OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN FLOWERS. 131 



Helleborus Dumetorum. 

 BUSHY HELLEBORE; Nat. Ord. BANTJNCULACE^. 

 ONE of the less showy species. It comes from Hungary, 

 and has been grown in this country about seventy years. It 

 entirely renews its foliage yearly, the flower stems appearing 

 before the radical leaves. The flowers are small, green, and 

 drooping ; the sepals are roundish. The flower stems are twice 

 branched, full-flowered, and furnished with the " cut floral leaf," 

 which is nearly stalkless and palmate. The root leaves are very 

 smooth and pedate. The bright green flowers mix well with 

 others, but where Hellebores are grown in limited varieties this 

 may be omitted without loss as regards floral beauty. 



Cultivation, as for H. Abchasicus. 



Flowering period, February and March. 



Helleborus Fcetidus. 



STINKING HELLEBORE ; Nat. Ord. RANUNCULACE.^ 

 THIS is a native species, distinct, ornamental, and evergreen- 

 Its name may, with some, prevent its being planted in the 

 pleasure garden, but its foetid odour is not perceptible unless 

 sought for. It is mostly found wild in this country in chalky 

 districts, and it occurs largely in the southern parts of Europe. 

 Though poisonous, it is a valuable herb. Its value as a garden 

 subject consists in its dark evergreen foliage, good habit, and 

 handsome panicles of bloom. The latter is produced under 

 cultivation in midwinter. It never fails to flower then if the 

 position is a sheltered one. In its wild state the flowers appear 

 in March. It belongs to that section of the Hellebores which 

 have leafy stems and many flowers; its grows 2ft. high, and 

 never seems to rest, but goes on making new leaves throughout 

 winter. 



The flowers are produced in clusters larger than a man's hand, 

 and are of a green colour, the sepals edged with brown, which 

 turns to a purplish tint; they are nearly an inch across, well 

 cupped, and mostly hang bell-fashion; the leaves are much 

 smaller than those of most Hellebores, pedate, smooth, of stout 

 substance and dark green colour; the divisions of the leaves 

 are narrow and numerous. The foliage is persistent, and keeps 

 green until after the new has appeared ; it bends downwards in 

 a pleasing manner, and the leafy stems have a palm-like appear- 

 ance. These, when topped with panicles of flowers, though they 

 be green ones, are worthy objects for any garden. It is a suit- 

 able plant for mixing with deciduous shrubs ; bold specimens of 

 it enliven such borders by their shining greenery, and they are 

 of greatest service when most needed, for in such sheltered 

 quarters they are pretty sure to flower during winter; and 



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