SAXIFRAGES 301 



a native common in Derbyshire and some other coun- 

 ties. There is great uncertainty about the names of 

 many of the mossy saxifrages. The finest of the com- 

 moner white ones is S. Camposii (or Wallacei), a most 

 beautiful plant with large shining white flowers in 

 early summer. S. muscoides is a close-growing species, 

 and the variety atro-purpurea is better still. S. 

 Rhei is, perhaps, a variety of S. caespitosa. It has 

 delicate pink flowers and a close habit. Guildford 

 Seedling is a splendid variety of this, with deep crim- 

 son flowers. There are some other varieties of Rhei, 

 but not differing much from the type. S. pedemon- 

 tana, at least the plant usually sold under that name, 

 is a quick-growing, vigorous species with flowers of 

 a less bright white than those of S. Camposii, but still 

 very pretty. Other good species of this section are 

 cuneata, ajugaefolia, and exarata. All the mossy 

 saxifrages like a cool place, and they are excellent 

 plants for the lower parts and the north side of the 

 rock garden. They do not need rock work, but look 

 their best on it. They like a light soil rich in humus. S. 

 Camposii is more impatient of drought than the rest, 

 and is apt to wither up in hot sun, while in too deep 

 shade it grows leggy. When this happens it should 

 be taken up and replanted deeper. There have lately 

 been obtained a number of hybrids between mossy 

 saxifrages and the meadow saxifrage (S. granulata), 

 which is so abundant in damp meadows in some parts 

 of the country. These hybrids are generally known 

 as S. decipiens, and some of them are well worth grow- 



