104 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



its American relations, graceful plants for peat borders, but as yet not 

 so valuable as the European kind in its various forms, which are 

 among the prettiest early spring flowers. They are, moreover, true 

 wild garden plants, which thrive in turf, coming up every year even 

 more faithfully than Crocus or Snowdrop. The Snake's-head, too 

 (Fritillaria), is a charming wild garden plant, thriving in grass in rich 

 or wet meadows ; where not native it may well be introduced. The 

 new yellow Fritillaries give a greater interest to this group of plants, 

 some of which are fitted for the wild garden, but we never could see 

 the charms of the Crown Imperials, with their offensive odour. The 

 Stars of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum) thrive in grass, and are pretty 

 in it. Unfortunately the handsome Arabian kind is not hardy. The 

 Montbretias are plants of somewhat recent appearance in our gardens, 

 and they have a. vigour and hardiness we do not look for in Cape 

 plants, and a tenacious way of growing and increasing even in cold 

 poor soil, and are, therefore, valuable where we wish to have close 

 tufts of graceful leaves and gay blossoms below flowering shrubs not 

 set too closely on the ground. Grape Hyacinths (Muscari) are often 

 very pretty, and nearly always hardy. I use them freely in grass, 

 where their blue is very pretty in spring. The choicer newer kinds 

 will find a place in the nursery beds or rock-garden till more plentiful. 



Among the new plants we have one of fine distinction in the 

 Giant Asphodels (Eremurus), plants of noble port and vigour, but 

 which, though here and there grown and flowered well, are not as yet 

 proved for our climate, with its often open, snowless winters. We 

 must find out the kinds really hardy and that bloom handsomely 

 with us before we can judge of their value in the flower garden. 



The old tiger flowers (Tigridia) should not be forgotten, 

 especially on limestone or other warm soils, where they are most 

 at home. There are several new kinds, which make the family of 

 more value. Plants that give much pleasure from their good colours 

 are the Triteleia and Brodicea. Some new and pretty effects will be 

 given by the best of these as soon as plentiful. 



So noble a plant as the Gladiolus should not, perhaps, have been 

 left to the end, but the fact that the finest class are only half hardy, 

 and require care, makes them less important in our country than 

 Lilies and Narcissi, that give so much beauty with little or no care. 

 The years pass so swiftly, and are so full of cares, that things demand- 

 ing two important attentions yearly />., taking up and planting 

 must take a minor place, except in the case of growers who make 

 a special care of them. The groups known as Lemoinei and 

 Saundersi hybrids, being hardier, give better results, but generally our 

 climate is against the older Gladioli, and disease very often comes 

 with any large attempt to grow them. 



