182 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



It has a most pleasing habit ; from its mass of root-like steins, 

 which run very near the surface, it sends up a dense carpet of 

 short-stalked leaves, which in July become studded over with 

 large and chaste white flowers; though it rarely exceeds 4in. 

 in height, it is very attractive. 



The flowers are l|in. across, of a variously tinted white, some- 

 times with pink and sometimes with purplish-grey inside the 

 corolla. The outside is yellowish-green; the five lobes of the 

 corolla are arranged cup-fashion, having four distinct ribs or 

 nerves and wavy margins, the inner bases being richly tinted 

 with lemon -yellow ; what appears at first sight to be the flower- 

 stalk, 2in. to 3in. long, is really a long round tube, very narrow 

 for so large a flower ; it is of even thickness all its length. The 

 calyx nearly touches the earth ; it is also tubular and five-cleft. 

 The leaves are from less than an inch to Sin. long, somewhat 

 spoon- shaped or sub-spathulate and entire, smooth, and very 

 soft to the touch. 



It thrives in a light soil, but it should not be dry. Moisture 

 and a little shade are the chief conditions required by this lovely 

 creeper, and where bare places exist, which are otherwise 

 suitable, nothing more pleasing could well be planted ; in dips or 

 the more moist parts of rockwork, it may be grown with capital 

 effect, but the patches should be broad. It also forms a good 

 surfacing subject for leggy plants or shrubs. Lilies not only 

 appear to more advantage when carpeted with the short dense 

 foliage of this creeper, but their roots are kept more cool and 

 moist by it, and there are many similar cases in which it will 

 prove equally useful. It is easily propagated by division of the 

 roots after the leaves have died off, but I have found spring 

 much the better time, just as the new growth is pushing. 



Flowering period, July and August. 



CEnothera Speciosa. 



SHOWY EVENING PRIMROSE ; Nat. Ord. ONAGRACE^. 

 A HARDY and beautiful perennial species from North America ; 

 it is aptly named, as the flowers are not only large but numerous 

 (see Fig. 66). The plant has a gay appearance for many weeks. 

 As a garden flower, it is one of those happy subjects which may 

 be allowed to grow in any odd corner, no matter what quality 

 the soil may be, and full exposure or a little shade is equally 

 suitable. No matter where it grows in the garden, it is a showy 

 and pleasing flower, which, if plucked, is found to have the 

 delicate smell of the sweet pea. It grows 18in. high, is herb-like 

 in the foliage, and very distinct from other species, more espe- 

 cially as regards its slender stems and somewhat large and 

 irregular foliage. 

 The flowers are a satiny white, delicately nerved, and nearly 



