12 THE WILD GARDEN. 
exposure on bare dug and often dry border. The old 
Pulmonaria (Mertensia virginica) is one of the loveliest spring 
flowers ever introduced. It is very rare in gardens, but if 
placed in a moist place near a stream, or in a peat bottom, it 
will live; whereas it frequently dies in a garden. The newer 
and more easily grown Mertensia sibirica is a lovely plant, 
taller and flowering longer. These two plants alone would 
repay any one for a trial of the wild garden, and will illus- 
trate the fact that for the sake of culture alone (apart from 
art, beauty, or arrangement) the wild-garden idea is worth 
carrying out. 
,Among the many plants suitable for the wild garden none: 
look more at home than Borage, a few seeds of which scattered 
over fresh dry ground soon germinate, and form fine patches 
that will flower during the summer. Although only an 
annual, once it is introduced there is no fear of losing it, as it 
comes up somewhere near the same spot each succeeding 
year, and when in bloom the peculiar Solanum-like shape 
of the blossoms, and their rich blue colour, make it beautiful. 
The Cretan Borage is a curious old perennial, seldom seen 
in gardens; and deservedly so, for its growth is robust and 
its habit coarse. It is, however, a capital plant for the wild 
garden, or for rough places—in copse, or shrubbery, or lane, 
where the ample room which it requires would not be be- 
.grudged, and where it may take care of itself from year to 
year, showing among the boldest and the hardiest of the 
early spring flowers. 
Thus, though I say little of the Alkanet (Anchusa) tribe, 
‘several of which could be found worth a place with our own 
handsome Evergreen Alkanet, and do not mention other im- 
