302 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



ing. There is also a double form of S. granulata, a 

 pretty plant, but not so pretty as the wild species. 

 S. tenella belongs to a different section from the mossy 

 saxifrages, but it looks even more mossy than they 

 do, and is a charming plant for a cool place on rock- 

 work. It is impatient of hot sun. 



The most brilliant flowered of all the saxifrages is 

 S. oppositifolia. It grows on English, Scotch, and 

 Welsh mountains, and produces bright crimson-ma- 

 genta flowers in March. There is no spring flower more 

 beautiful or surprising. It is quite easily grown, and 

 yet many gardeners fail with it. It should be planted 

 in an open yet cool place on the north side of the rock 

 garden, and in poor soil mixed with mortar rubble. 

 If the soil is too rich it gets leggy and refuses to flower. 

 It benefits by a top dressing in spring of sand and 

 leaf-mould, and if it gets rusty it should be taken up 

 and replanted in fresh soil in early autumn. There 

 are several varieties, including a white one, which is 

 not of much value. 



Saxif raga Fortunei is a fine species from Japan which 

 flowers in autumn. There is some doubt about its 

 hardiness, and it should be grown in a well-drained 

 and sheltered, but fairly cool, position in the rock 

 garden, with some protection in hard frosts. Most 

 of the larger saxifrages belong to the Bergenia or 

 Megasea section. S. cordifolia and S. crassifolia, both 

 often called S. megasea, are the best known. They 

 are border plants with pretty pink flowers, but the 

 leaves usually look rather dingy. To flower well, 



