542 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



EQUISETUM. 



Ephedr 



do not always appear in this country, are 

 red. In the front of the shrubbery, where 

 the slender branches can grow at will, this 

 Ephedra is seen to advantage, breaking 

 up the outline, and it is a good plant for 

 bold arrangements in 

 the rock garden as it 

 will succeed in dry spots. 

 It is also known as E. 

 nebrodensis. E. vulgaris 

 is a smaller plant and one 

 that will resist more cold 

 as it is a native of Si- 

 beria, also some of the 

 more southern districts 

 of Asia. Other species 

 are found in different 

 parts of the world, but the 

 nomenclature of the en- 

 tire genus is confused, 

 and it is probable that 

 the list of names would 

 be reduced if they were grown together, 

 as slight geographical variations would 

 no doubt disappear under cultivation. T. 

 EPIG.51A (Mayflower}. & small Ever- 

 green found in sandy soil in the shade of 

 Pines in many parts of N. America, E. 

 repens having pretty rose-tinted flowers 

 in small clusters, which exhale a rich 

 odour, and appear in spring. Its natural 

 home is under trees, and it would be well 

 to plant some of it in the shade of Pines 

 or shrubs. It was at one time lost to our 

 nurseries and gardens, owing to the habit 

 of planting all things in the same kind 

 of exposed situation. It is a charming 

 plant for the wild garden, in sandy or 

 peaty soil under trees, growing only a few 

 inches high. Ericaceae. 



EPILOBIUM (French Willow}. Few 

 of these plants are worthy of cultivation, 

 but some are important, and the best 

 perhaps is the showy crimson native E. 

 angustifolium, of which there is a pure 

 white variety. This plant runs in a border 

 so quickly as to soon become a trouble- 

 some weed, but is fine when allowed to 

 run wild in a rough shrubbery or copse, 

 where it may bloom with the Foxglove. 

 It is a native of Europe and many parts 

 of Britain. Division. Other kinds some- 

 what less vigorous are E. angustissimum, 

 E. Dodonaei, and E. rosmarinifolium. 

 The common native E. hirsutum is stouter 

 than the French Willow, and is only 

 useful by the margins of streams and 

 ponds, associated with the Loosestrife 

 and such plants. There is a variegated 

 form. The Rocky Mountain Willow 

 Herb (E. obcordatum) is a beautiful rock- 

 plant. The Willow Herbs of our own 

 latitudes are very tall and vigorous, but 



on the dreary summits of the Rocky 

 Mountains and the Californian Sierras one 

 species has succeeded in contending 

 against the elements by reason of its very 

 dwarf stature ; it has imitated the Phloxes 

 and Pentstemons of the same region ; 

 though not more than 3 in. high, it has 

 retained the size and beauty of flower of 

 the finest species, the colour being rosy- 

 crimson. It is hardy, and thrives in 

 ordinary sandy soil in the rock-garden. 

 Some of the small New Zealand species, 

 such as glabellum nummulariaefolium, and 

 longipes, are very useful for draping stones 

 on rock-gardens. D. 



EPIMEDIUM (Barren-wort}. Inter- 

 estingand, when well grown, elegant plants 

 of the Barberry Order, but not shrubby. 

 E. pinnatum is a hardy dwarf perennial 

 from Asia Minor, 8 in. to 2^ ft. high, with 

 handsome tufts, and bearing long clusters 

 of yellow flowers. The old leaves remain 

 fine until the new ones appear in the 

 ensuing spring. It is not well to remove 

 them, as they shelter the buds of the new 

 leaves during the winter, and the plants 

 flower better when they are allowed to re- 

 main. Cool peaty soil and a slightly shaded 

 position are most suitable. Other species 

 are alpinum, macranthum, Musschianum, 

 purpureum, rubrum, niveum, and viola- 

 ceum, all loving half-shady spots in peat, or 

 in moist sandy soil. None are so valuable 

 for general culture as the first-mentioned. 



Known species. E. alpimun, Europe, con- 

 cinnurii) Japan, elatiun, Himal. inacranthmu, 

 Japan. Musschiamim, do. Perralderiamtm, 

 Algeria. pinnatum, Persia. pteroceras, 

 Caucas. pubescens, China, piibigeruui, Caucas. 

 ritbrnm, Japan, sagittatum, do. 



EPIPACTIS (MarshE.}E. palustris 

 is a somewhat showy hardy Orchid, i to i^ 

 ft. high, flowering late in summer, and bear- 

 ing rather handsome purplish flowers. A 

 native of moist grassy places in all parts of 

 temperate and southern Europe. A good 

 plant for the bog -garden, or for moist spots 

 near a rivulet, in soft peat. In moist dis- 

 tricts it thrives very well in ordinary moist 

 soil. 



EQUISETUM (Giant Horse-tail}. E. 

 Telmateia is a tall British plant, of much 

 grace of habit when well developed, and 

 from 3 to 6 ft. high in moist peaty or clay 

 hollows in woods. The stem is furnished 

 from top to bottom with spreading whorls 

 of slender branches, slightly drooping, the 

 whole forming a graceful pyramid. It is fit 

 for the hardy fernery, shady peat borders, 

 near cascades, or among shrubs, and grows 

 best in deep vegetable soil. Division. E. 

 sylvaticum is another native Horse-tail, 

 much dwarfer, but graceful when well 



