POLYPODIUM. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. PONTEDERIA. 641 



and it makes a fine feature on the turf or 

 in a spot where it can run about freely. 

 Sachalien. 



P. SPHAEROSTACHYUM. One of the 

 dwarfest and prettiest of the group, but 

 not always easy to grow. From a tuber- 

 ous root rise short semi-prostrate stems 

 with narrow leaves and drooping spikes 

 of blood-red flowers, continued through a 

 long season on a healthy plant. It in- 

 creases very slowly, and thrives best in 

 an open place in the rock garden, where 

 it can enjoy moisture in summer and yet 

 be dry in winter. Himalayas. 



P. VACCINIFOLIUM. Very distinct in 

 aspect, quite hardy, and thrives in almost 

 any moist soil, but is best seen where its 

 shoots can ramble over stones or tree 

 stumps. Under favourable conditions it 

 grows rapidly, and produces a profusion 

 of Whortleberry - like leaves and rosy 

 flowers in September and October, when 

 it is valuable in the rock garden. Hima- 

 layas. 



POLYPODIUM (Polypody] . This 

 large family of Ferns contains several 

 good hardy kinds, the principal being 

 the common P. vulgare, which has 

 about a score of cultivated varieties 

 differing more or less widely from each 

 other. The most distinct and beau- 

 tiful as well as the freest in growth 

 are cambricum, elegantissimum, pul- 

 cherrimum, and trichomanoides. P. 

 Barrowi and P. Prestoni, plumous 

 forms of P. cambricum, are handsome 

 and ornamental forms. Though pre- 

 ferring shade, they only need a good 

 supply of water at the root during 

 summer, and will thrive even exposed 

 to the full rays of the sun. Plant them 

 in fibry loam and tough and fibry peat, 

 with a liberal admixture of leaf-mould 

 and well -decayed woody matter, to 

 which add a thin top-dressing of similar 

 material every autumn. The ever- 



freen Polypodiums associate well with 

 owering plants that do not require 

 frequent removing, and they may be 

 made to cover bare spaces beneath 

 trees, or to overrun stumps. A beau- 

 tiful effect, too, is got by their use as a 

 carpet or setting to some of the plants 

 in the rock garden. Besides P. vulgare 

 and its varieties, there are several 

 deciduous kinds, such as P. dryopteris 

 (Oak Fern) , of which P. d. plumosum is 

 the best form, and P. phegopteris (Beech 

 Fern), well known to all Fern loveis. 

 They thrive best in peat, loam, and 

 sharp sand, with some broken lumps of 

 sandstone, and prefer a dry situation 

 in the rock garden, or any situation 

 which is not fully exposed to the sun. 

 A slightly shaded spot should be 



selected, where they might be planted 

 among flowering plants suitable for 

 the same treatment and affording the 

 needed shelter. P. Robertianum (Lime- 

 stone Polybody) is a beautiful de- 

 ciduous species somewhat difficult 

 to manage ; it should have a dry 



Polygonum vaccinifoliui::. 



sheltered position, does not mind 

 sunshine, and prefers a mixture of 

 sandy and fibry loam, with a plenti- 

 ful addition of pounded limestone. 

 P. alpestre resembles the Lady Fern, 

 with fronds dark green, and sometimes 

 exceeding 2 feet in length. It may 

 with advantage be grouped with Lady 

 Ferns, as it flourishes under similar 

 treatment. P. hexagonopterum, a 

 native of N. America, is hardy in 

 sheltered positions, and has elegant 

 tapering dark green fronds about i 

 foot in height. 



Polystichum. See ASPIDIUM. 



PONTEDERIA (Pickerel Weed}. P. 

 cordata is one of the handsomest 

 water plants, combining grace of habit 

 and leaf with beauty of flower. It 

 forms thick tufts of almost arrow- 

 shaped, long-stalked leaves, from i 

 to over 2 feet high, crowned with 

 spikes of blue flowers. P. angustifolia 

 has narrower leaves. Both should 

 be planted in shallow pools of water. 

 Division of tufts at any season. N. 

 America. 



2 S 



