30 THE WILD GARDEN. 
Peeonies formed a group that could be seen from a distance; 
when I saw them they were surrounded by long and waving 
grass. I cannot give any idea of the fine effect. 
The Clematis-like Atragene alpina is one of my favourite 
flowers—seldom seen now-a-days, or indeed at any time, out 
of a botanical garden, and till lately not often seen in one. 
It likes to trail over an old stump, or through a thin 1 
ow bush, 
Double Crimson Pzeonies in grass. 
or over a rocky bank, and it is a perfectly hardy plant. Speak- 
ing of such plants as this, one would like to draw a sharp 
distinction between them and the various weedy and indistinct 
subjects which are now creeping into cultivation owing to 
the revival of interest in hardy plants. Many of these ee 
some botanical interest, but they can be only useless in the 
garden. Our chief danger now is getting plants into cultiva- 
tion which are neither very distinct nor very beautiful, while 
perhaps we neglect many of the really fine kinds. This 
