THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ARENARIA. 



445 



Of this group A. alpina is useful for rocky 

 banks, edgino- bog-beds, or even in bogs. 

 A. 6' 7 'a-//Vj/''( Bear-berry) is a dwarf ever- 

 green mountain shrub, i ft. high— often 

 less— sometimes grown with rock-plants. 



Arctotis arborescens. 



It has small rose flowers in early summer 

 and red berries in autumn. A. alpina, 

 the Black Bear-berry, has trailing stems 

 and white or flesh coloured flowers. It is 

 abundant in hilly places in Europe and 

 N. America. Grows in any soil, but prefers 

 a moist border or ledge. Division. A. 

 nitida is a Mexican half-hardy evergreen 

 with shining green leaves and white 

 flowers. The dwarf, much branched A. 

 pum^ens is also a native of Mexico ; 

 while the shrubby, hardy A. tomentosa 

 comes from N.W. America. 



ARCTOTIS.— Showy half-hardy com- 

 posites from the Cape, numbering between 

 forty and fifty species, for the most part 

 little known. The bright colours of many 

 of the species are more intense in the open 

 air than when the plants are cramped m 

 pots in a greenhouse. Dry sunny banks 

 often devoid of plant life might be beauti- 

 fully clothed with them. Although true 

 sun-loving plants, they may be used as a 

 o-roundwork in spots where, unmindful of 

 tlie shade if not too dense, they flower 

 almost as freely as when fully exposed to 

 the sun. They require warm greenhouse 

 treatment in winter. 



A. acaulis is a very variable dwarf 

 species. The flowers are large, attractive, 

 and of a deep rich orange. It does not 



ripen seed freely, but is easily propagated 

 from side shoots. 



A, aspera is a half-shrubby species, 

 with deeply cut and wrinkled leaves and 

 creamy flowers, purplish outside. It may 

 be used in vases and hanging baskets, the 

 pink buds being pretty. Cuttings strike 

 readily in heat. 



A. aureola is of shrubl^y habit, i to 2 

 ft. in height, with handsome orange flowers 

 towards the end of the branches. Cut- 

 tings. Syn. A. grandiflora. 



A. leptorhiza is one of the most showy 

 annuals we grow, with abundance of rich 

 orange flowers, as is also A. bj-eviscapa, 

 which likes a sunny position. The seeds 

 may be sown in the open air, the plant 

 being treated as a hardy annual. A sunny 

 spot should be chosen, and the seedlings 

 well thinned. — K. 



ARENARIA {Sandiaorl).—A numer- 

 ous family of rock and mountain plants, of 

 vast distribution over northern and alpine 

 ranges, and in temperate countries. Few 

 kinds are in gardens, and these are dwarf 

 plants, easy to grow. 



A. balearica {Ci-eeping Sandivort). — A 

 pretty little plant, which coats rocks and 

 stones with verdure, and scatters over the 

 green mantle countless white starry 

 flowers. Plant firmly in any common soil 

 near the stones or rocks it is to cover, 

 and it will soon begin to clothe them. 

 Flowers in spring. Division. I first used 

 it for carpets beneath tea roses at Grave- 

 tye, and also for low rough stone walls, 

 over which it spreads in myriads. Corsica. 

 A. montana {Mountain Sandruort). — 

 I A pretty rock-plant, having the habit of a 



'^^W?^^^^' 



Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria montana). 



Cerastiiim, and fine large white flowers. 

 It is the best of the large Sandworts, and 

 should be in every collection of rock- 

 plants, being hardy and free. France. 

 Seed or division. 



