190 MY GARDEN 



a pleasant little creature, with many synonyms ; but 

 should be known after its godfather, the famous 

 French botanist, Loiseleur Deslongchamps. Hard by 

 trails linnaea borealis, the plant the immortal Linnaeus 

 selected for his own. With characteristic modesty 

 he chose this tiny thing, to make for ever precious 

 its humble habit and twin rosy flowers upspringing, 

 pendulous and sweet. There is no pleasanter Alpine 

 atom than this, and the least rockery should have it, 

 for honour to that mighty name it bears. The little 

 thing haunts a few habitats in northern England and 

 Scotland ; but it is rare and local in the United 

 Kingdom. 



A dwarf funkia, whose name I know not, spreads 

 variegated leaves hard by ; then coptis occidentalis 

 occurs a pretty little, moisture-loving soul of the 

 ranunculus order from the Rocky Mountains. The 

 flower is white, and comes in threes ; the leaves are 

 also trifoliate. The cut foliage and merry yellow 

 eyes of morisia hypoga3a dwell next. It is an alpine 

 found by Professor Moris on the mountains of 

 Sardinia, and introduced as Mr. Robinson tells us in 

 his grand " English Flower Garden " by Mrs. Palliser 

 from the Valentino Botanic Gardens at Turin. The 

 plant is hardy, and makes a cheerful show in May. 



Various bulbs may be passed over, but certain 

 masses of variegated nepeta are worth mentioning. 

 The plant is often seen as a fringe to the front of the 

 conservatory stage, and looks handsome so ; but it is 

 hardy, and will serve for a beautiful covering to steep 

 spots in the rockery. 



