THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ahii flatyer, but apt to be cut off in hard winters in some soils. 

 The Giant Fennels are most graceful early leafing things, thriving 

 admirably in sandy and free soils. Plantain Lilies (Funkia) are 

 important, and in groups their foliage is excellent. The Pampas 

 Grass is precious where it grows well, but in many districts is 

 gradually killed by hard winters. Where it has the least chance, it 

 should be planted in bold masses. The great leaved Gunneras are 

 superb near water and in rich soil. The giant Cow Parsnips are 

 effective, but apt to take possession of the country side, and are 

 not easily exterminated, and, therefore, should be put in with a 

 sparing hand in islands and rough places only. The large Indian 

 evergreen Rockfoils are fine in form, and in their glossy foliage are 

 easily grown and grouped in picturesque ways, and they are very 

 hardy. 



In sandy and free soils a handsome group of beautiful leaved 



things may be formed of Acanthus. The new Water-Lilies will 



help us much to fine foliage, especially in associa- 



Acanthus. tion with the many graceful plants, including 



certain hardy Ferns which may be grown near 



water, like the Royal Fern, which in rich soil and shade makes 



leaves as fine as any tropical Fern. In southern districts the New 



Zealand Flax is effective in gardens, and the great Japan Knotworts 



(Polygonum) are handsome in rough places in the wild garden, and 



better kept out of the flower garden. Some of the Rhubarbs, too, 



are distinct and handsome and very vigorous by the water side, 



where the great water dock often comes of itself. It is a stately 



genus, and though we may not find room for many in the garden, it 



may be easy to do so by the water .side or in rich ground anywhere. 



With our many fine-leaved plants from temperate and cool climes 

 it is possible to have beautiful groups of hardy fine-leaved plants, for 

 trees like the Ailanthus and Paulownia make almost tropical growth if 

 cut down close to the ground every year. We have also the hardy 

 Palm (Chamaerops), the Yuccas, and graceful Bamboos, and Siebold's 

 Plantain Lily (Funkia), and plants of a similar character. Amongst 

 those annually raised from seeds, and requiring only the protection 

 of glass to start them, we have much variety from the stately Castor- 

 oil plant to the silver Centaurea. Although tender plants in pots are 

 effective in summer in special positions, plants that cannot stand 

 out of doors from the beginning of June until the end of September 

 can hardly be called fit for summer gardening. Among the most 

 suitable are several kinds of Palm, such as Seaforthia elegans, 

 Chamaerops excelsa, and C. humilis ; Aralias, various ; Dracaenas, 

 do. ; Phormium tenax and its variegated form ; Yucca aloifolia, 

 Ficus elastica, and some Eucalyptus. Erythrinas make fine autumn 



