302 ROCK GARDENS 



a deep blue colour, are borne in drooping terminal clusters. 

 Hardy, and of comparatively easy culture. It requires top 

 dressing occasionally. A very choice species, flowering from June 

 to August 



L. hirtuin. — A sunny, dry position in gritty loam. Rather similar 

 to L. canesccns, but of dwarfer habit. Clusters of orange-yellow 

 flowers from May to September. It is difficult to keep in any but 

 a dryish climate. 



L. petraeu77i (syn. Moltkea petraed). — Very sandy peat and loam 

 in a sunny position. It grows from 9 to i8 inches high, forming 

 compact little bushes, with clusters of lovely deep blue flowers, very 

 freely produced during the summer. Fairly easy to cultivate, and 

 one of the choicest of the family. Easily raised from seed or 

 cuttings. 



L. pro stratum. — A warm, sunny aspect in sandy peat and loam. 

 It has a great aversion to lime. A prostrate-growing, half-shrubby 

 plant ; evergreen. Beautiful deep blue flowers nearly the whole 

 year. Quite hardy, but rather uncertain, in places growing most 

 freely, while in others it barely exists. It should be planted so that 

 its prostrate stems can fall down the face of a rock or bank. A 

 lovely and indispensable plant, of the greatest value for the rock 

 garden. It can be increased by cuttings. There is a new variety, 

 known as " Heavenly blue," which is lighter in colour and very 

 choice, but in no way superior to the type. 



Z. purpureo-coeruleum. — Likes a little lime in the soil. Grows in 

 sun or shade. Of rather rampant habit, sending out runners which 

 ought to be removed, as otherwise it will not bloom. The flowers 

 open red, soon change to a deep blue. Of very easy growth, but 

 shouiJ not be allowed in the choicer parts of the rock garden. It 

 is a native plant. 



L. rosmarinifolium. — Likes a sunny position in a rather moist 

 soil of peat, loam, and grit. A compact-growing plant, rather 

 similar to grayninifoliurn^ but with longer and narrower leaves 

 Deep blue flowers very early in the year ; it is sometimes in full 

 bloom by the end of January. A very good plant, but not very 

 hardy, and needs protection during hard frost. 



Lobelia (Campanulaceae) 



Some varieties of the Lobelia look very fine grown in masses in a 

 large bog garden. In any but fairly mild climates, they require a 

 little protection from hard frosts, and though requiring a great deal 

 of moisture during the spring and summer, in the winter months 

 they should be kept fairly dry. 



L. cardinalis and L. fulgens, and the numerous hybrids raised 



