324 THE GARDENER. [July 



who bad seen it in fine condition ; but, as the plants forced had not 

 been properly prepared, the result was disappointing, and the pot- 

 culture of the plant was discontinued at the time. To see the Spiraea 

 in perfection as well as in quantity, one must visit Covent Garden on a 

 morning, or the window-boxes in front of the mansions of the West 

 End, where plants in small pots, bearing numerous feathery spikes of 

 flower of large size, attest the beauty of the plant under protection. 



Practically speaking, some one may perhaps ask, What inference is to 

 be drawn from these facts ; or if it be proposed to transfer our hardy 

 plants from the garden-border to the hothouse, in order to grow them 

 to perfection? to which the answer is No, of course ; but it is undoubted- 

 ly practicable, as well as highly desirable, to cultivate hardy plants under 

 glass in certain cases more than has yet been done. There are num- 

 bers of people possessing, perhaps, one or two glass-houses filled with 

 the usual assortment of indoor plants, that would have far better suc- 

 cess and satisfaction with a collection of hardy plants, that would cost 

 much less to begin with, and be far more easily grown and flowered. Such 

 thoughts as these have forced themselves upon visitors to the spring 

 and early summer shows on many occasions within the last few years, 

 since collections of hardy plants have grown to be a feature of exhi- 

 bitions. These collections, as can be seen at a glance, have not been 

 grown out of doors, but in cool frames or houses for the occasion, and 

 the display is proportionately fine. At some of the late exhibitions 

 the show of hardy plants was second to none, not even to the Orchids, 

 which beat them in the unique character and colouring of their indi- 

 vidual flowers, perhaps, but not in variety and general effect — did not 

 equal them in the latter respect, indeed. The display was rich in the 

 extreme, as the plants were well grown and flowered, and tastefully 

 arranged, but without any set-off except their own foliage. There were 

 brilliantly coloured Phloxes, Primulas, Saxifragas, red, white, and blue 

 Lupins — the latter grand plants in small pots, foliage and flowers per- 

 fect — Pyrethrums, double and single, some of the latter very con- 

 spicuous by their broad star-like flowers of intense crimson colour and 

 many other shades — Campanulas, Spiraeas, Potentillas, Aquilegias, Wall- 

 flowers, Iris, Liliums, Narcissus, Funkias, and many other things, present- 

 ing nearly every bright or pleasant shade, and all varieties of form. 

 Such collections give one an excellent idea how rich and effective a 

 flower-border of such plants may be made by a judicious selection 

 of such subjects. The varieties of hardy plants are innumerable 

 almost, but those which have only a botanical interest are not 

 wanted in beds of pretty flowers. The botanical garden which 

 displays the original types of the different species looks very different 

 from a collection of the same species represented by its cultivated 

 varieties, as a rule; for there are, of course, numbers of original forms 

 that are also attractive and showy. The cultivated and improved 

 hardy border-flowers stand in nearly the same relation to their primo- 



