234 



HARDY PLANTS FOR THE 



and stature, and produces abundance of flowers. Tlie lower 

 leaves grow eighteen or twenty inches long, and the plant 

 when in flower to a height of seven or eight feet, or even 

 more when in good soil. It is a truly distinct subject for 

 helping us to variety, and may, it is to be hoped, ere long 

 be found in our gardens and nurseries. At present it is a 

 scarce plant in England, and perhaps not to be had in 

 many of our nurseries or botanic gardens, though it is cer- 

 tainly the best known plant of the genus to us in cultiva- 

 tion. I first saw it in the Jardin des Plantes. 



The Yuccas. — ^Among all the hardy plants ever introduced 

 to this country, none surpass for our present purpose the 

 various kinds of Yucca, or " Adam^s Needle,^^ as it is some- 

 times called. There are several species hardy and well 

 suited for flower garden purposes, and, more advantageous 

 still, distinct from each other. The efiect afforded by them, 

 when well developed, is equal to that of any hot-house plant 

 that we can venture in the open air for the summer, while 

 they are hardy and presentable at all seasons. They may 

 be used in any style of garden ; may be grouped together on 

 rustic mounds, or in any other way the taste of the planter 

 may direct. The best perhaps, considering its graceful and 

 noble habit, is Y. pendula, which is simply invaluable in 

 every garden. Old and well established plants of it standing 

 alone on the grass are pictures of grace and symmetry, from 

 the lower leaves which sweep the ground to the central ones 

 that point up as straight as a needle. It is amusing to 

 think of people putting tender plants in the open air, and 

 running with sheets to protect them from the cold and rain 

 of early summer and autumn, while perhaps not a good 

 specimen of this fine thing is to be seen in the place. There 

 is no plant more suited than this for planting between and 

 associating with flower beds. Next we have Y. gloriosa, 

 more pointed in habit and rigid in style, and also large 

 and imposing in proportions. Lacking the grace of pendula, 

 it makes up for it to some extent by boldness of effect, 

 while, like the preceding, it sometimes sends up a huge 

 mass of flower. Y. gloriosa varies very much when grown 

 from seed — a good recommendation, as the greater variety of 



