2 26 The Wild Garden 



better plants for the front edge of borders. The lady's 

 fingers (Anthyllis vulneraria) is a pretty plant found in 

 chalky pastures and dry stony places in England. 



The three native kinds of Astragalus are worthy of 

 cultivation, and so are the allied plants, Oxytropis. 

 Both O. campestris and O. uralensis are dwarf plants, 

 the foliage of the last being silvery. The first is found 

 only in one spot among the Clova mountains in 

 Scotland ; the second is rather common on the Scotch 

 hills. Hippocrepis comosa is rather like the bird's-foot 

 trefoil, both in habit and flower, and is worth a place 

 among rock plants. 



Of the Vetches two at least are worthy of culture — 

 V. Cracca and V. Sylvatica. The first makes a charming 

 border plant if slightly supported on stakes, so that it 

 may have hidden its supports by the time the flowers 

 appear. The wood Vetch is of a climbing habit, and 

 very elegant when seen running up the stems of young 

 trees or over bushes. This is found in most woody 

 hills of Britain and Scotland, and V. Cracca is common 

 everywhere. 



Among native peas the best is the Sea Pea (Lathyrus 

 maritimus), a handsome plant in rich ground. It occurs 

 on the coast of southern and eastern England, of 

 Shetland, and of Kerry, in Ireland. 



In the Rose order both the Spiraeas should interest 

 us — certainly S. filipendula, which has leaves cut some- 

 what like a fern. The double variety is pretty. Dryas 

 octopetala, a plant found on the limestone mountains 



