The Garden of British Wild Flowers. 159 



It is not only the curious and rare that may 

 afford us interest among the vegetable natives of 

 Britain ; among them are included thfngs of a high 

 order of beauty, that will flourish and keep their 

 own ground without any watching or special pre- 

 paration of the soil ; and even for the sake of 

 selecting plants wherewith to embellish the mar- 

 gins of lakes, rivers, ponds, or beds of fountains in 

 our parks, pleasure grounds, or gardens, the subject 

 is worthy attention. For the rockwork, too, many 

 of our wild flowers are well suited : and, if in 

 making a special little arrangement for English 

 plants, a bit of rockwork could be introduced, 

 and near it, in the shade, a position for ferns, they 

 would prove a useful addition. As regards the 

 best way of growing them, or utilizing them in 

 gardens generally, all will depend upon the size 

 or nature of the place. Many of the plants may be 

 grown with advantage in the small villa (or even 

 the suburban) garden, and in a large one with 

 plenty of space, a very pretty distinct feature might 

 be made of them. In any part of the country 

 where the soil or surface of the ground suits the 

 habits of a variety of native plants, it would prove 

 a most interesting employment to collect kinds not 

 found in the neighbourhood, and naturalize them 



