JUNE, 1908 
pedatum), and other low- 
growing ones toward the 
front. These grow vigor- 
ously, and carry their 
foliage through to frost. 
The small, early-bloom- 
ing plants are arranged 
in little colonies in bays 
among the ferns. ‘The 
spaces left bare by plants 
that lose their foliage early 
are covered later by the 
spreading fronds of the 
ferns. 
The first to bloom are 
the pretty, delicately tinted 
hepaticas (1. acutiloba), 
with the first warm days 
of the latter part of March; 
and no amount of bad 
weather will discourage 
them once they are started. 
Their blue or white flowers, 
which come before the 
leaves, are in generous 
quantities and last two or 
three weeks. 
Before they pass the 
blood-root (Sanguinaria Canadensis) and 
Dutchman’s breeches, (Dicentra Cucullaria) 
are in bloom. Wild ginger (Asarum Cana- 
dense) has an ugly, curious flower lying 
close to the ground, with “whiskers” 
around its mouth, reminding one of a catfish 
ready for its prey. It is strikingly in con- 
trast with the beauty of the other flowers. 
The foliage of the hepatica and wild ginger 
lasts so well through the season (that of 
the former is green twelve months) that 
they are allowed to carpet the ground 
they occupy. 
Dog tooth violets (Erythronium albidum), 
or adder’s tongue, are planted among the 
ferns. They, as well as many of the other 
plants can be moved in August or when in 
blossom in the spring —it does not seem 
to matter. 
The lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium pubescens) finds a 
congenial home amid the ferns 
THE GARDEN 
MAGAZINE 
This twelve-year-old wild-flower bed, on tne east side of the house, is a succession of effects, 
from ferns to goldenrods and asters 
The white trillium (Trillium grandi- 
jlorum), one of the most beautiful spring 
wild flowers, the nodding trillium (T. 
cernuum), and T. recurvatum, are among the 
ferns for the same reason that the adder’s 
tongues are—their foliage even has gone 
before the ferns push up. 
Lady’s-slippers (Cypripedium pubescens) 
show up beautifully against their setting of 
ferns. Columbines (A quilegia Canadensis), 
pretty red and yellow flowers, receive much 
attention from the humming birds. May 
apples (Podophyllum peltatum) do only 
fairly well because they have not room in 
my border. The ghost-flower or Indian 
pipe (Monotropa uniflora) is the latest 
addition to the bed. Transplanted from 
the deep shade of the woods last summer its 
permanence remains to be seen. 
Among the plants which are attractive 
in fruit and give a pleasing touch of color 
in the late season, are the red and the white 
baneberries. Also the Jack-in-the-pulpit, 
whose cluster of berry-like fruit is glossy 
green turning to bright shining red. Then 
there is the false Solomon’s seal, whose 
pretty cluster of fine white flowers is 
followed by red fruit. But the most strik- 
ing of all is the Solomon’s seal (Polygona- 
tum giganieum), with its tall stem arching 
above all else and laden with blue-black- 
berries. 
Toward the south end of the bed, where 
the sun strikes more freely, are shooting 
stars (Dodecatheon Meadia), wild geranium 
(G. maculatum), and wild phlox. Also a 
beautiful plant of wild aster and one of 
goldenrod, both being the kinds that grow 
in the open woods about us. Wild sun- 
flower and a sun-loving variety of golden- 
rod, with a background of shrubbery and 
vines are in the sunniest place around the 
corner of the porch. 
The only ‘‘civilized” plants that are 
allowed to associate with those from the 
wild, are a little Siberian 
and the German irises 
which are effective toward 
the sunny end of the bed, 
and a few forget-me-nots, 
which look well among 
a small colony of poet’s 
narcissus. 
Lily-of-the-valley has 
been tried but spreads too 
fast, and blue, white and 
yellow violets which grow 
well, and the narcissus are 
inclined the same way. 
However, with few excep- 
tions, one of the pleasantest 
traits of character of this 
large company, many of 
whose names are not men- 
tioned, is the great regard 
each colony has for the 
rights and feelings of its 
neighbors. After years of 
thrifty growth they are 
somewhat crowded but no 
colony has run out any 
other. With few excep- 
tions I have brought them 
all from the native woods at various times, 
generally in a market basket and wrapped 
in a piece of wet burlap, but sometimes 
in the pocket of a hunting coat without any 
wrapping. They transplant readily at any 
stage of growth if not allowed to dry, and 
very few have died from moving or from 
later treatment. 
Why have they grown so well and for so 
long a time? In the first place all the 
plants, except a few in the South end of 
the bed, require about the same conditions, 
which are shade, moisture, drainage, and 
leafmold (how they do lke leafmold)). 
They have all these conditions in about the 
right proportions in this bed and that’s 
about all there is to it. If they can be thus 
situated the character of the soil does not 
seem to matter much. For instance, some 
At the sunny end shooting stars (Dodecutheon Meadia) 
flourish 
