452 



AUBRIETIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN 



that period being wet enough naturally. 

 Among many fine hardy evergreen and 

 herbaceous plants Lady F"erns might be 

 planted with advantage ; they will thrive 

 in a little shade where protected from 

 drying winds. There are many beautiful 

 forms. 



Atragene. See Clematis. 



AUBRIETIA {Purple Rock Cress).~\ 

 charming group of rock plants from the 

 mountains of South Europe. There are 

 many varieties in gardens, but probably 

 all may be reduced to some half-dozen 

 species, whilst all are beautiful. The oldest 

 is called A. purpurea. Then there is what 

 is called deltoidea, and the free-branching 



Aubrietias perfectly. They make neat edg- 



I uigs, and may be used as such with good 



effect. There are one or two variegated 



1 varieties. Aubrietias are easy to naturalise 



1 in rocky places, and may be easily got 



from seeds, cuttings, or by division. 



AUCUBA. — Evergreen berry-bearing 

 shrubs of the Dogwood order, which 

 brighten gardens in winter. It is one of 

 the best shrubs for planting under trees, as 

 its strong fleshy roots enable it to live where 

 \ other shrubs would starve. It may be safely 

 removed at midsummer or midwinter, but 

 requires shelter and shade. To get a good 

 crop of berries, plant males about 30 ft. apart 

 i among the ordinary forms. Smoke and dust 



Purple Rock Ciess (Aubrietia). 



variety of it known as Eyret, which has 

 large violet-purple flowers. We have also 

 orandifiora, with a lax habit, a pretty 

 rock-plant. Then we have Leic/it/ini, 

 iMooreana, Coluiitftce, and CampbcUi ; but 

 the names of the species are too numerous 

 in this family, and are often only varieties 

 from different localities. Some, like Dr. 

 Mules, Beauty of Baden and W. Ingram, 

 are of higher value as garden plants. 



The Aubrietia is e.xcellent as a wall- 

 plant. We need only sow the seed in any 

 mossy or earthy chinks in autumn or 

 spring, indeed they will sow themselves 

 on walls, and often bloom on the 

 sunny sides in February. Rock-gardens, 

 stony places, and sloping banks suit 



seem to have slight effect upon Aucubas, 

 making them valuable for town gardens. 

 The variegated form is more vigorous and 

 rapid in growth than the green or plain- 

 leaved variety, though we have now many 

 fine green forms extremely handsome 

 when in good berry. 



AZALEA {Swamp Honeysuckle). — 

 These are beautiful upland and bog shrubs 

 from North America, and, if only as a relief 

 from the heaviness of Rhododendrons, 

 their gi'aceful growth is precious. There 

 is nothing in the open garden so charm- 

 ing as old Azalea bushes in flower, with 

 their branches in table-like tiers ; but 

 the brilliant tints always seem most effec- 

 tive in the subdued light of a shady wood, 



