30 HARDY PERENNIALS. 



reason why eveiy variety of plant employed for ornamental purposes, whether 

 annual, or perennial, should not be disposed in clumps or beds. But it is obvious 

 that for gardens of small extent, this system of planting is entirely inappropriate, 

 unless, indeed, one could be content with a very few distinct species, which very 

 rarely happens. 



The preservation, too, of bedding plants during the winter months, at least of 

 those of a tender character, involves some little trouble, and propagated, as many of 

 them are, by cuttings every season, single specimens are far too small to produce any 

 effect in the mixed flower border, or in beds of miscellaneous subjects. 



These remarks apply more particularly to those greenhouse plants, such as 

 Cupheas, Bouvardias, Lantanas, &c., lately recommended for bedding out; but a 

 large proportion of the plants used for this purpose we claim as hardy perennials, 

 for such they really are. These have long been with us the most favourite section 

 of the plants cultivated in the flower-garden, and it has always appeared to us a 

 matter of regret that so many of the older perennials should have been pushed 

 aside for subjects whose novelty constituted their sole claim to favour. 



We do not, by any means, affirm that it is desirable to exclude all plants 

 incapable of supporting without injury an English winter, but we have no 

 hesitation in saying that the number of hardy subjects is now so great, that no 

 difficulty whatever would be found in filling with them a garden of large extent, 

 without the assistance of any plants requiring winter protection, or only so much 

 as could be easily afforded without removing them from the soil. 



"We have no doubt that a brief reference to the best of these perennials will be accep- 

 table to those amateurs who, although ardent lovers of Flora's beauties, have too little 

 time at their disposal to give the requisite attention to the more tender class of plants. 



If we begin with Banunculaceous plants, we shall find in this order a considerable 

 number of really interesting subjects ; and in proof of which, it is only necessary 

 to name the Aquilegias, Delphiniums and Clematis. Of these three genera, there 

 are many species besides those commonly cultivated. 



The Aqtiilegia alpina has really noble flowers, and the species leptoceras, jucunda, 

 glandulosa, glauca, and fragrans (the two last with pale yellow blossoms), are highly 

 ornamental. 



Among the Delphiniums, are some of the stateliest of herbaceous plants, and 

 their intense azure flowers are not exceeded in beauty by the rarest exotic. 



The sweet scented Clematis flammula is common in gardens, but there arc many fine 

 species quite as easy of cultivation ; such are ccerulea, vitieella, and its double- variety, 

 austriaca, americana] (verticillaris) and orispa ; to which may be added the new 

 indmsa lobata, a remarkable species from New Zealand, and said to be nearly hardy 

 These are climbers, but there arc a few species of more restricted growth, of which 

 tuhdosa, erecta, and integrifolia arc the most worthy of cultivation. 



