136 THE WILD GARDEN. 



in onr gardens ; they will be found to thrive well and look well in 

 peat soil beneath rhododendrons, and towards the margins of clumps 

 of American shrubs. 



Leopard's Bane, Downicum. — Stout, medium-sized, or dwarf 

 perennials, with hardy and vigorous constitutions, and very sliowy 

 flowers ; well suited for naturalisation among herbaceous vegetation, in 

 any position where the beauty of their early bloom can be enjoyed. 



American Cowslip, Dodecatheon. — All who care for hardy 

 flowers admire the beautiful American cowslij:) (D. Meadia), found in rich 

 woods in Pennsylvania, Ohio, to Wisconsin and south-westward, in 

 America. This would be a charming plant to naturalise on rich and 

 light sandy loams, among dwarf herbs, low shrubs, etc., in sheltered 

 and sunny sjiots. Jeffrey's American cowslip (D. Jeffreyanum), a 

 vigorous-growing kind, is also well Avortli a trial in this way, though 

 as yet it is hardly plentiful enough to be spared for this purpose. 



Fumitory, Fmnaria, Diehjtra. — Plants with graceful leaves and 

 gay flowers suited for association with dwarf subjects on open banks, 

 except D. spectabilis, which in deep peat or other rich soil will grow a 

 yard high. The simjde- looking little Fumaria bulbosa is one of the 

 dwarf subjects which thrive very well under the liranches of specimen 

 deciduous trees, and Corydalis lutea thrives in every position from the 

 top of an old castle to the bottom of a well shaft. I saw Dielytra eximia 

 naturalised in Buckhurst Park, in a shrubbery, the position shady. Its 

 effect was most charming, the plumy tufts being dotted all over witli 

 flowers. Had I before wished to naturalise this, I should have put it 

 on open slopes, or among dwarf plants, but it thrives and spreads 

 about with tlie greatest freedom in shady spots. The blossoms, instead 

 of being of the usual crimson hue, were of a peculiar delicate pale rose, 

 no doubt owing to the shade ; and, as they gracefully drooped over the 

 elegantly-cut leaves, they looked like snowdrops of a faint rosy hue. 



Delphinium, Perennial species. — Tall and beautiful herbaceous 

 plants, M'ith flowers of many exquisite shades of blue ami purple. 

 There are now numerous varieties. They are well suited for rich soil 

 in glades, copses, thin shrubberies, or among masses of dwarf shrubs, 

 above which their fine spikes of bloom might here and there arise. 



One of the iirettiest effects which I have ever seen among natu- 

 ralised plants was a colony of tall Larkspurs (Delphiniums). Portions 

 of old roots of several species and A'arieties had been chopped dtt' 

 where a bed of these plants M-as being dug in the autumn. For 

 convenience sake the refuse had been tlirown into the neiohbouriu" 



