^n INTRODUCTION. 



quainted with species under different names, the syno- 

 nyms are added in all important cases in which I am 

 cognisant of a duplicity of names. 



The selections have been made freely, but by no 

 means exhaustively, from the various natural orders 

 comprising ornamental herbaceous and alpine plants. 

 Most of the old plants that were popular in British gar- 

 dens before the introduction of '* bedding -out," and 

 many beautiful new ones that have been introduced 

 since that time, are described in the body of the work. 

 Among the many considerations that influenced me in 

 making the selections, the chief were the claims of the 

 parterre, the mixed border, and rockwork ; our groves, 

 wild places, and waters ; and the important requirements 

 of amateurs and cottagers. 



Ample practical details of various means and methods 

 that may be employed in the culture and uses of her- 

 baceous and alpine perennials, are given under the va- 

 rious subjects in the body of the book, and more general 

 remarks on these points, and on methods of raising them 

 from seed, will be added further on in these introductory 

 pages. Before leaving matters prefatorial, it may be 

 proper to state here the circumstances which have led 

 to the appearance of the book, and the title on which 

 the author has presumed to address the gardening pub- 

 lic on the subject of which it treats. By natural bent, 

 and the force of somewhat peculiar professional circum- 

 stances, he is an earnest lover of herbaceous and alpine 

 plants. Whilst resident at Kew, his duties as manager 

 of the herbaceous department brought him into daily 

 contact with the thousands of species that form the 

 hardy collection in that establishment ; and in solving 



