PLANTS FOR ALPINE, AQUATIC, AND BOG GARDENS
Whilst every garden, no matter how small, should contain its herbaceous
border, well stocked with hardy perennials, only a comparatively small
number will admit of those delightful features, the bog, aquatic and
alpine gardens. For this reason I shall not attempt to give more than
a brief list of the plants suited to each. In a book which attempts
to outline all, or at any rate the chief points connected with garden
design, consideration of individual sections must necessarily be brief.
I have endeavoured to mention all the most deserving plants in the
following lists, but for further and fuller information the reader
is advised to consult a work specially dealing with the particular
“garden” in which he is interested.
A list of deserving plants for inclusion in the alpine garden:—
Gentiana
Scilla
Soldanella
Anemone Pulsatilla
Veronica
Aubrietia
Erigeron
Linaria antirrhinifolia
Muscari
Iris pumila
Linum narbonnense
Dracocephalum
All with blue or purplish flowers.
Saponaria
Colchicum
Silene
Armeria
Bulbocodium
Mesembryanthemum (_not hardy_)
Tunica saxifraga
Daphne
Menziesia
All with rose or pink flowers.
Alyssum
Cheiranthus
Ranunculus
Narcissi (Queen of Spain, etc.)
Oenothera
Linaria dalmatica
Genista
All with yellow flowers.
Saxifraga
Iberis
Sanguinaria
Leucojum
Arabis
Cyclamen
Silene
Asperula
Galanthus
Linnæa
Helleborus
Cerastium
All with white flowers.
In many places there are pieces of rough marshy land, unsightly through
neglect, filled with sedges and rough tussocky grass, which might, with
the expenditure of a little trouble, be converted into charming bog
and water gardens. There are such hosts of delightful little plants,
which thrive only in thoroughly moist situations, and are, therefore,
but seldom seen in English gardens, that an opportunity for growing
them must not be lost. Bog plants are many of them diminutive, but
there are few which are not interesting, and to know them a little is
to desire their further acquaintance. The same may be said of aquatics,
though these belong to a very different class. Anyone who has seen the
gorgeous water-lilies, which have been steadily finding their way into
English ponds and tanks during the last few years, must realise that a
water garden is worth making for their sake alone.
* * * * *
The following plants are suitable either for growing in the water
itself or for grouping on the margins of ponds and streams:—
[Illustration: A LILY TANK]
_Nymphæa._—Water-Lilies. The beautiful hybrids, which are associated
with the name of M. Marliac are by far the most handsome of available
kinds. Among them the Canary Water-lily (_N. M. chromatella_),
with reddish brown leaves and soft yellow flowers, darkening to the
centre, is very beautiful. _N. Robinsoni_ is another fine variety
with rose-coloured blooms, abundantly produced. Our own native lily
(_N. alba_) flowers early, and should be in every collection, but
the variety _rosea_ is a shy bloomer, though the colour is extremely
pretty. _N. tuberosa._
_Aponogeton._—The Cape Pond-flower. A pretty water plant, the flowers
are white and delicately scented. It requires fairly deep water, and
does best in a warm district. _A. distachyon._
_Villarsia._ Yellow Buckbean. Small lily-like leaves, and a profusion
of yellow flowers.
_Stratiotes._—Water Soldier. Interesting on account of its foliage.
Shallow water is needed for the following:—
_Typha Latifolia._—The Common Bulrush.
_Sagittaria._—Arrowhead. Handsome plants with white blossoms and
arrow-shaped leaves.
_Caltha Palustris._—Marsh Marigold.
_Pontederia._—Pickerel Weed. Graceful foliage, with spikes of blue
flowers.
_Butomus Umbellatus._—Flowering Rush. Bears umbels of rosy flowers.
_Menyanthes Trifoliata._—Buckbean. Grows freely, the scented white
flowers being faintly suffused with pink.
A few good plants for localising in marshy ground on the margin:—
_Iris Kaempferi._ The Japanese Flag. A more strikingly beautiful
subject for the position could scarcely be found. The swordlike
foliage, and large handsome flowers render it especially noteworthy.
_Gunnera._—Prickly Rhubarb. Noble plants, with immense fan-shaped
leaves. They should be slightly protected during winter.
_Osmunda Regalis._—Royal Fern.
_Spiræa Palmata._ Fine foliage. The flowers produced in dense clusters
are a soft rosy pink.
_Arundo Donax._—The Great Reed.
_Buphthalmum Speciosum._ A handsome plant with heart-shaped leaves. The
flowers are yellow with dark centres.
_Gynerium Argenteum._—Pampas Grass.
_Lythrum Salicaria._—Purple Loosestrife. This is the well-known showy
plant of the country streams. For garden culture the improved variety
_roseum_ should be grown.
The plants enumerated above will make an interesting collection for the
water garden, others can be added from time to time. The great point to
be observed is the proper regulation of plants of varying growth, so as
to prevent overcrowding. Water gardens are frequently made and filled
with interesting subjects, but owing to neglect the coarse growing
plants are allowed to monopolise the space and crowd out those of shyer
habit.
PLANTS FOR THE BOG GARDEN
_Cypripedium Spectabile._—Mocassin-flower. This is perhaps the finest
of all bog plants, and hails from the woods of North America, where it
grows to perfection. The plant forms handsome clumps, and the flowers
are white marked with a rosy blotch.
_Primula Japonica._—This plant revels in the cool surroundings of the
bog garden, and produces an abundance of rich crimson blossoms. _P.
rosea_ is a smaller variety, with polyanthus tufts of delicate pink
flowers. _P. sikkimensis_, with pale yellow flowers, is distinct.
_Dielytra Spectabilis._—Bleeding Heart.
_Trillium._—Wood Lily. A beautiful plant, with rich green foliage and
snowy three-petalled flowers.
_Parnassia Palustris._—Grass of Parnassus. An easily grown plant, with
white flowers on long straight stems.
_Anagallis Tenella._—Bog Pimpernel. Creeping habit. The flowers are
pink.
_Pinguicula._—Butterwort. The wettest spots in the bog should be chosen
for this little plant.
_Adiantum Pedatum._—Maidenhair fern. This is the hardy North American
kind, which looks well associated with the flowering plants in
sheltered corners.
_Orchis Foliosa._—Madeira Orchis. One of the finest of the family. It
produces bold spikes of purplish flowers.
_Ficaria Grandiflora._—An improved form of the common Pilewort. Its
bright masses of golden flowers render it a welcome addition to the bog
garden in spring.
_Saxifraga Peltata._
The above are all more or less dwarf growing plants, and suited for
bog gardens on a small scale. In larger places good use will be made
of Rhododendrons, Ferns of various kinds, Sedges, and numerous Lilies,
especially _superbum_, to give boldness and distinction to the scene.
It is a mistake, when it can be managed otherwise, to grow only
small plants, as the effect is generally patchy and insignificant,
besides giving the bog a dull, flat appearance. So many beautiful
flowering shrubs and hardy lilies grow best in a peaty soil, so that
on the fringe of the bog, where the ground is drier, whole colonies
of beautiful plants may come trooping down to the edge, shutting off
the little enclosure from the rest of the garden. Good drainage and
the destruction of weeds are points essential to success, and a close
watch should be kept for stray plants of Sheep Rot, which if allowed to
spread will choke the whole bog in a short time.