BROOK-SIDE, WATER-SIDE, AND BOG GARDENS. 75 



desirable plant to cultivate. It frequently succeeds in water 

 not choked Ly weeds or innliiess. ami wlierever there are 

 springs that tend I(» keep the watei' a lilUe warmer than usual 

 it seems to thrive in any part of the country. The Water 

 Ranunculuses, which slieet over our pools in spring and early 

 sunnner with such silvery beauty, are not w(ulh an attempt 

 at cultivation, so I'amlding are they ; and the same applies to 

 not a few other things of interest. Orontium aquaticum is a 

 scarce and handsome acpiatic for a choice collection, and as 



'rhe Cape I'cind Weed in an English ditch in winter. 



beautiful as any is the Water Violet (Hottonia palustris). It 

 occurs most frequently in the eastern and central districts of 

 England and Ireland. The best example of it that I have 

 seen was on an expanse of soft mud near Lea Bridge, in Essex, 

 where it covered the surface with a sheet of dark fresh green, 

 and must liave looked better in that position than when in 

 water, though doubtless the place was occasionally flooded. 

 A suitable companion for the Marsh Marigold (Caltha) and 

 its varieties is the very large and showy lianunculus Lingua, 

 which grows in rich ground to a height of tln-ee feet or more. 



