CHOICE HARDY BORDER PLANTS. 



87 



flowers of exquisite beauty, rising not more than a 

 couple or three inches from the ground, and pro- 

 duced continuously throughout the summer. In 

 some plant lists it is classed as a species of Viola, 

 and a Violet it is indeed, hut a Violet of the 

 Southern Hemisphere, one at home under a Port 

 Jackson sun, but without the vigour and depth 

 of colour of our northern Sweet Violet, yet hav- 

 ing a simple loveliness that makes it acceptable 

 in English gardens, even though it is not hardy 

 enough to stand our winter. Except in very mild 

 districts, it will 

 perish in win- 

 ter, and so we 

 strongly recom- 

 mend that it be 

 grown in pots, 

 housed in a cold 

 frame, and co- 

 vered up in 

 severe frosty 

 weather. "We 

 have grown it 

 in this way with 

 great success. 

 It can be readily 

 propagated by 

 division of the 

 roots, and it is 

 a good plan to 

 break the 

 clumps to pieces 

 in the winter 

 and repot them, 

 and plant them 

 out on a well- i 

 drained bed in 

 a cold frame. 

 It might be 



planted out in early summer among bedding plants, 

 and used as one of them. 



Ficaria (Pilewort). — Ficaria is derived from 

 Jicus, " a Fig," in reference to the Fig-shaped little 

 tubers of the root. Pilewort is from pila, '-'a ball," 

 in allusion to the small tubers, and its supposed 

 efficacy as a remedial agent. It is now included 

 under Ranunculus. Our British and very common 

 Ficaria ranunculoides, or Lesser Celandine, would be 

 well deserving of culture were it not so very 

 plentiful. It is to be found in many moist mea- 

 dows, flowering finely and freely in spring. But 

 there are varieties of it that form a pretty and use- 

 ful group of plants, sometimes flowering as early as 

 February. There is the white variety of F. ranuncu- 

 loides, and there is also a fine double garden form. 



Erpetion reniforue. 



They are immense Buttercups, and they will grow 

 under trees and in the grass where it is cool and 

 moist. F. grandiflora is a near relative of our 

 common Pilewort ; it is a native of Southern Europe 

 and Northern Africa ; it is very fine, but should 

 have a place on the rockwork, planted in sandy 

 loam. F. ranunculoides is called the Lesser Celan- 

 dine, from its blossoming at the season when the 

 swallow arrives. 



Francoa. — This genus is named after F. Franco, 



a Spaniard, and 

 comprises a 

 group of herba- 

 ceous peren- 

 nials, natives of 

 China, hardy in 

 favourable situ- 

 ations, but not in 

 the ordinary ac- 

 ceptation of the 

 term. One of 

 them, F. ramosa, 

 has come to be 

 largely grown 

 in pots for the 

 decoration of the 

 green-house and 

 for cutting pur- 

 poses. It is a 

 thoroughlygood 

 old - fashioned 

 plant, that was 

 almost lo st 

 through neglect 

 but, having been 

 recognised as 

 a valuable and 

 useful plant, 



has fortunately come to be largely cultivated. In 

 hundreds of places, and especially by the sea, it has 

 proved quite hardy, but very wet soils and moist 

 situations will not suit it. It prefers a light rich 

 soil in warm sunny situations, when grown in the 

 open air. When grown in pots in a cold frame or 

 house, it is most useful, producing, from August 

 till October, long branching spikes of the purest 

 white, the flowers lasting a long time in bloom, 

 especially if the dying stems be cut off, which 

 will cause the plant to produce fresh spikes. The 

 white spikes of flowers are of great value for floral 

 decorations, and can be used with great advantage 

 in bouquets. F. sonchifolia, the Sowthistle-leaved 

 Francoa, is very similar in growth, but has rose- 

 coloured flowers. Both are well deserving of culti- 

 vation, the former especially. 



