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Plants For The Waterside |
Hibiscus moschatus (or palustris) is the Swamp Rose Mal-
low. A strong-growing plant varying from -three to five feet
in height, it has showy pink flowers.
Hosta is the plant so long known as Funkia which is invalu-
able for waterside planting, thriving in sun and partial shade.
There are many good species, although the naming of this
family is somewhat confused. The few species mentioned are
given the names by which they are best known. Most are
natives of Japan.
Hosta fortunei has cordate, glaucous leaves as much as six
inches wide and seven or eight inches long. It has pale lilac
blooms on two-foot stems.
H. glauca is particularly decorative, its glaucous leaves being
eight or nine inches wide and more than a foot long. The
rather dumpy flower stem is clustered with lilac flowers.
H. lancijolia is altogether smaller and the flower spikes
looser. Established plants bloom throughout August and
September.
H. rectifolia has green foliage with a tall spike of deep lilac
flowers.
H. undulata is notable for its variegated pointed leaves
which often twist or curl. The lilac flowers are borne on
stout stems.
H. ventricosa is a big grower with large green leaves, the
purplish-blue flowers appearing on two-and-a-half-foot spikes
in July.
Inula helenium has the common name of Elecampane and
likes a sunny position and a moist root run. It grows up
to four feet high, sometimes more, producing terminal
heads of yellow flowers made up of florets two or three
inches in diameter. The thickish roots have some medicinal
qualities.
Itea virginica is a shrubby plant which does well at the
water's edge. It grows two or three feet high producing spikes
of scented white flowers. The narrow leaves. colour well in
the autumn.
Jeffersonia likes a damp, shady position where its roots can
ramble. The white flowers are produced on six- or seven-inch
stems.
Kirengeshoma palmata forms a spreading, bushy plant with
hairy leaves and sprays of yellow flowers in the autumn. It
likes partial shade and can be propagated by division.
Lathyrus palustris is the Marsh Pea which thrives in boggy
ground; varying in height from eighteen to thirty inches and
producing purple pea-like flowers in summer.
Leucojums are bulbous plants most effective when seen in
groups and flowering very freely when well established.
There are several species of these snowflakes as they are
best known, all having strap-shaped leaves.
L. aestivum is the Summer Snowflake, growing twelve to
eighteen inches high and producing three to six pure white
snowdrop-like flowers on each stem, each petal being tipped
green.
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