320 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



underside of the petals. It thrives best in fissures 

 between big rocks looking south and in poor, rubbly 

 soil. It certainly likes lime. 



The Androsaces are a difficult family, but A. carnea 

 is not so difficult as some, and very beautiful. It 

 should be planted in a cool, well-drained position, as 

 it can endure neither drought in summer nor stagnant 

 moisture in winter. In a hot rock garden it will do 

 best with a northwest aspect. The soil should con- 

 sist of fibrous loam, silver sand, and leaf-mould. It 

 grows best in a level pocket, if it is sharply drained, 

 and cannot endure lime. It should be top-dressed 

 with leaf-mould and silver sand in the spring. It 

 can be raised from seed, if this is sown when fresh, 

 and it often ripens seed in England. Near A. carnea 

 may be grown the exquisite Oxalis enneaphylla, a 

 much easier plant. This likes a rich, light, stony 

 soil, and to be left alone when once planted. It bears 

 milky white flowers, large for the size of the plant, 

 in late spring, and dies down in the autumn. Another 

 beautiful plant for a cool, well-drained place is Pole- 

 monium confertum. This is rare, but can be easily 

 raised from seed or increased by careful division in 

 spring. It has delicate pale lavender blossoms, and 

 is more beautiful even than its white variety, P. mel- 

 litum. It likes a light soil enriched with leaf-mould. 



For the hottest places in the rock garden there are 

 no plants better than the Aethionemas, and of these 

 E. grandiflorum is the most brilliant in colour. It is 

 hardy enough to endure most winters and can be 



