170 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



mountain world becomes better known, 

 gems for the rock-garden may appear, 

 but, so far, as already tried in our 

 gardens, few of the kinds are attractive 

 in colour. 



Arabia albida (White Rock 

 Through long years of neglect of all sorts 

 of dwarf hardy plants, this, the " white 

 Arabis " of our gardens, has held its own, 

 -and is now seen in almost every garden. 

 A native of the mountains of Greece, and 

 many parts in adjacent regions, it is as 

 much at home in Britain as is the Daisy, 

 and will grow in any soil or situation, in 

 cities as well as in the open country, 

 where its profuse sheets of snowy bloom 

 may expand unblemished under the 

 earliest suns of spring. By seed, or 

 cuttings, it is easily increased, and a 

 valuable ornament of the border and the 

 spring garden. On the rock-garden it 

 is well fitted for falling over the brows 

 of rocks ; it may also be used as an edging. 

 It is closely allied to the Alpine Rock 

 Cress (A. alpina), so widely distributed 

 on the Alps, and by some would be con- 

 sidered a sub-species of that plant, but 

 it is sufficiently distinct, and by far the 

 best kind. 



A double form has recently been grown, 

 and it is a good plant. There is a varie- 

 gated variety in cultivation, known by 

 the name of Arabis albida variegata, which 

 is useful as an edging-plant, both in spring 

 and summer flower-gardens. It is the 

 dwarfest and whitest of the variegated 

 Rock Cresses that are grown under the 

 names of A . albida variegata. The yellower 

 and stronger variety, frequently called 

 A. albida variegata, and which is the best 

 for general purposes, is a form of Arabis 

 crispata, of which the ordinary green form 

 is not worthy of cultivation. 



A. blepharophylla (Rosy Rock Cress). 

 Like the white Arabis in its habit, size, 

 and leaves, the flowers are of a rosy purple, 

 and like a miniature Rocket, and thriving 

 as freely as the old single plant, distinct 

 from any flower of the same order in 

 cultivation. It varies a good deal, and 

 there is no difficulty in selecting a strain 

 of the brightest rose, but it does uot 

 seem to take to our country, and is rare. 



It is best raised every year from seed, 

 which it yields freely. In mild districts, 

 and on light soils, plants should be tried 

 out in winter. The brighter forms are 

 effective a considerable distance off. A 

 native of North America. 



Among other kinds of Arabis, A. pro- 

 currens is a dwarf spreading kind, with 

 shining leaves and small whitish flowers. 

 There is a variegated form of it (A. p. varie- 

 gata) which is worthy of a place among 

 variegated hardy plants. The prettiest 

 of the variegated Rock Cresses is A. lucida 

 variegata. It forms very neat and effec- 

 tive edgings in winter, spring, and summer 

 flower gardens, thrives best and is easiest 

 to increase by division in open, sandy, 

 and yet moist soil. The best time to 

 divide it is early in autumn, April, or 

 very early in May. A. purpurea, an 

 interesting species for botanical, large, or 

 curious collections, and bearing pale bluish 

 and lilac flowers, is not worthy of general 

 cultivation while we possess such brilliant 

 plants as the Aubrietias. A. arenosa, from 

 the south of Europe, is a pretty annual 

 kind that may prove useful in the spring 

 garden, and which might be naturalised 

 on dry banks. A. petrcea is a neat, sturdy 

 little plant, with pure white flowers, a 

 native of some of the higher Scotch 

 mountains, and very rarely seen in 

 cultivation, but when well developed in 

 a moist yet well- exposed spot, is pretty. 

 A. aubrietiodes is a pretty soft rosy kind, 

 not yet much known. 



ARCTOSTAPHYLOS (Bearberry). 

 Trailing mountain shrubs, usually 

 evergreen, of good habit and hardy, 

 and useful among the dwarf shrubs 

 of the rock-garden. The berries of 

 some kinds are a favourite food of 

 game. 



All are interesting little shrubs, 

 thriving in peaty loam. Seeds offer 

 the readiest means of increase, though 

 all may be increased by layer. The 

 two native kinds are excellent rock- 

 plants. 



Arctostaphylos alpina (Black Bear- 

 berry). A plant very rarely seen in culti- 

 vation, a native of high alpine or arctic 



