Group of Tritoma, in grass.
Showy Indian Cress, Tropæolum speciosum.—Against terrace walls, among shrubs, and on slopes, on banks, or bushy rockwork near the hardy fernery; in deep, rich, and light soil. This is a brilliant plant, well worth any trouble to establish. Many fail to establish it in the garden proper, but moist, shady, and bushy places, will suit it better.[ill161]
A tall Mullein.
Mullein, Verbascum.—Verbascum vernale is a noble plant, which has been slowly spreading in our collections of hardy plants for some years past, and it is a plant of peculiar merit. I first saw it in the Garden of Plants, and brought home some roots which gave rise to the stock now in our gardens. Its peculiarities, or rather its merits, are that it is a true perennial species—at least on the warm soils, and in this respect quite unlike other Mulleins which are sometimes seen in our gardens, and oftener in our hedgerows. It also has the advantage of great height, growing, as in the specimen shown in our illustration, to a height of about 10 feet, or even more. Then there are the large and green leaves, which come up rather early and are extremely effective. Finally, the colour is good and the quantity of yellow flowers with purplish filaments that are borne on one of these great branching panicles is something enormous. The use of such a plant cannot be difficult to define, it being so good in form and so distinct in habit. For the back part of a mixed border, for grouping with other plants of remarkable size or form of foliage, or for placing here and there in open spaces among shrubs, it is well suited. A bold group of it, arranged on the Grass by itself, in deep, light, and well–dressed soil, would be effective in a picturesque garden. It is also known in gardens by the name of Verbascum Chaixii, which name, we believe, was given to it at Kew.
Periwinkle, Vinca.—Trailing plants, with glossy foliage and handsome blue flowers, well known in gardens. They are admirable plants for naturalisation, growing in any position, shady or sunny. There are variously–coloured and very pretty varieties of V. minor, while the variegated forms of both species are handsome, and may be naturalised like the green kinds.
Speedwell, Veronica.—Herbaceous plants, usually rather tall (1½ feet to 3 feet), in some cases dwarf and neat alpine plants with blue flowers in various shades; are among the hardiest of plants, and will grow in any soil. All the taller kinds are admirably suited for naturalisation among long grass and other herbaceous vegetation. A great number that are in cultivation in borders are only fit for this purpose. The dwarf kinds are equally suitable for bare places, or among other dwarf plants.
Violet, Viola.—A numerous race of dwarf and interesting plants, thriving freely in our climate, in half–shady places, rocky spots or banks, fringes of shrubberies, or almost any position. The very handsome bird’s–foot violet of N. America (V. pedata) would thrive in sandy level places or on rocky banks. In this family occur a good many kinds, such as V. canadensis, which, not being fragrant, or not possessing sufficient charms to ensure their general cultivation in gardens, are peculiarly suited for this sort of gardening. Our own sweet violet should be abundantly naturalised wherever it does not occur in a wild state.
Adam’s–Needle, Yucca.—Although these scarcely come into this selection, yet their fine habit and their hardiness give them a charm for us even in a wild garden. A legitimate aim, on the part of any one carrying out this to any extent, would be to try and develop a sub–tropical aspect of vegetation in certain places. In such a case the Yuccas could not be dispensed with. The free–flowering kinds (Y. flaccida and Y. filamentosa) should not be omitted, as they are more likely to spread and increase than the larger ones; all such plants are better held together in groups.