178 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Jan. 



There is no other white flowered perennial of its season of bloom 

 which approaches it for beauty. It has a comparatively long 

 season of bloom for a spring flower, quickly becomes established 

 and multiplies rapidly. A ckimp of about three roots planted 

 ten years ago, now produces more than fifty flowers annually, 

 most of very large size. These could be used with splendid 

 effect in parks or private grounds if massed. 



The Virginian Cowslip, Mertensia ptdmouarioiies, or, as it 

 used to be called, Mertensia virginica, is another spring flowering 

 herbaceous perennial which should have a place in every garden. 

 The flowers which open at Ottawa during the second week of 

 May are of a lovely shade of pale blue and when in biid are pink 

 at the base. This plant soon withers after blooming and by 

 earlv summer is not seen above ground. 



Another charming wild plant which does well under culti- 

 \-ation is the Wild Sweet William or Blue Phlox, Phlox dwancata. 

 This blooms at Ottawa from the middle of May to June 10th, 

 and is one of the most admired plants at that time. The flowers 

 varv from soft tints of lilac to mauve, and a white variety is 

 found in western Ontario which is very beautiful. 



A dwarf phlox native of south-western Ontario is the Moss 

 Pink, Phlox subulata, blooming early in spring and particularly 

 useful for rockeries. It can be had now in many varieties. 



Although some of the best of the later blooming Columbines 

 are not natives of Canada, yet two of the best early species are 

 Aqiiilegia canadensis, and -4. r(9(:(:me"a, which, if not so common, 

 would be more appreciated. 



Among the first flowers to open after the snow goes is the 

 Prairie Anemone or Prairie Crocus, Anemone patens, var. 

 Nuttalliana. This is common in the prairie provinces. It is 

 very showy, even in small clumps, but if massed would be very 

 effective in earlv spring and be a contrast to the early flowering 

 bulbs, which are in bloom at the same time. 



One of the showiest native plants we have and particularly 

 attractive on account of its odd but pleasing colour, is the 

 Butterfly Weed or Pleurisy Root, Asclepias tuherosa. The 

 flowers are a bright orange and the plant remains in bloom from 

 early in July to earlv in August. 



The Oswego Tea or Bee Balm, Monarda didyma, is a native { ', 

 which is considerablv used in planting in the United States and y'; 

 could be used much more in Canada with good effect. The plant :* 

 being from three to four feet high and the flowers being bright M 

 crimson or scarlet, it is a striking object wherever planted. It '^ 

 blooms from early in Julv to September. While mentioning t.: 

 scarlet flowers one must not forget the Cardinal Flower, Lobelia 



s- 



