Virgin’s Bower, Clematis.—Mostly climbing or trailing plants, free, often luxuriant, sometimes rampant, in habit, with bluish, violet, purple, white, or yellow flowers, produced most profusely, and sometimes deliciously fragrant. They are most suited for covering stumps, planting on rocky places, among low shrubs in copses, for draping over the faces of rocks, sunny banks, or the brows of sunk fences, covering objectionable railings, rough bowers, chalk pits, hedges, etc., and occasionally for isolating in large tufts in open spaces where their effect could be seen from a distance. Not particular as to soil, the stronger kinds will grow in any ground, but the large–flowered new hybrids will thrive best in warm, rich, deep soil.
C. Viorna, C. flammula, montana, campaniflora, Viticella, and cirrhosa, must not be omitted from a selection of the wild kinds. The new garden hybrids will also be useful.
Dwarf Cornel, Cornus canadensis.—This charming little bushy plant, singularly beautiful from its white bracts, is a very attractive subject for naturalisation in moist, sandy, or peaty spots, in which our native heaths, Mitchella repens, Linnæa borealis, and the Butterworts would be likely to thrive. It would also grow well in moist woods, where the herbaceous vegetation is dwarf.
Mocassin Flower, Cypripedium spectabile.—The noblest of hardy orchids, found far north in America, and thriving perfectly in England and Ireland in deep rich or vegetable soil. Wherever the soil is not naturally peat or rich vegetable matter this fine plant will succeed on the margins of beds of rhododendrons, etc. It should be sheltered by surrounding bushes, and be in a moist position. Others of the genus, and various other hardy orchids, are worthy of naturalisation; but the mocassin flower is the best as well as the most easily tried at present.
Sowbread, Cyclamen.—It was the sight of a grove nearly covered with Cyclamen hederæfolium, near Montargis, in France, that first turned my attention to the “Wild Garden.” Both C. hederæfolium and C. europæum may be naturalised with the greatest ease on light, loamy, or other warm and open soil. C. vernum, C. Coum, and C. repandum, are also well worthy of trial. Nothing can be more agreeable to the lover of hardy plants than endeavouring to naturalise these charming flowers, now rarely seen out of the greenhouse. The best positions would be among dwarf shrubs, etc., that would afford slight shelter, on banks or sunny open spots in copses or woods. Bare or dug borders they abhor, and a sunny warm exposure should be chosen. In the case of C. hederæfolium (and perhaps some of the others) ground under trees, bare, or with a very scant vegetation of herbs, etc., would do quite well if the soil were free and warm. There is scarcely a country seat in England in which the hardy Cyclamens, now almost entirely neglected by the gardener, could not be naturalised.
Cyclamens in the wild garden; from nature.
The Giant Sea–kale, Crambe.—“C. cordifolia is a very fine perennial, but its place is on the turf in rich soil. It has enormous leaves, and small whitish flowers in panicles. Here it is one of the finest ornaments in a wild garden of about five acres, associated with Rheums, Ferulas, Gunneras, Centaurea babylonica, Arundo Donax, Acanthus, and others.”
Bindweed, Calystegia.—Climbing plants, with handsome white or rosy flowers, often too vigorous in constitution to be agreeable in gardens, as is the case with our common bindweed. C. dahurica, somewhat larger than the common kind, is very handsome when allowed to trail through shrubs, in rough places, or over stumps, rustic bridges, etc., and doubtless sundry other species will in time be found equally useful.