134 HARDY PERENNIALS 
Dodecatheon. — Dwarf in stature, and of quaint 
appearance, the Dodecatheons are delightful little 
plants for the foreground of shady borders. Their 
flowers are not unlike Cyclamen, but are borne in 
loose umbels on erect stalks, their colours embracing 
various shades of violet, purple, and rose, as well as 
white. The roots are fleshy, and they like a light 
soil of good depth. Propagate by carefully dividing 
well-developed clumps. 
Doronicum. — Among early and continuous flower- 
ing border plants, Doronicum plantagineum excelsum 
is one of the best yellow composites for cutting. 
As early as March it will bloom freely in an open 
sunny situation, and if well manured and watered 
during periods of drought no plant can be more 
easily grown. Increase of stock can be effected by 
dividing the clumps in Autumn. There are several 
other species, but that named has the largest, 
brightest flowers on long straight stems. 
Dracocephalum. — A useful border plant is 
Dracocephalum speciosum, producing erect stems 
with rosy mauve flowers in close-set spikes ; D. 
Ruyschiana is purplish-blue, both these and other 
species thriving in ordinary soil with no difficulty. 
Echinacea. — Despite the customary catalogue 
description which tells the reader that Echinacea 
purpurea is a handsome tall-growing border plant 
with large rich purple flowers, useful for cutting, 
this is one of the plants that more often than not 
are disappointing rather than pleasing, and the 
