i±ti;5±i Ux\KUiii\i^G 



103 



favourites, eas\- to propagate, and always ^^■el- 

 come. And as well as these there are charm- 

 ing little species in all shades, shapes and 

 sizes, suitable for borders, rock gardens, or 

 beds. 



Dianthus fragrans, white with fragrant 

 fringed flowers. D. monspessulauus, single 

 pink flower, also fringed. D. plumarius, if 

 grown from seed, will give au endless range 

 of colours. D. alpinus, bright |)ink, with large 

 flowers on veiy short stems, and D. subacaulis, 

 which forms a regular cushion of green, from 

 which come small pinky flowers. 



These are but a few of the many treasures 

 in this genus. R. ^I. P. 



Notes from my Rock Garden. 



By Amahanthe. 



Each of these summer days adds a fresh beaiity 

 to my rocK-garden; for some months past it 

 has been lovely and interesting — the latter it 

 always is to me. 



On last New Year's Day, amidst falling rain 

 but with, high hopes, I planted a great many 

 nevv treasures — little, tuft}-, interesting-looking 

 plants, neatly packed, and labelled in the ex- 

 pert's manner, that had arrived by post that 

 day, and now they are making their debut ai 

 my rock-garden with great beauty and grace, 

 and gaining much admiration. 



This most fascinating stv'le of gardening is 

 growing in popularity every day, and is less 

 arduous than many other forms of gardening. 

 The little children of the hills reward us 

 hugely for any care and consideration that we 

 may bestow upon their requirements, and a 

 knowledge of their habit of growth will enable 

 us to grow plants that might be thought im- 

 possible. Owing to the structural arrangement 

 of the rocks and stones, less than "half the 

 proper gardener's work is done upon his knees,' 

 while weeds do not torment, as in beds and 

 borders; so that "the cast-iron baci\ with a 

 hinge in it," longed for by gardeners, can be 

 almost dispensed witn. 



New plants and old favourites make a 

 wonderful wealth of beaut}- just now. Asthore, 

 the exquisite, sweetl.y-scented, new salmon- 

 pink Primula, with faintly lilac-tinted edge, 

 stands out beautifully from the cool, grey 

 stones. The prostrate sprays of iEthionema 

 persicum, fair in form and colour, neither pink 

 lilac nor white, intermingle with the Primula, 

 and gather round its feet. From the same 

 group, and of very siiitable company, blooms 

 the blush Primula japonica. Changing to 

 white, with large, orange eye, the lovely blue 



P. capitata, silvery and powdery, by favour of 

 these hot days, is hastening to don its gala 

 attire, and join the party. At a safe distance 

 a large colony of firey Scarlet Lissadell Hybrid 

 Primula blazes away; much stone-work and 

 plants judiciously intervene between it and the 

 chimps of demure-looking P. sikkimensis. One 

 of the same family, but not easily recognised 

 as such by the uninitiated, its drooping, canary- 

 coloured scented and powdered bells are very 

 beautiful, and it is a popular Primula at pre- 

 sent. 



The varieties of beautiful, hardy Primulas, 

 powdered and unpowdered, are legion, but 

 almost all are very desirable to grow. Sikki- 

 mensis is very happily placed with me near a 

 natural spring, which gives the dampness it 

 loves, while the suitable company above it in- 

 cludes Columbine Helense and (3entians; and 

 still higher the Aubrietia-named Lavender, com- 

 bined with the silvery-marbled Cyclamen 

 leaves. The white and pink varieties of this 

 latter plant are lovely in autumn; while the 

 foliage, like that of the many-silvery Ar- 

 temesias, is a great asset. 



Yet one more Primula I must not ignore — 

 the opal-tinted, pure, and dignified P. involu- 

 crata, now at its best, amidst a mass of 

 Turquoise Omphalodes Cappodocica, the 

 younger and more beautiful sister of our dear 

 old favourite, Blue-E^-ed I\Iary ; but this group 

 is waning. 



The last few days have brought out many 

 beautiful rock Violas. The indispensable Y. 

 gracilis, Bowie's tiny, velvety Black, Gold 

 Dust, Bosniaca, all very choice, and easily 

 grown, the latter an unusual lovely rose shade. 

 Amongst these treasures the dazzling beauty of 

 Areuaria montana shines out conspicuously — 

 from its slender root-stems sheets of glistening 

 drajjery hang down. 



The glowing, hazy heat of the days begins to 

 give place to a fainter bluey haze ; some of the 

 flowers grow ^^•ear3• ; a mass of Anthemis 

 Cupaniana folds back its snowy petals towards 

 the silvery-scented leaves in a way peculiarly 

 its own ; each blossom of the tiny gem Helichry- 

 sum bellidioides shuts up tightly for the night ; 

 I gather up my belongings, and leave the sweet 

 flowers to go asleep. 



Notice. 



THE ENGLISH ROCK GARDEN, 



Mr. Eeginald Farrer's extensive work on the 

 Rock Garden is now completed, and Messrs. Jack 

 will publish it immediately. It is in two volumes 

 and contains 200 illustrations. 



We hope to have the opportunity of referring 

 more fully to this sumptuous work very soon. 



