WHAT TO GROW IN ROCK-GARDENS 105 



mould suits it. Plant in niches between the rocks in a 

 lightly shaded position, in February or March. 



Good Variety. 

 Ramondia pyrenaica, (violet-purple), May- 



Aug 6 ins. 



Saponaria ocymoides : This is a recognised rock-plant, 

 but it has been recently stated that it is a plant to beware 

 of on account of its spreading roots. However, if it can 

 be given a piece of ground to itself and kept in its place, 

 it is quite worthy of being included. The flowers are bright 

 pink, and freely produced from June onwards into the 

 autumn. Height about 3 ins. Plant in the autumn or 

 spring in any ordinary soil. 



Saxifraga : The genus Saxifraga includes some of the 

 very best and most entrancingly lovely rock-plants. A 

 rock-garden without saxifrages is unthinkable. Most of 

 them grow with remarkable e se, and all should be given 

 a sunny position. The encrusted section are useful for 

 planting in niches between the rocks, but the mossy sorts 

 do better in gently sloping pockets. They can be planted 

 (if obtained in pots) at any time throughout the year, but 

 the best periods are October, March, or April. Small plants 

 are better than big ones for planting. In dry weather 

 they must be watered, and with young plants it is specially 

 important to remove dead flowers. 



Good Varieties. 



The Saxifrage being such an important rock-plant, I 

 give a fairly comprehensive list. But I have no space to 

 describe the hundreds of varieties now existing. New 

 sorts come out every year, and it is difficult for the average 

 gardener to keep pace with them. Saxifrages are a 

 wonderful study in themselves, and those readers who would 

 care to go into the matter more fully are recommended to 

 read " Saxifrages or Rockfoils," by W. Irving and R. A. 

 Malby. The sorts named below include some of the best. 

 I have myself described some in the gardening papers, 

 and given fuller particulars than it is possible to do here. 



