58 Hardy Plants for 



summer, while they are hardy and presentable at all seasons. They 

 may be used in geometrical "English," or any other style of garden ; 

 may be grouped together on rustic mounds, or in any other way the 

 taste of the planter may direct. The best perhaps, considering its 

 graceful and noble habit, is Y. recurva, which is simply invaluable 

 in every garden. Old and well established plants of it standing 

 alone on the grass are pictures of grace and symmetry, from the 

 lower leaves which sweep the ground to the central ones that point 

 up as straight as a needle. It is amusing to think of people putting 

 tender plants in the open air, and running with sheets to protect 

 them from the cold and rain of early summer and autumn, while 

 perhaps not a good specimen of this fine thing is to be seen in the 

 place. Than this there is no plant more suited for planting between 

 and associating with flower beds. Next we have Y. gloriosa, more 

 pointed in habit and rigid in style, and also large and imposing in 

 proportions. Lacking the grace of recurva, it makes up for that to 

 some extent by boldness of eifect, while, like the preceding, it some- 

 times sends up a huge mass of flower. Y. gloriosa varies very much 

 from seed — an additional recommendation, as the more variety of 

 fine form we have the better. Then there is Y. glaucescens, with 

 a sea-green foliage, and rather free to flower, the buds being of a 

 pink tinge, which tends to give the whole inflorescence a peculiarly 

 pleasing tone. This is a first-class plant. Y. filamentosa is smaller 

 than these, but one which flowers with much vigour and beauty. 

 It is well worth cultivating in every garden ; not only in the flower 

 garden or pleasure ground, but also for the rough rockwork, or any 

 spot requiring a distinct type of hardy vegetation. Yucca flaccida 

 is somewhat in the way of this, but smaller. It flowers even 

 more abundantly and regularly than filamentosa, and is well worthy 

 of cultivation. The preceding species, if not so much used in our 

 gardens as they deserve, are at all events known in them. The 

 following I met with for the first time in Parisian gardens : 

 Y. lutescens. This is a species of neat habit and slightly yellowish 

 tone, of shining green, and very distinct. Y. flexilis is an orna- 

 mental, though not large growing kind. Y. stricta is a rigid species 



