Catch–fly, Silene.—Dwarf or spreading plants, allied to the pinks, and generally with white or rosy flowers. The choice mountain kinds, such as S. Lagascæ, alpestris, Schafta, etc., are among the most charming subjects that can be naturalised on rocky places or banks, associated with very dwarf subjects. Such fine annual or biennial kinds as S. Armeria or S. pendula are among the best for this purpose, and might be easily established by scattering a few seeds in such places.
Bloodwort, Sanguinaria canadensis.—This little plant, which abounds in the woods of Canada and North America, and which is very rarely indeed seen well grown in our gardens, will thrive under the branches of deciduous trees as well as the winter aconite, and in spring will produce an effect as beautiful as singular.
Squill, Scilla.—Several kinds of Scilla, closely allied to the common bluebell, would do quite as well in our woods as that well–known native plant, notably S. campanulata, S. bifolia, S. sibirica, etc. Bifolia and sibirica would be better on sunny banks or sheltered fringes of shrubberies with a good aspect. The tall kinds would do in woods or copses like the bluebell. With the dwarfer squills might be associated the grape hyacinth and the amethyst hyacinth (Hyacinthus amethystinus).
Comfrey, Symphytum.—Herbaceous plants of the borage order, usually vigorous, and with handsome blue flowers. One of the handsomest spring flowers is Symphytum caucasicum, and it is also one of the easiest things to naturalise, running about with the greatest freedom in shrubby or any wild places. Coarse kinds, like S. asperrimum (unfit for garden culture), thrive apace among the largest plants in wild places, and there look quite beautiful when in flower.
Scabious, Scabiosa, Cephalaria, Knautia.—Sometimes handsome and usually free–growing herbaceous plants, bluish, purplish, or yellowish in tone. Among these may be seen, in botanic and other gardens, plants suited for naturalisation, but scarcely worthy of a place in the garden. The fine S. caucasica would thrive amidst coarse vegetation in good soil, as would the Knautias.
Stonecrop, Sedum.—Minute and usually prostrate plants, mostly with white, yellow, or rosy flowers, and occurring in multitudes on most of the mountain chains of northern and temperate countries. There are few of these interesting and sometimes very pretty plants that would not grow on the top of an old wall, or thatched house, or stony bank, or bare ground, as well as our common Stonecrop. All grow in any soil, are as easily increased as any weed, and grow anywhere if they are not too much overshadowed by trees and coarse vegetation. Such kinds as S. spurium, S. pulchellum, kamtschaticum, and S. spectabile are among the most ornamental. The last, being a stout herbaceous plant, would be worth associating with such in wild places. There are nearly 100 species of stonecrop in cultivation in Britain.
Saxifrage, Saxifraga.—A very extensive genus of plants, abundantly distributed on mountains in northern countries. For our present purpose they may be broadly thrown into five sections—the mossy section, represented in Britain by S. hypnoides; the silvery section, represented by S. Aizoon; the London Pride section, by the Kerry saxifrages; the Megasea section, by the large cabbage–leaved S. crassifolia; and the oppositifolia section, distinguished by its rosy–purple flowers. With the exception of the Megasea and oppositifolia sections, which have rosy flowers, most of the saxifrages have white blossoms spotted with red; a few are yellow, and all are very hardy, and the easiest to grow of all alpine flowers. The mossy, silvery, and purple saxifrages may be naturalised with the greatest ease on bare rocky or mountainous grounds, amidst dwarf vegetation; but, as the places in which this kind of ground occurs are comparatively few, the Megaseas, and the Kerry saxifrages, are probably the most generally useful, as they can fight their way amongst coarse grass and other common herbs. There are probably nearly 150 species in cultivation in the botanic gardens of England, though in many private gardens they are very little known.
Houseleek, Sempervivum.—Very dwarf and succulent plants, with their fleshy leaves arranged in dense rosettes, and mostly with curious but seldom conspicuous flowers, abounding in mountainous regions, and very hardy. The greater number of these grow quite as freely as the common Houseleek in any arid soil, and in any position where the vegetation is not taller than themselves, such as on bare sandy banks, gravelly heaps, etc. There are about fifty hardy kinds in cultivation in the gardens in this country.
Meadow Rue, Thalictrum.—Tall and vigorous herbaceous plants, mostly without any beauty of flower when closely examined, but often affording a pleasing distant effect when seen in masses, and hence desirable for this mode of gardening, though seldom suitable for a position in the garden proper. They grow in any soil, and should be placed among rank herbs and coarse vegetation, not in the foreground, which might be occupied by more brilliant subjects. There are many kinds not differing much in aspect; some of the smaller ones in the way of our own British T. minus, deserve a place among dwarf vegetation for the elegance of their leaves. With these last may be associated the Italian Isopyrum thalictroides, which is handsome in flower and elegant in leaf.