BANKS AND SLOPES IN GARDENS 9 



All of these may be easily raised from seed, and that 

 is far the best way of getting a large stock. Almost 

 as valuable as the pinks is Aubrietia, of which there 

 are many varieties, and which can be just as easily 

 raised from seed. Aubrietia should always be planted 

 or divided in early autumn, about the beginning of 

 October, as, although one of the easiest of plants, it 

 is apt to resent disturbance at other times. It is 

 scarcely necessary to mention Arabis except to say 

 that the double form lasts much longer than the single 

 in flower and is even more vigorous. A taller growing 

 plant, which combines beautifully with the purple 

 of Aubrietia and the white of Arabis, is the yellow 

 Alyssum saxatile. There is a dwarf form of this, 

 very useful on banks, and also a dwarf variety with 

 pale yellow flowers called A. saxatile citrinum. All 

 of these can be raised from seed, and usually come 

 true. Arenaria montana is a beautiful plant of the 

 pink tribe which flowers soon after Aubrietia. It 

 has white flowers, rather like those of the larger stitch- 

 wort, and the same creeping habit. Of the same 

 family, and a little later in flower, is Gypsophila repens, 

 with its larger variety G. repens monstrosum; plants 

 which will endure any amount of drought. The species 

 is easily raised from seed, but the variety must be 

 propagated by cuttings. Also of the pink family are 

 Saponaria ocymoides and Silene maritima flore pleno; 

 the Saponaria smothered in May with small pink 

 flowers, and for many months afterwards; the Silene 

 flowering rather later with large white blossoms that 



