BOG PLANTS 299 



maculata), which bears in June lilac flowers spotted with purple, 

 while the leaves are green spotted with brown. 



These and many other hardy orchids may be procured from 

 English specialists in hardy perennials and, strange as it may seem, 

 from some of the Dutch bulb dealers who print catalogues in Eng- 

 lish. It is impossible to grow orchids under ordinary garden con- 

 ditions. They will thrive only in bog or rock gardens or in moist 

 woods. Americans should begin with American species, of which 

 there are fifty-six, the most desirable being the showy lady's slipper 

 (Cypripedium spectabile). To this the English give the place of 

 honour in their bog gardens as it is undoubtedly the loveliest hardy 

 orchid in the world. 



THE CHARM OF PITCHER PLANTS 



Some day I propose to buy a New England farm with a sphag- 

 num bog on it, just for the pleasure of growing hardy orchids and 

 pitcher plants. Not that I care to study their insectivorous habits 

 very deeply but I enjoy them socially. They are such strange, 

 unique creatures that at first they seem to defy all the laws of 

 man and botany. But our Northern side saddle flower (Sarracenia 

 pur pur ea) has a certain wild beauty both in leaf and flower, and 

 th.e Southern (S.flava) is undoubtedly the tallest and showiest of all. 

 Fortunately, it has proved hardy in a sphagnum bog garden as far 

 north as Massachusetts. English-bog gardens all have the purple 

 pitcher plant, but they do not seem to know about the yellow one. 



FRAGRANCE IN THE BOG GARDEN 



The sound of running water and the fragrance of unseen 

 flowers are two of the subtlest charms any garden .may have. I 

 cannot stop now to give a list of fragrant flowers, but I saw two 

 plants with fragrant foliage in England, which I must describe. 



