Among the ferns which may be used are the American roya 

 fern, the cinnamon fern, and Clayton's fern. Do not forget t 

 add to these the stately ostrich fern. Some of our native orchid 

 may be employed also. Among these are the yellow fringed 

 orchis {Blephariglottis ciliaris), the small purple fringed-orchi 

 {Blephariglottis psychodes), the grass-pink {Limodorum tuberosut 

 or Calopogon pulchellus), and the showy lady's-slipper {Cypript 

 dium reginae). Of course there are many plants from other clime 

 to select from. The Japanese iris {Iris laevigata, or /. Kaemp 

 fen, as it is more frequently called) is a prime favorite amon 

 these, its flowers being perhaps the largest and showiest amon: 

 the irises. It may be had in a host of forms, remarkable fo 

 their beauty of coloring and shading. If a mass of purple i 

 desired, nothing, perhaps, will give it more effectively than th 

 spiked loosestrife {Lythrum Salicarid), an old-world plant, bu 

 found sometime^ quite commonly as an introduction here. Fo 

 a rich-red effect nothing will excel that conspicuous plant of ou 

 stream borders, the cardinal flower {Lobelia cardinalis). Thi 

 planted in a mass with a border of green produces a most strikin: 

 effect. Its near relative, with blue flowers {Lobelia syphilitica) 

 the great lobelia or "blue cardinal flower," is useful wher 

 masses of blue are desired. 



The aquatic garden would not be complete without the grasses 

 Showy and ornamental kinds suitable for this purpose are no 

 numerous. One of the most striking, an annual, is the wild rice 

 or Indian rice {Zizania aquatica). This is a luxuriant growe 

 and very decorative, its large panicles making their appearanc 

 in August and September, and its bright green foliage adding 

 a touch of spring freshness to the season. Another which ma; 

 be used is the common reed {Phragmites Phragmites or P. com 

 munis) of our meadows here, with grayish-green foliage. Thi: 

 is a taller grower than the wild rice, and its inflorescence whei 

 mature has a feathery effect, much resembling that of the old 

 world reed {Arundo Donax), a much more vigorous plant, bu 

 not as hardy here as its American relative. The Japanese reed 

 grass {Miscanthus sinensis) and its various forms have the ad 

 vantage of being late bloomers, when almost all else has failed 



