THE ROCK-WALL IN SHADE 31 



that miracle of adornment of limy incrustation, could 

 fail to recognise the others of this branch of the 

 family. Most of them thrive in calcareous soil. They 

 vary in size from the tiny S. c&sia to the large 

 5. longifolia, whose huge rosette, so well shown in 

 the illustration at p. 27, is followed by a great panicle 

 of creamy white flower sometimes two feet long 

 (see p. 100). No plant, except perhaps Ramondia, is 

 more grateful for the upright position. 



The Mossy Saxifrages may be at once recognised 

 by their mossy appearance. They are for joints near 

 the bottom and the foot of the wall. The close mossy 

 form seems to open out and stiffen as it leads to 

 the handsome 5. Camposi and to ,S. ceratophylla and 

 others of this intermediate class. Another section of 

 the Saxifrages, somewhat mossy in appearance though 

 not classed with them, are 5. burseriana and S. juni- 

 perina. They are the earliest to bloom, the flowers 

 opening in February ; large and pure white, in 

 striking contrast to the close thick tufts of dark 

 green foliage. Others of the smaller Saxifrages that 

 will find a place in the wall are the yellow-flowered 

 5. sancta, not unlike the last as to its leafy tuft ; 

 S. oppositifolia, forming spreading or hanging sheets 

 with red-purple bloom ; and the double-flowered form 

 of the native 5. granulata. S. Cymbalaria is an 

 annual that will always sow itself ; the seedlings are 

 bright and pretty through the depth of winter. 

 Several of these Saxifrages, such as 5. longifolia, will 

 do well on the warm wall also, but they are better 

 seen and enjoyed on the cool one. 



