PART II. 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



A SELECTION OF ALPINE FLOWERS ALPHABETICALLY ARRAN- 

 GED, WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR THEIR CULTURE AND 

 POSITION IN GARDENS. 



AC!NA (Tufted f Bur). Dwarf 

 tufted and spreading plants of 

 secondary value only for the garden, 

 but often useful for dry banks or 

 poor places in borders where we seek 

 a little repose in the shape of a carpet 

 of soft green or grey. They are of 

 easy culture in the common soil, in- 

 crease rapidly by division, and though 

 mostly South American, the cultivated 

 kinds are quite hardy. There are, 

 perhaps, twenty kinds in cultivation 

 in Europe, but a few only are worth 

 having, where effect is sought. 



Acaena microphylla (Rosy-spined 

 A.). A minute trailer from New Zealand, 

 curious from its small round head of 

 inconspicuous flowers furnished with long 

 crimson spines. The plant spreads into 

 dense tufts, and in summer and autumn 

 is thickly bestrewn with the showy 

 globes of spines. It is easily increased 

 by division, is hardy, grows in ordinary 

 soil, but thrives much the best in that 

 of a fine sandy nature. Its home is on 

 bare level parts of the rock-garden, usually 

 beneath the eye, and it is also good as 

 a border, or even an edging plant. Oc- 

 casionally it may be used with a good 

 effect as a carpet beneath larger plants 

 not thickly placed. Syn., A. novw 

 Zealandice. 



Acaena Argentea is stronger growing, 

 the leaves always larger and very glaucous. 

 It is nearly related to 



A. pulchella, which, owing to its trail- 

 ing habit and abundance of bronzy leaves, 

 is more useful. The graceful branches of 

 this, when hanging over large stones or 

 old walls, have a pretty effect, and it is 

 hardy and evergreen. 



A. Buchanan!. In this, the foliage is 

 what may be called " Pea-green," although 

 this fails to convey any idea of the pre- 

 vailing hues of green which make up 

 the colour of the finely divided foliage, 

 thickly set with pretty red spikes of 

 bloom. Although of free growth, it 

 does not seem to have the encroaching 

 habit of some of the New Zealand Burs, 

 and it should on this account be more 

 valued for the choicer parts of the rock- 

 garden. 



A. ovalifolia. This has bright green 

 foliage, and being of vigorous growth, will 

 be found very useful for draping large 

 stones in the rock-garden. 



A. millefolia, A. myriophylla, and 

 A. sanguisorbse are also useful trailers. 

 The flowers, bright green foliage, and long 

 graceful stems entitle them to a place. 



ACANTHOLIMON (Prickly Thrift). 

 Dwarf mountain plants, extending 

 from the east of Greece to Thibet. The 

 flowers resemble those of Statice and 



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