THE FLOWER GARDEN IN WINTER. 161 



Apart from our evergreen shrubs, so happy as these are in many 

 parts of the British Isles, there are the oft-neglected evergreen rock 

 and herbaceous plants, such as Christmas Roses, 

 Evergreen Barrenworts, Heuchera, Alexandrian Laurel, the 

 plants. bolder evergreen Ferns, and the large Indian 



Rockfoils, Saxifraga, or Megasea. In early 

 winter these fine evergreen plants become a deeper green, 

 some forms getting red. They have been in our gardens 

 for years, but are seldom made a right use of. Thrown into 

 borders without thought as to their habits, and soon forgotten 

 or overshadowed by other things, we never get any expression 

 of their beauty or effect in masses or groups. If grouped in 

 effective ways, they would go on for years, giving us fine evergreen 

 foliage in winter. In addition to the wild kinds, a number of fine 

 forms have been raised in gardens of late years. Some thought 

 should be given to the placing of the large Rockfoils, their mountain 

 character telling us that they ought to be on open banks, borders, or 

 banky places exposed to the sun, and not buried among heaps of tall 

 herbaceous and miscellaneous vegetation. They are so easily grown 

 and increased that a little thought in placing them in visible masses 

 is the only thing they call for ; and the fact that they will endure 

 and thrive under almost any conditions should not prevent us from 

 showing how fine they are in effect when held together in any bold 

 way, either as carpets, bold edgings, or large picturesque groups on 

 banks or rocks. 



The Alexandrian Laurel (Ruscus racemosus) is a most graceful 

 plant, somewhat shrubby in character, with glossy dark green leaves 

 and Willow-like shoots. It is most free and happy on peaty and 

 friable soils, growing 3 feet or 4 feet high ; in winter the effect 

 is very good, and it is valuable for the house, to give a graceful and 

 distinct foliage to accompany various flowers at this season. It 

 grows very well in Ireland on the limestone. In clay soils it may 

 want a little encouragement, and it thrives well in partial shade. 



A noble winter flower where well grown, and lovely in its wild 



state in the foot-hills of the Alps, in Italy, and countries near ; 



happily, it flowers in our gardens very Well also, 



Christmas Rose, varying a little in its ways. The stout kind 



(H. maximus) flowers in the early winter in 



front of walls and in sheltered spots, and is hardy and free in 



ordinary soil. The true Christmas Rose (H. niger) is a little 



more particular ; it thrives much better on chalky and warm soils, 



and grows best on a northern aspect or shaded place ; and even 



in its own country the finest plants are found in places where it 



escapes the sun. These are true winter flowers ; but hardly less so 



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