HERBACEOUS PLANTS IN THE OPEN 45 



Several other of these plants are noted for the cold 

 greenhouse, which is necessary if they are to be accounted 

 winter flowers. S. Grisebachii is among them, but this 

 pretty new Macedonian plant with crimson stems and 

 bracts, produced in February and March, thrives out of 

 doors if given a porous rooting material. 



The crimson flowered S. oppositijolia and its numerous 

 varieties are very showy at the end of February 

 and during early March. They should be abundantly 

 watered in summer, and some peat worked in amongst 

 their stems annually. Although they grow freely, in 

 much shaded places, they do not flower well. S. retusa, 

 an allied species, especially enjoys the summer sunshine, 

 provided moisture is abundant. 



Squill 



(Scilla bifolia), — The earliest species. S. b. alba and S. b. 

 taurica, the last with deeply coloured flowers, are very 

 beautiful. S. sibirica is later and better. 



Purple Bell 



{Sisyrinchium grandijlorum) has glossy leaves and dark 

 purple bell-shaped flowers, on slender stalks some 8 

 inches high. A beautiful plant flowering in Edinburgh 

 during February and March. It is apparently later in 

 some counties. The beautiful white flowered form, 

 which originated at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edin- 

 burgh, is a good consort. 



Skunk Cabbage 



(Symplocarpus foet'idus) flowers in February onwards in 

 Edinburgh, sending up just above the ground curious 

 reddish arum-like flowers. The leaves appear later. 

 A curiosity — not showy. 



