The Wild American Escapes

Several Mediterranean rock roses will form low, rounded bushes, all alive in May, June and July with flowers resembling large, single, white roses. I will duplicate rose-colored an pure white slopes of Asiatic Dolichos lignosus, large, pea-flowered and voluptuous looking; and such fragrant banks of multicolored sweet peas as one comes across along May and June roadsides in Santa Cruz County. Nasturtiums and brilliant common geraniums will flash from the ground around my composts, just as they do from city dumps in coastal central California. The wild blue species geranium, G. pratense, from English country lanes, may have all the room it wants and seed itself wherever it chooses.

In and alongside the steps I will allow harmless, large-flowered African Oralis variabilis, both pink and white, to fill the crevices and edge the stones, and will be certain to include one of our prettiest and longest-blooming escapes: Australian bluebell, an evergreen, semi-climbing shrub. Sotlya helerophylla, which adorns some of the Monterey pinewoods, with small shiny foliage and flower bells of the purest blue. In a garden composed of flower fugitives the adventives and not the aggressive intruders should be encouraged. Such uncontrollable trespassers as the St. John's wort, called Klamath weed. Hypericum perforatum, must be kept out, even though you allow the larger-flowered H. moserianum to bring its golden stamen-filled blossoms inside the garden gate.

Many years ago Klamath weed, hailing from Europe, became a scourge in Oregon and swept southward and eastward with such force that it has reached plague proportions. Another pest to keep at bay is blue-flowered European periwinkle— myrtle to some— Vinca major, pretty enough under the oaks and maples of Pennsvlvanian woods, and along the rambling fences, but a horrible swallower of choice natives. A white-flowered morning glory, also European. Convolvulus arvensis, is now proving that those farmers who first sent up the battle-cry were no alarmists, for its creeping roots are the bane of many an orchardist and gardener. In the West three slippery shrubs threaten danger. These rascals are Scotch broom, Spanish broom and gorse.

In whatever State we are operating, under whatever conditions, these aliens can be pressed into service for they have earned their citizenship. A great many introduced plants require the tender care we give our pampered darlings, but these inured outsiders ask for little and give much.

By: davidbunch

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