196 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



Corydalis bracteata, a distinct kind, 

 with sulphur-yellow flowers produced in a 

 nearly horizontal manner on the steins, 

 that attain nearly 1 foot high. A distinct 

 feature is the long spur, this frequently 

 exceeding the length of the foot-stalk. 

 More erect than some other kinds, the 

 flowers cluster together at intervals, but 

 by no means in a crowded manner. The 

 leaf growth is not abundant, and the seg- 

 ments of the leaves being cut, render the 

 leafage only more thin-looking. The 

 plant is of quite easy culture, an^may 

 be best used around the base of the rock- 

 garden. It is a native of Siberia, and 

 quite hardy. 



C. cava is one of the dwarfest of this 

 race, flowering early in the year. The 

 purplish blossoms, however, are not very 

 attractive. A prettier kind is the variety 

 albiflora, which is in every respect similar, 

 save the colour of the flowers. 



C. Ledebouriana is distinct and pretty, 

 the glaucous leaves being divided into 

 several rather small segments, the main 

 leaves keeping quite close to the soil. 

 The blossoms are of a pinkish hue, and 

 have a dark spot on the upper portion 

 of the sepals. The plant rarely exceeds 

 6 inches or 8 inches in height, and is best 

 suited for sunny positions in the rock- 

 garden. 



C. lutea ( Yellow Fumitory). This plant 

 is not so much grown as it deserves, for 

 not only are its graceful masses of delicate 

 pale-green leaves dotted over with yellow 

 flowers, but it grows to perfection on walls. 

 I have seen it in the most unlikely spots 

 on walls in hot as well as in cold countries, 

 and know nothing to equal it for ruins, 

 walls, stony places, and poor bare banks, 

 the tufts often looking as full of flower 

 and vigorous when emerging from some 

 old chink where a drop of rain never 

 falls upon them, as when planted in good 

 soil. It also makes a handsome border- 

 plant, and is well suited for the rougher 

 kind of rock and root work. A natural- 

 ised plant in England, and widely spread 

 over Continental Europe. Readily in- 

 creased by seeds ; in any stony position 

 it spreads about with weed-like rapidity. 



C. nobilis (Noble Fumitory). A hand- 

 some plant, the flower-stems stout and 



leafy to the top, and bearing a massive 

 head of flowers, composed of many in- 

 dividual blooms in various stages. The 

 open flowers are of a rich yellow, with 

 a small protuberance in the centre of 

 each, of a reddish-chocolate colour ; and 

 this, with the yellow and the green' rosette 

 when the bloom is young, makes the plant 

 very ornamental. It is easy of culture in 

 borders, but is rather slow of increase, 

 and, where it does not thrive as a border 

 plant, should be planted in light, rich soil 

 on the lower flanks of the rock-garden. 

 It is a native of Siberia. Increased by 

 division, and flowers in early summer. 



Corydalis solida (Bulbous Fumitory). 

 A dwarf tuberous-rooted kind, from 4 to 6 

 or 7 inches in height, with dull purplish 

 flowers. It has a solid bulbous root, is quite 

 hardy, of easy culture in almost any soil, 

 pretty, and is good for rougher portion of 

 the rock-garden, or for naturalising in 

 open spots in woods. It is naturalised in 

 several parts of England, but is not a true 

 native, its home being the warmer parts 

 of Europe ; easily increased by division, 

 flowers in April. Syn., Fumaria solida. 



C. Semenovii. A rather pretty kind 

 from Turkestan. The flowers, which are 

 rich yellow, cluster together in the upper 

 part of the stem and assume a somewhat 

 pendent position. The spur in this kind 

 is very short. It flowers usually in early 

 spring. 



C. thalictrifolia. A new kind from 

 China that promises to make a very 

 charming addition to rock-garden plants. 

 Barely 1 foot high, tufted, and spreading 

 in habit of growth, it is distinct in various 

 ways from the other species of the genus. 

 The thin, wiry stems each carry two pairs 

 of oppositely-placed leaves on pedicels an 

 inch long, and a terminal leaflet, all being 

 distinctly and rather deeply notched and 

 rounded at the top. The blossoms are 

 yellow, each about an inch long, horizontal 

 or slightly ascending, and prouuced some- 

 what after the manner of C. lutea. The 

 leaf character is a most distinct feature 

 of this kind. The plant flowers profusely 

 from May to October, and in autumn the 

 foliage assumes a reddish tone. 



COTONEASTER )Hockspray). 



