428 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



unsparing vigilance will keep the beautiful destroyer in check, yet, for me 

 at least, what courage is needed to tear away a thing so utterly lovely 

 as the snow-white Convolulus flower of it is ! " 



I need say but little with reference to British ferns ; their claims have 

 been so ably and persistently advocated by Mr. Druery that really 

 representative collections of British ferns, their sports and varieties, are to 

 be found in many gardens. There is always some position in gardens, 

 large or otherwise, where a few British ferns seem natural, and with little 

 encouragement they will give most beautiful results. 



In many of our public gardens ferns are conspicuous by their 

 absence. Kew, of course, is an exception, where a really good representa- 

 tive collection is kept, properly labelled. If this example were followed 

 in other directions, and special note made of the British character of 

 the plant, it would add greatly to the enjoyment and instruction of the 

 visitors. 



May 1 very briefly refer to the mode of arrangement and planting of 

 the wild flowers I have been advocating ? With the exception of the 

 Orchids, planting in small groups or small masses is the most effective 

 plan. Many of our British plants have small flowers compared with the 

 herbaceous border type of plant, consequently dotting a plant here and 

 there does not give the effect that would be obtained if a small group 

 were planted. Take, for instance, the little blue skull cap (Scutellaria 

 ijalericulata). An isolated plant or two would be passed by almost 

 without notice, but nothing can exceed the striking effect of a group of 

 this delicate blue wilding when growing by the water or in some shady 

 damp spot. Others, too, when seen singly, are decidedly " weedy," yet 

 when planted in a group, and seen in close association, they are most 

 conspicuous, and form a decided feature in any landscape. It may be 

 objected that few gardens could afford space for this kind of arrangement, 

 and that it is merely another phase of the so-called wild garden, and if 

 so I do not for one moment defend the term, as my idea of a really wild 

 garden is one entirely devoted to wild or British plants. 



If, instead of a miscellaneous collection of plants often consisting of 

 those too weedy for the herbaceous borders, groups of our British plants, 

 planted in bold positions, were used, such a garden would deserve its 

 name and would be a feature of interest to all. 



The presence of water either in large or small areas affords the best 

 position for such plants as I have noticed, and nowhere are our wildings 

 seen to better advantage than when growing by the margin or in the 

 vicinity of the water. 



In conclusion 1 should like to add one word with reference to the 

 acquirement of wild flowers. The majority of the species mentioned in 

 this paper are easily raised from seed, and this can be obtained during 

 one's wanderings without in any way endangering the existence of the 

 species collected. 



Digging up roots is at the best a very unsatisfactory way of getting 

 together a collection, and, however careful one may be, it is undoubtedly 

 a factor that ultimately leads to the scarcity of the plant collected. 



if care is taken to collect seed only, there is little or no danger to the 

 proper preservation of our wild flowers in their natural habitat ; on the 



