Aquatic Plants, Hardy Ferns, Etc. 317 



Hardy Ferns 



There are many hardy species of large-growing ferns that 

 are beautiful and easily grown and especially suited for the 

 decoration of moist, shaded places. They thrive best in a 

 rather moist soil, but if in the shade many of them will grow 

 luxuriantly in even thin soil if some compost is put about 

 the roots in the fall. They are easily transplanted and 

 may be moved from the woods or roadside at almost any 

 time if a large clump of roots and soil is taken up, but 

 perhaps the best time is when they are beginning to grow 

 in the spring and early summer. Fig. 174. 



Among the best are Maidenhair Fern {Adiantum peda- 

 turn), Royal or Flowering Fern {Osmiinda regalis), 

 Cinnamon Fern {Osmunda cinnamonea), Interrupted Fern 

 (Osmiuida Claytoniaua), Wood or Shield Ferns (Dryopteris 

 marginale and spinidosa), Christmas Fern {Polysiichun 

 Gcrostichoidci,), Ostrich Fern {Onoclca struthiopteris), Rat- 

 tlesnake Fern {Botrychiiim virginiann7n), Bladder Fern 

 {Cystoptcris hidhijera). Polypody or Wall Fern {Poly- 

 podium vidgarc), and Woodsia Ilvcnsis and obtiisa are espe- 

 cially useful for rocks and dry wooded places. 



Ornamental Grasses 



Fig. 176 shows a very pretty grouping of grasses about 

 the underpinning of the house. 



A number of hardy and very ornamental grasses may play 

 an important part in home lawn decorations, either in 

 masses by themselves or planted with groups of other 

 decorative plants, trees, or shrubs. They are easily grown 

 from seed and propagated by division of the clump; one 

 clump of two or three years' growth may often be divided so 

 as to make a score or more plants. The great advantage 

 of these grasses is that most of them are perfectly hardy and 

 require but Uttle care. Among the best are the following: 



