PLANTS FOR NATURALISATION. 



83 



flowers is the narcissus. Five years ago I planted many thousands in the grass, the 

 most important being the star narcissus (n. incomparabilis, etc.). They have thriven 

 admirably, flowered well and regularly. They are delightful when seen near at hand, 

 and also efi'ective in the distance. With the common English, Irish and Scotch trumpet 

 dafi'odils I have had good results. The Tenby daffodil is very sturdy and pretty. A 

 very delightful feature of the narcissus meadow gardening is the way great groups in 

 succession follow each other. I also cleared a little valley of various fences. Through 

 this runs a streamlet, and we grouped the Poet's narcissus near it, and in a small orchard 

 that lay near, and through a grove of oaks. The whole landscape is a picture annually, 

 such as one might see in an Alpine valley." What can be done in Sussex is equally 

 likely to prove a great success when put into practice elsewhere. 



Who has not seen the beautiful expanses of wood hyacinth (Scilla nutans) in various 

 parts of the country ? And why not add more plants of a similar nature, with a view to 

 their becoming naturalised ? Grape hyacinths (Muscari botryoides), musk hyacinth 

 (Museari moschatum), anemones in variety, snowflakes (Leucoium), snowdrops, crocuses. 

 Stars of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum), St. Bruno's Lily (Anthericum liliastrum). Winter 

 Aconite, dog's tooth violets (Erythronium dens canis), and common tulips might all be 

 planted in woods, dells, and portions of lawns not mown till late in the season — not dotted 

 about thinly, but arranged in bold groups, after the manner of those found wild in nature. 



Then, again, what can be more beautiful than some of our banks in the country 

 clothed with primroses, violets, and a variety of other wild flowers and grasses ? Even 

 these can be imitated or perhaps improved upon in private grounds and public parks, 

 by planting masses of coloured primroses, including polyanthuses, cowslips, also the 

 robust-growing Alpine auriculas. See also appended list of plants suitable for banks 

 and other dry positions. 



The ever-popular Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) is one of the best of plants 

 for naturalising in woods and dells, and easy to establish in colonies, the naturally 

 formed leaf soil to be found in dry ditches in most woods suiting them well. Plants 

 suitable for marshy places will be dealt with in the chapter upon Water Scenes ; but 

 special mention may yet be made of the globe flowers (Trollius), forget-me-nots 

 (Myosotis), and the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), as being suitable for these 

 positions. Plants for draping and beautifying the stems of trees are enumerated at 

 the conclusion of these notes, and it only remains to add that few are more enjoyable 

 than the common honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) in variety. 



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