The Garden of British Wild Flowers. 333 



I lived near localities in which the rarer and more 

 interesting Orchids are found, such as many parts 

 of Kent and Surrey, I should gather them myself, 

 using a very strong spade, or instrument, to get 

 them well up out of the firmly-bound chalky 

 earth. 



Among native bulbs there are some very inte- 

 resting. The Snake's Head (Fritillaria Meleagris) 

 is abundant in some parts of the south and east of 

 England, and it is in all respects worthy of the 

 best attention in a garden, though it requires very 

 little beyond being planted and allowed to grow 

 away undisturbed. I know of nothing prettier in 

 the Spring Garden than the singular suspended 

 bells of the English Fritillary, often so prettily 

 spotted, and occasionally white. The white form 

 is sometimes called F. prsecox, and being of a 

 good white, it is a most desirable plant to en- 

 courage in every garden, the large, white, drooping 

 bells being so distinct from most other hardy plants 

 that flower at the same season. Of the British 

 Alliums, A. triquetrum, found somewhat abun- 

 dantly in the island of Jersey, is best worthy of a 

 place, its white- flowers striped with delicate green 

 being pretty. The two British Squills, though not 

 so ornamental as some of the Continental species, 



