BRITISH WILD FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN. 



423 



bank or streamlet a few miles from town will reveal other waterside 

 plants that will add interest in the water- garden, some, like the water 

 forget-me-not and the creeping Jenny (Lysimachia mimmularia), which 

 have a place in every garden ; others, like the hemp-agrimony (Eupa- 

 torium cannabinum), with its tawny plumes, and the blue crane's-bill 

 (Geranium pratense), are not so familiar away from their wild habitat. 

 With these, too, we may find the bur-reeds, Sparganium ramosum, and 

 >S'. simplex, as well as the lesser reed-mace bullrush (Typha angustifolia), 

 a graceful plant and one that can conveniently be grown where its larger 

 relative, T. latifolia, would be out of place. 



With these can be associated the sweet flag (Acorus Calamus), an 

 easily cultivated plant, with leaves having a delicious aromatic odour when 

 slightly bruised, and very ornamental. 



Of the plants preferring to grow in shallow water or by the shelving side 

 of the river, the flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) is always the most 

 conspicuous, and with its bright rose-red umbels of flowers and graceful 

 light leaves, it has few, if any, rivals amongst aquatic flowering plants. 

 A patch of the white water lily (Nymphaea alba) growing in its vicinity 

 serves to heighten the beauty of the flowering rush by contrast of form 

 and colour. Two other genera of the Alismaceae, Sagittaria and Alisma, 

 add interest to the water garden by reason of their leaf form, the arrow- 

 head especially being worthy of growing in company with Butomus. 



There is one plant that is frequently found in company with these 

 aquatics that is especially interesting and beautiful — I refer to the 

 bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata). I regard this as one of the prettiest 

 native plants, and one that should have a place in every collection of 

 aquatic or semi-aquatic plants. My first acquaintance with this beautiful 

 plant in its native wilds was some years since at Windermere, where on 

 the boggy land towards Troutbeck I saw it for the first time in its full 

 beauty, and I know of no more beautiful sight than a great breadth of 

 this wilding in full flower growing in a bog on the otherwise bleak hills. 

 It is by no means difficult to grow. I have flowered it well in large pots 

 standing in tubs and in baskets submerged in a wide ditch. The baskets 

 have only to be filled with turfy soil and then stink to the water level. 



Another floating aquatic allied to the bogbean is Villarsia nym- 

 phaeoides, a miniature water lily with curious yellow flowers, a very 

 beautiful water plant, but one that requires to be kept within bounds, 

 as it spreads rapidly and is apt to monopolize a small lake to the dis- 

 advantage of other plants, and is rather difficult to eradicate when once it 

 has gained a good footing. 



In this respect I should also mention the water violet (Hottonia 

 palustris) ; it is a delightful plant, and in a confined space in shallow 

 water flowers very freely, the spikes resembling Primula japonica, but 

 being much sweeter. It is apt, like Villarsia, to fill up with its growth 

 the water in which it has taken root. 



To grow the smaller aquatics properly some kind of shallow bogland 

 is needed. This is easily contrived when the garden is damp or near water 

 by taking out a bed and filling the base with clay ; on this should be 

 put peat, leafy soil, and river sand. In such a bed it is possible to have 

 nice clumps of such choice bog plants as sun-dews (Droseraj and butter- 



