154 HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



For such and for many others the edges of Rho- 

 dodendron-beds are suitable situations : they there 

 have moisture, deptli of soil, and partial shade, and 

 seldom refuse to reward the grower. 



We propose to enumerate a few of the plants that 

 have succeeded with us under such cultivation, in 

 the hope that others may repeat the experiment, 

 deriving therefrom a pleasure equal to our own. 



The Hepatica.. 



Almost the first flower of spring, following hard 

 upon the snowdrop and bulbocodium, and often 

 opening before the crocus, — can there be a more 

 charming blossom ? 



Pretty as our wild species is, the garden varieties 

 of the European type are far more showy; and 

 transplanted, in our cold and backward spring, are 

 true to their nature, blooming long before plants 

 born in our own woods unfold flieir delicate flowers. 



Earliest of all is the double red Hepatica, per- 

 haps the most charming of spring blossoms, a 

 sparkling little flower, already in bloom in sunny 

 spots .when the early April days betoken spring, and 

 blooming on till May. Then follow our pretty sin- 

 gle blue, pink, and white native varieties, with the 

 single red, the mauve {H. Barlowii), and the rare 

 ^vhite, with red stamens. Last, but no whit less 

 beautiful, comes the double blue; and that latest 

 acquisition, the Hungarian H. angulosa, with large, 

 deep-lobed leaves and sky-blue flowers, an inch in 

 diameter. 



