IN MY LADY'S GARDEN 



Some of the tubs contain the splendid Japanese iris 

 (Kaempferi) sometimes called the king of the irises in 

 white and a variety of rich tints. Other tubs contain the 

 spiked Lobelia cardinalis, which enjoys more water than it 

 usually obtains in a border, but is not quite hardy in cold 

 districts ; also the graceful fronds of the Royal fern, 

 Osmunda regalis, with the still finer North American 

 varieties, Osmunda Claytoniana and O. cinnamomea, which 

 are equally hardy. These ferns make a fine centre to a 

 group, and can be surrounded by flowering plants, such as 

 the beautiful terrestrial orchid of Canada, the mocassin 

 flower (Cypripedium spectabile), with pink and white 

 slippers, with C. acaule and C. pubescens, all lady's slippers 

 in different tints. 



Arum lilies, too, will bloom in summer in the open air in 

 Devonshire, if retarded by planting them the year before, 

 and these are very effective : Marsh marigolds (Caltha 

 palustris), especially the new double variety, C. monstrosa 

 plena, are conspicuous with their golden yellow flowers ; 

 and the lovely Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis Wallichi), 

 with large pale blue blossoms and handsome foliage, loves 

 a shady, moist place. Many smaller, but interesting, bog 

 plants are found on Dartmoor, such as the bog bean, the 

 water-violet (Hottonia palustris), the grass of Parnassus 

 (Parnassia palustris), the water forget-me-not, and the 

 curious little insect-eating tufts of the sundew, Drosera 

 rotundifolia. These we bring home from their native 

 haunts and plant in our bogs, where they flourish so greatly 

 that a considerable amount of weeding is necessary to 

 protect some of the weaker plants from the inroads of 

 the more robust. 



Of the hardy orchids which enjoy a bog (and should be 

 planted in March), the cypripediums (Lady's Slipper orchids) 

 are the most beautiful, especially the moccasin flower of 

 Canada (C. spectabile) and C. acaule, in dull crimson. C. 

 pubescens, in brown and yellow, is a quaint flower, like a 

 well-trimmed moustache ; and C. californicum is in white 

 and yellow. These terrestrial orchids prefer a moist, shady 



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