HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. 



367 



growing. It has prostrate stems and leaves, and the large 

 flowers are creamy white, slightly raised above the plant. 

 To be seen to advantage it should be grown in broad 



Fig. 450.— Myosotis alpestris. 



patches in a moist position in the rock garden. Increased 

 by cuttings or division in spring. 



^nothera (Evening Primrose). — Plants of easy cul- 

 ture, preferring rather sandy soil and a 

 warm, sunny position. Suitable either for 

 the shrubbery, mixed border, or rockery. 

 The flowers are yellow, white, pink, or 

 purple, large and solitary, in some species 

 opening only in the evening, when they 

 are delightfully fragrant. They are very 

 variable in height, (E. Lamarckiana (a bien- 

 nial) being 5 feet, while ccespitosa is pros- 

 trate. Propagation by division in early 

 spring or by seeds. 



<E. fruticosa. Yellow, 2 feet. North America. 

 „ var. linearis. Yellow, 6 inches. 



(E. macrocarpa. Large yellow, trailing. North 

 America. 



<E. marginata (ccespitosa). Snowy-white, fra- 

 grant, 6 inches. North-west America. 



(E. speciosa. White, 2 feet. North America. 



(E.tetraptera,v&r. rosea. Rose, 1 foot. Mexico. 



(E. triloba. Large, yellow, 1 foot. North 

 America. 



(E. Youngei. Deep golden-yellow, 2 feet. 

 North America. 



Omphal odes. —Pretty rock or moun- 

 tain plants belonging to the Borage family, 

 containing annual, biennial, and perennial 

 plants with white or blue flowers. They 

 are of easy culture in moderately good soil. 

 0. verna has deep-blue flowers, produced in 

 early spring and resembling Forget-me-not, 

 but larger. There is a white variety, alba. 

 It prefers a shady situation, increasing itself by runners 

 where established. Propagated by seeds or division in 

 spring. 



Onosma. — Handsome quick - growing Borageworts, 

 with very hairy leaves. Some are difficult to keep dur- 

 ing our damp winters. 0. echioides (Golden Drop) (fig. 

 451), the best of them, should be grown in 

 loam and grit in a dry, sunny position in 

 the rock garden. It has scorpioid clusters 

 of bright-yellow tubular flowers. 0. albo- 

 roseum and 0. stellulatum are suitable for 

 pot cultivation for the cool house. All may 

 be propagated by seeds or cuttings of the 

 young shoots stripped off with a heel in 

 early summer. 



0. albo-roseum. Bosy-white, 9 inches. Asia 

 Minor. 



0. echioides (tauricum). Bright-yellow, 1 foot 

 Europe. 



0. stellulatum. Yellow or white, 6 inches. 

 Europe. 



Orchis. — Several species of Orchis are 

 of general usefulness in the garden. Where 

 the conditions are favourable they grow 

 vigorously, and are most effective when in 

 flower in May or June. They prefer a sunny 

 position, a good loamy soil, plenty of mois- 

 ture without stagnation, and they are very- 

 impatient of disturbance at the root. Pro- 

 pagated by division. 



0. foliosa. Purple, 2 feet. Madeira. 



0. latifolia. Purple, 1 foot. Europe (Bri- 

 tain). 



0. maculata. Purple, 1 foot. Europe (Bri- 

 tain). 



Ornithogalum (Star of Bethlehem). — 

 Bulbous plants of the Lily order, mostly natives of 

 South Europe and North Africa. They are useful for 

 naturalizing in grass, for planting in the border, or as 



Fig. 451.— Ouosma echioides. 



pot plants. The flowers are silvery-white or white and 

 green, and are very attractive when the sun is shining on 

 them. 



