92 The Wild Garden 



shrubbery. I remember, at Angers, seeing some forms 

 of it tali, and natives of central France — at least, I 

 was told so by M. Boreau, the then director of the 

 Angers garden. There is also a tall American kind, 

 which would be very charming if naturalized in similar 

 places. In the same wood with Solomon's Seal 

 I have also been planting Narcissus Stella, which 

 naturalized in this way, and blooming at the same 

 time, has made the pretty copse a charming spring 

 garden. Solomon's Seal in masses shows good colour 

 of the leaves in autumn. 



In the hot days of May, 1893, in walking from 

 Compiegne to Pierrefonds, in the Forest of Compiegne, 

 we passed by many acres of Lily of the Valley in bloom 

 under trees. It was one of the few things that retained 

 its delightful freshness in the greatest drought within 

 living memory. As people so often ask for plants 

 suitable for growing in bare places under trees, they 

 might try the Lily of the Valley. It is so common 

 in gardens, and gets so thick when planted in rich 

 ground, that many can spare some for trial. It is 

 a mistake to suppose that it requires rich ground. 

 The attempt to grow Grass in gliady and ha lf-shady 

 places is often a failure, and it is well to know of 

 some plants that will grow in such situations. The 

 Lily__ofJthe_J/alley is one of the things that will 

 form a carpet and require no attention. It would be 

 pretty tojrary^its mass here and_ the re wit h groups of 

 hardy Ferns, Solomon's Seal, and Woodruff. 



