Coronilla, 1S5 Kullus, 155 Rinlbeckia. 144 Rusli, tlowei-ing,
7:'.
Sanguisakia canadensis, 157 Saxifraga, 15S Saxifrage, 15S
15;i
for, 43 'Mr.
Tritoma, group
Seillas, 17
H(i\ev on,
100
Tropitolum speciosuni, 100 1:J4
Tnliji,
Sea Lavender, 15ii Seduni, 157 Sem]>ervivum, 15S Shady Lanes, 30 digging
of, 51 of,
lis
oj-r-liai-d,
.Jajian .Knenicjue
in the, 23
Wild Garden, plants
cliicfly
fitted for, 32
Wild Garden, plants for, 120 Wild Garden in America. 100 W^ild gardening on walls or ruins, 88
Wild Garden, where
to obtain
plants, 120
Wild Orcliard, 05 Wild Rose on a Pollard
.\.sh,
Wild Vines. 4S Willow Herb, 7 Jlr. G. F.
culture,
,
and wood-
i;4
Windflower, 124 Winter Aconite, 15
Winter Heliotrope, 7 Wistaria, 45
Wood and herl)aceous Meadow-sweets, 105 Wood-culture, 04 Wood-culture at Bodoigan, 05 Lily, 159 Plants, American, 150
Woo<Irutf and Ivy, lOS Woods and woodlanil drives, 51
of Xew F.ngland, Wood Sorrel, 152 Wye Valley, 90
Woods
1.5H
Tunica, 142 Turf, Crocuses in, 20 Turk's Cap Lily, 19
Shrubbery bonlers,
Wild Garden,
Wood Wood of,
Trollius, 21, 25, 159
Sea-kale,' the Giant,
in the
05
Wilson,
Thickets, 30 Tiger Lilies in Wild Gai'ileu at Great Tew, US Tradescantla virgiuica, 150 Trailers, KiO Trees and Bushes, drajiery
47 Trillium, 159 Trit<ima, 159
''â&#x20AC;˘'â&#x20AC;˘
Sea Holly, VoS
Shrubbery, margin
Tew
Tree drapery,
Scabious, the Giant, Scabious, 157 Scilla, 157
over
Wild Garden,
S3 cordifolia,
Park, '.is Thalictrum, 15S
groups, SI in the Riviera, S5
Roses
in
140
Star of Bethlehem, 151 Star of Bethlehem in grass, 15 Starwort, 12n Statice, 150 St. Bruno's Lilv, 125 St. John's Wort, 145 Stock, 149 Stonecrop, 157 Sunflower, Perennial, 144 Suu Rose on limestone rocks, 144 Sun Roses, 104 Symphytum, 157
Rabbits and AVoods, 17.'i Reasons Jor the system, 4
White Lily Wild Garden
Squill, 157
154
Rose
old Catiilpa tree, S4 tlic
Garden, 7
l.'il
Pulnionaria, lo4
Red Valerian,
Water Dock, Great, 72 Water Lily, 151 Water Lilv, Yellow, 71 Water Plants, 70
102
Solidago,
Sjiring Flowers in
Pyrethrum serotinum,
Wai.i. Cress, 120 Wallflowei-, 131
White Arabis, Lilies coming n]> through carpet of, 55 White Clematis on Yew tree,
Pojipy, l.W
Primrose, K\vning,
Vetch, Bitter, 151 Viuca, 101 Vines, Wild, 48 Viola, 102 Violet, 102
Solomon's Seal, Is Sowbread, l:s:>
hi:!
I'lants
170
5S
V.\LLEY in Somersetshire, 70
Yarrow,
Verbascum, 101
Yellow Allium naturalised, 42 Yucea, 102
Veronica, 102
Printed hy R.
&
R. Clark-, Edinburgh.
122
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MEUESLEY COLLEGE
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SB 439
.
R5a laaa SC
Robinson,
W.
1838-1935.
The wild garden
WW SB 439
.
R5a 1883 I
Robinson,
W.
1838-1935-
The wild garden
'n