BEST HARDY PERENNIALS 311 



Yuccas Y. gloriosa is far the most splendid when in 

 flower, but it flowers rarely. Y. filamentosa is a free 

 bloomer and also a splendid plant. Scabiosa caucasica 

 is not a true perennial always, but it will last for some 

 years in most good, well-drained borders, and can 

 be easily raised from seed. Its beauty should give 

 it a place in any anthology. Of the Spiraeas we choose 

 S. aruncus, an obvious but sound selection. The 

 Meadow Rues are not showy plants, but they have 

 a peculiar quiet beauty, and there is none so good as 

 the purple-flowered variety of Thalietrum aquilegi- 

 folium. The Cranesbills are a valuable family of 

 plants. We are tempted by Geranium grandi- 

 florum, but the most brilliant is the variety of G. 

 ibericum called platypetalum. There are many gar- 

 den varieties of Potentilla, but none flowers so long, 

 has so delicate a colour, or is so ready to thrive any- 

 where as Potentilla nepalensis. Few of the genus 

 Coreopsis are true perennials, but C. lanceolata lives 

 for a reasonable number of years. It is very like C. 

 grandiflora, but rather smaller and more delicate in 

 flower. 



The Goatsrues are excellent border plants, with 

 a delicate beauty of flower which would be more 

 valued if they were less easy to grow. There is a more 

 compact form of Galega officinalis which is perhaps 

 the best; Spider wort is another homely but beauti- 

 ful plant — Tradescantia virginica is its botanical 

 name — and of many good varieties the white one 

 has the most exquisite beauty. The Globe flowers 



