842 



SAXIFRAGA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SAXIFRAGA. 



thick Stalks. Its clear rose-coloured flowers 

 in early spring are arranged in dense masses, 

 and half concealed among the great leaves, 

 as if hiding from the cutting breath of March. 

 S. cordifolui and its varieties flower in any soil 

 and position, but to encourage early flowering 

 place them in warm sunny positions, where 

 their fine flowers may be induced to open well. 

 These Saxifrages are perhaps more fitted for 

 association with the larger spring flowers and 

 herbaceous plants than dwarf alpines, and may j 

 be naturalised on banks, in wild sunny parts 

 of the pleasure-ground, or by wood walks, j 

 They may also be used with effect near cas- 

 cades, or on rough rock or root work, or on 

 the rocky margins of streams or artificial 

 water ; in fact, they are the fine-foliaged 

 plants of the rocks. There are several hand- 

 some varieties of S. cordifolia, the finest of all 

 the group being one c&Wed purpurea. 



S. cotyledon {Pyramidal Saxifrage). — This 

 embellishes with its great silvery rosettes and 

 elegant pyramids of white flowers many parts 

 of the great mountain ranges of Europe, from 

 the Pyrenees to Lapland. It is the largest of 

 the cultivated Saxifrages, and also the finest, 

 except S. longifolia, the linear leaves of which 

 it does not possess. There is considerable 

 difference in the size of the rosettes, which 

 when grown in tufts are generally much 

 smaller than in isolated specimens. The 

 flower-stem varies from 6 to 30 in. high, and 

 about London, in common soil, often reaches 

 20 in. In cultivation the plant usually attains 

 a greater size than on its native rocks. A 

 variety more pyramidal and more robust is 

 known in gardens under the erroneous name 

 of S. nepalensis, and sometimes by the more 

 appropriate one of S. pyrainidalis. To get 

 good specimens, denude the parent plant of 

 the offsets as they appear. Many market 

 growers have large stocks of this Rockfoil in 

 pots. It is superb thus grown, but will suc- 

 ceed well in the rock-garden or ordinary 

 border. 



S. crassifolia. — A well-known Siberian 

 species of the Megasea section, with large 

 broad leaves. The flowers rise from the ter- 

 minal shoots in showy pendent masses, and are 

 pale rose with a suspicion of lilac. The plant 

 fulfils the same purposes as S. coi-difolia. The 

 chief varieties are ovata, which carries its 

 deep rose-coloured flowers well above the 

 foliage ; rubra, similar to the last, but with 

 flowers of a deeper tinge of rose ; orbicularis, 

 producing an abundance of light rosy flowers, 

 well above the foliage, and sometimes con- 

 sidered a species, but in reality only a smaller 

 form oi ovala, with rather broader leaves and 

 a more branching habit ; and media, a distinct 

 variety, with large dark, shining green leaves 

 and clusters of bright rosy-pink flowers on 

 strong stems. There is also a variety with 

 variegated foliage. 



S. Cymbalaria. — Little tufts of this Rockfoil 

 form in early siiring masses of bright yellow 

 flowers set in light green, glossy, ivy-like 

 leaves, the whole not above 3 in. high. In- 



stead of fading, it preserves its little rounded 

 pyramids of golden flowers until autumn, when 

 it is about 12 in. high. It is an annual or 

 biennial, sows itself abundantly, and is suit- 

 able for moist spots on or near the rock-garden 

 or on level ground, and in large pleasure- 

 grounds is readily naturalised on the margins 

 of a rocky stream and elsewhere. 



S. Elizabethae. — A garden cross of fine 

 habit, with soft yellow flowers on red stems, 

 early in spring. It grows quickly and is quite 

 one of the best early kinds. S. Boydii is a 

 new kind of similar parentage, and, like this, 

 very early, and the clear yellow flowers very 

 beautiful ; it is, however, not so easy to grow, 

 and less fine in habit. 



S. flagellaris is distinct and free in growth. 

 Like its ally, S. Hirculus, it has large bright 

 yellow blossoms. Each rosette throws off 

 thread-like stolons, which root at the tips and 

 in moist, peaty, and gritty soil quickly form 

 new rosettes. 



S. Fortunei has large panicles of white 

 blossoms which rise in profusion from rosettes 

 of dark green rounded leaves. It is a desir- 

 able plant, for it flowers in autumn and is not 

 particular as to treatment. 



S. granulata {Meadow Saxifrage). — A low- 

 land plant, with several small scaly bulbs in 

 a crown at the root, and numerous white 

 flowers three-quarters of an inch across. It 

 is common in meadows and banks in England, 

 its double form being very handsome ; also 

 useful as a border plant in the spring garden 

 or in the rougher parts of the rock-garden. 



S. GrisebacMi.— A little gem, with early 

 flowers unfolding slowly from a crimson bud, 

 and very distinct in their crimson-purple colour. 

 It is quite a new plant, from Albania, and at 

 certain stages not unlike a small form of .S". 

 longifolia, but at other seasons plainly a 

 very different plant. 



S. \i-^^r^vi^e.% [Mossy Saxifrage)\%2. very vari- 

 able plant as regards stems, leaves, and flowers, 

 but usually forms mossy tufts of the freshest 

 green, and no plant is more useful for carpets in 

 winter. For this reason it is suited for the 

 low rocky borders of town and villa gardens, 

 thriving in the rock-garden or on level ground, 

 either in half-shady positions or fully exposed. 

 When exposed it forms the fullest tufts, flower- 

 ing profusely in early summer. Nothing can 

 be easier to grow or to increase by division. 

 Under this species may be grouped ^. hirta, 

 S. affinis, S. incuj-oifolia, S. platypetala, S. 

 decipiens, and several others, all showing 

 differences which some think sufficient to mark 

 them as species. They are as free as S. hyp- 

 noides, and appear to suffer only from drought 

 or drying winds. If when first planted a few 

 rather large stones are buried in the earth 

 round each, the plants will soon lap over them 

 and preserve the moisture in the tufts. .S". 

 densa and .S". Whitlavi are the best free- 

 growing species, and, being compact and 

 always green, are suitable for a margin. 



S. juniperifolia (.Juniper Saxifrage) is one 

 of the most desirable, with spine-pointed 



