THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 145 



silvery Artemesias, dwarf Gnapbaliums, and a dozen other good 

 things, would look well and do well on our rockwork. The house- 

 leeks, of which it is not difficult to get half a dozen thoroughly dis- 

 tinct and hardy species, would be a great help, particularly Califor- 

 nicum, arachnoideum, hirtum, and the common one. Sedums might 

 be had in sufficient profusion to make a beautiful bed of themselves, 

 so great is the variety of form and colour that exists among them, 

 from Sieboldii on one hand, to sexangulare on the other, and all 

 hardy as stones, and some very pretty in flower. All are pretty as 

 regards the leafage. S. Ewersii, glaucum, album, Rbodiola, Kamts- 

 chaticum (a fine orange-flowering species), and anglicum, may be 

 named as among the most distinct and easily obtained. Many people 

 find a difficulty in getting good things in this way, but the fine 

 collections now accumulated and accumulating at the York and 

 several other nurseries will furnish nearly everything that may be 

 required by the most fastidious, which may not be obtained in a local 

 nursery. A supplement to their 1865 catalogue has just been issued 

 by the Messrs. Backhouse, and we learn from good authority that 

 the demand for alpines is increasing wonderfully. This is good 

 news, but the extended cultivation which they deserve will not 

 occur till good examples of the kind of thing I am now advocating 

 may be seen in our public gardens. At present there is nothing of 

 the kind — nothing like a brilliant or beautiful rockwork — in any 

 public garden in the three kiugdouis ! I say brilliant, because J 

 know from experience they may be so made, even in summer, when 

 the vivid spring flowers are past. Calandrinia umbellata, well grown, 

 would alone do that. Of the Saxifragas, pyramidalis, oppositifolia, 

 Andrewsii, crustata, Stanstieldii, and rosularis, should not be 

 omitted. There are nearly 150 species of this genus now in cultiva- 

 tion in England, and all neat and pretty in habit. I do not name 

 the choicer alpines, believing it best to begin with those free to get 

 and grow, and those who succeed with them will be able to provide 

 themselves with the choicer and more difficult kinds. The following 

 grow as free as grass on sensibly made rockwork : Silene alpestria 

 (pure white, and very dwarf and hardy), Dianthus petra^us (rose — 

 the best of the whole tribe for the rockery), Achillea tomeutosa 

 (bright yellow), Campanula, (several dwarf species), Erica carnea,^ 

 Linaria alpina, Phlox verna, fi'ondosa, and stolouifera, Alyssum. 

 spinosum, Veronica Candida, and saxatilis. I purposely omit Primu- 

 las, Gentians, etc., as they do so poorly in town gardens, and advise 

 that Sempervivums, Sedums, and Saxifragas should be used more 

 than any others, as they are sure to do well anywhere. 



Spring bulbs, such as Bulbocodium, Suowflake, Scilla, etc.,, 

 might be dropped in with advantage here and there. Hepaticas 

 would flourish on the shady side ; and in fact there are not many 

 hardy and interesting dwarf plants which might not be provided withi 

 a place where they would not only grow, but thrive, on such an. 

 arrangement. It may be made and planted at almost any season,, 

 but perhaps best of all during the present month. Watered for a 

 few weeks after planting, the plants would not mind the check, and 

 would have begun to cover their allotted space by the end of summer, 



VOL. I. — NO. V. 10 



