yo8 



SAXIFRAGA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SAXIFRAGA. 



the Maritime Alps. The pure white 

 flowers issue in elegant sprays from silvery 

 rosettes, and reach 9 inches high. There 

 are several forms of the plant, the most 

 charming being 5. c. minor, which in 

 gardens does duty for S. valdensis. It 

 forms dense hillocks of hoary rosettes, the 

 dainty sprays of white flowers appearing 

 in June. A good crevice plant and excel- 

 lent for rock walls. Both succeed well in 

 loam and old mortar rubble. 



S. CORDIFOLIA. A Siberian plant differ- 

 ing in aspect from the ordinary dwarf 

 Rockfoils, having ample heart-shaped 

 evergreen leaves on long and 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. 

 5. cordifolia and its varieties flower in any 

 soil and position. These Saxifrages are 

 perhaps more fitted for association with 

 the larger spring flowers and herbaceous 

 plants than dwarf alpines, and may be 

 naturalised on banks, in wild sunny parts 

 of the pleasure ground, or by wood walks. 

 They may also be used with effect near 

 cascades, 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 handsome varieties of 5. cordi- 

 folia, the finest of all the group being one 

 called purpurea. No plant is handsomer 

 or more imposing when in flower, or affords 

 a greater leaf -beauty in autumn and 

 winter. 



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 culti- 

 vated Saxifrages, and also the finest, 

 except 5. longifolia, the linear leaves of 

 which it does not possess. There is con- 

 siderable 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 inches high, and about London, in 

 common soil, often reaches 20 inches. In 

 cultivation the plant usually attains a 

 greater size than on its native rocks. 



S. CRASSIFOLIA. A well-known Siberian 

 species of the Megasea section, with large 

 broad evergreen leaves. The flowers rise 

 from the terminal shoots in showy pendent 

 masses, and are pale rose with a suspicion 

 of lilac. The plant fulfils the same pur- 

 poses as S. cordifolia, but is dwarf and 

 not so ornamental. 



S. CYMBALARIA. Little tufts of this 

 Rockfoil form in early spring masses of 

 bright yellow flowers set in light green, 

 glossy, ivy-like leaves, the whole not above 

 3 inches high. Instead of fading, it pre- 

 serves its little rounded pyramids of 

 golden flowers until autumn, when it is 



about 12 inches high. It is an annual or 

 biennial, sows itself abundantly, and is 

 suitable for moist spots on or near the 

 rock garden or on level ground, and in 

 large pleasure grounds is readily natura- 

 lised on the margins of a rocky stream 

 and elsewhere. 



S. DELAVAYI. A recent addition to 

 the broad-leaved or Megasea Rockfoils, 

 and probably the most brilliant flowered 

 of them all. Quite hardy, too, and an 

 evergreen assuming rich leaf colouring in 

 autumn and winter, it is of value for these 

 reasons also. The flowering scapes are a 

 foot high or thereabouts, the drooping 

 flowers in handsome umbels of richest 

 wine-red on opening, though paling some- 

 what later. In general aspect, vigour, 

 and refinement it is about midway between 

 crassifolia and cordifolia purpurea, and a 

 most desirable kind. It is happiest in 

 cool loam and leaf-soil with exposure, 

 though not the least fastidious. March- 

 April. China. 



S. DR RAMSEY. Said to be a hybrid of 

 5. cochlearis and 5. longifolia, this excellent 

 kind may be likened in habit to a small 

 compact growing S. cotyledon form. A 

 most genially-disposed plant and an indis- 

 pensable. Flowers fragrant, pure white, 

 copiously spotted with pink, and produced 

 in elegant sprays 6 to 8 inches high. 

 Flowers in June ; readily increased by 

 offsets. 



S. ELIZABETHS. 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. 

 There are several forms seedlings prob- 

 ably of this plant, varying slightly in 

 flower and habit, though more particularly 

 in time of flowering, the later-flowered 

 ones being of distinct value . Those known 

 as Godsefi and Mrs Leng are not far 

 removed from Elizabethan. All have yel- 

 low flowers, are easily grown, and may be 

 increased freely by cuttings or division in 

 spring. 



S. FORTUNEI. Has large panicles of 

 white blossoms which rise in profusion 

 from rosettes of dark green rounded leaves. 

 It is a desirable plant, for it flowers in 

 autumn and is not particular as to treat- 

 ment. 



S. GRANULATA (Meadow S.). 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. GRISEBACHII. A little gem, with 

 early flowers unfolding slowly from a crim- 

 son 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 



