COMMON GARDEN FLO WEES. 



291 



lasts well in vases in cool rooms. There are several 

 varieties of the different species vulgare which are 

 all worth growing, also a double-flowered variety 

 which is rare, and a more dwarf form of the latter. 



F. latifolium is a hold, hroad-leaved species, with 

 flower-stems risings to three feet. 



P. mitUiflorvm is the species most generally grown 

 in gardens, and as it is a native of Britain, it is 

 also one of the hardiest and test. 



F. pulescens, or Downy-leaved Solomon's Seal, is a 

 strikingly distinct species. 



F. /aponica. — This differs considerably from either 

 of the foregoing, the flower-stems being of a darker 

 colour, and the habit more upright. There are 

 several other species, but these will be found sufli- 

 cient for almost any sized garden. 



The plant can be multiplied to any extent desired 

 by division, and hence it is hardly needful to raise 

 it from seed. In general terms it may be stated 

 "that any root-joint with a knot or knob on the end 

 of it may be converted into a plant by simply dis- 

 secting it into fragments, and planting it pretty 

 firmly about two or three inches deep in the ground. 

 Light, rich, rather deep loam suits these plants best, 

 and to maintain them in fuU vigour, fresh planta- 

 tions and new sites should be made pretty often from 

 the strong running shoots found on the outer ex- 

 tremities of established clumps or masses. The 

 ■old ones should, however, never be broken up, nor 

 done away with, until the new clumps become firmly 

 ostablished, and have grown into such condition as 

 to flower in quantity as before, and in far higher 

 ■quality. If grown in front of shrubberies, as they 

 often are, the plants will need good soil and frequent 

 top-dressing to sustain their strength. The best 

 places for Solomon's Seal are just those in which one 

 so frequently finds it, about the middle line of mixed 

 herbaceous beds or borders, with Phloxes, Michael- 

 mas Daisies, Golden Rods, &c., behind, and Paeonies, 

 Stocks, Wallflowers, Asters, Marigolds, &c., in front 

 of it. 



Bachelor's Buttons. — In his interesting book 

 on the " Popular Names of British Plants," Dr. 

 Prior informs us that Bachelor's Buttons is "a 

 name given to several flowers ' from their similitude 

 to the jagged cloathe buttons antiently wome in 

 the kingdom,' according to Johnson's Gerarde, 

 but ascribed by other writers to a 'habit of 

 country fellows to carry them in their pockets to 

 divine their success with their sweethearts.' " In some 

 parts of the country the name is applied to the 

 red-flowered LyeTmis diurna, in others to Scaiiosa 

 suecisa, the Devil's-bit Scabious, a blue-fl o wered peren- 

 nial, growing in grassy and rather moist pastures. 

 In modem gardens the term Bachelor's Buttons has 



come to be associated with iJawjMJCMto acrisflorepUiio, 

 a double form of the Upright Meadow Buttercup, 

 which is a very common native herb found in 

 meadows and pastures throughout Europe. How and 

 when the double form originated we cannot say, but 

 it produces branching flower-stems surmounted with 

 medium-sized and very symmetrical golden flowers ; 

 and it has come to be cultivated in borders for its 

 beauty, freedom, and durability. It truly deserves a 

 place in every select collection of hardy perennials ; 

 it grows freely, and does well in ordinary garden 

 soil, but a good yellow loam suits it best. It is a 

 plant that can be easily increased by means of divi- 

 sion of the roots. 



Pair Maids of Prance. — This is Ranunculus 

 aconitifolius Jloripleno, a very fine Crowfoot, intro- 

 duced from France. Like the foregoing, there is a 

 single as well as a double-flowered form ; the former, 

 which was introduced from the moist parts and 

 valleys of the Alps and Pyrenees, is not often met 

 with, but the double form finds a place among select 

 hardy border ^plants. It is indeed one of the best of 

 our hardy perennials ; the flowers are pure white and 

 exceedingly double, not unlike a miniature double 

 white Camellia. The plant forms a branching bush, 

 two feet or so in height, and it grows freely in any 

 moist situation. A deep moist loam suits it well ; 

 and the plants can be increased at any time by di- 

 viding the roots. It is one of those things that 

 when once grown will not soon be given up. 



Meadow Rue This name is applied to two or 



three varieties of Thalictnmi, which come under the 

 denomination of " Flowers of the Field." Our object 

 is to introduce to our readers the Columbine Meadow 

 Rue, Thalietrum aquilegifolmm, a native of Germany 

 and other parts of Central Europe. This is named 

 the Columbine Meadow Rue because the leaves of the 

 plant are like those of the Columbine, and it bears 

 pale purple flowers. There is a variety named 

 rosevm, in which the flowers are rose-coloured ; and 

 both are stately plants, well deserving a place in the 

 garden. It is a very accommodating plant, flourish- 

 ing in any soil, but, like nearly all the perennials, it 

 does well in a good loam. 



Columbine {Aquilegia vulgaris). — This charm- 

 ing flower, which is a true British species, though 

 abounding also in most parts of Europe and Japan, is 

 a great favourite among our most popular common 

 flowers. It derives its name, Columbine, from the 

 fancied resemblance of its flowers to a nest of doves, 

 columba being the Latin for dove. When growing 

 wild, its flowers are usually white or blue. It may 

 be distinguished from all other British flowers by 



