264 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



or a greenhouse, or in very early spring 

 in a gentle heat, and planted out about 

 the beginning of May in a somewhat 

 shaded or sheltered position, in light but 

 deep and moist soil, in which it will form 

 spreading tufts. 



Myosotis Dissitiflora (Early Forget-me- 

 not). This bears some resemblance to the 

 Wood Forget-me-not ; but is much earlier 

 in flower, blooming in January and Feb- 

 ruary, and lasting till early summer. Early 

 in the season, and in poor ground, it some- 

 times opens with pink flowers ; but where 

 the plants are healthy and the ground 

 good, it soon expands into tufts of the 

 loveliest sky-blue. In dry ground it is 

 apt to go off with the droughts of spring 

 or early summer ; but when placed in 

 some moist cranny, it continues in flower 

 for a long time, and accompanies the Wood 

 Forget-me-not in its beauty, though it 

 begins to show much earlier. For this 

 treasure to our gardens we are indebted 

 to the late Mr J. Atkins, of Painswick, 

 who found it on the Alps near the Vogel- 

 berg, and grew it for several years in his 

 garden, before it was in cultivation else- 

 where. From him I obtained it, and 

 soon afterwards it passed into general 

 cultivation, at first under the name of 

 M. montana. It is quite easily grown 

 in any cool moist soil, and very easy to 

 increase, by pulling the tufts in pieces. 



M. Palustris (Water Forget-me-not). 

 This may be grown easily anywhere by 

 the side of a stream, or pond, or moist 

 place, by merely pricking in bits of the 

 shoots, and perhaps this is the best way 

 in most places, particularly where the 

 ordinary soil is dry. But in many districts 

 the climate and soil are congenial, and in 

 such it is often desirable to have a group 

 or two of a plant so great a favourite with 

 all. I have never seen the flowers so large 

 as among Rhododendrons growing in beds 

 of moist peat soil. It thrives, nowever, 

 in ordinary soil in many gardens, and 

 grows as far north as the Arctic Circle, 

 and is a native of North America as well 

 as of Europe and Asia. It is essential for 

 the water-side, be it streamlet or pool. 



M. Sylvatica (Wood Forget-me-not). 

 A native of woods, mountain pastures, 

 in the north of Europe and Asia, and in 



the great central chain from the Pyrenees 

 to the Caucasus, and also a British plant, 

 though rare, limited to Scotland and the 

 North of England. In a wild state it is 

 said to be perennial, but in gardens usu- 

 ally proves a biennial, and should be 

 sown every year in early summer. It is 

 a very frequent plant on alpine pastures, 

 always in a more compact form than in 

 gardens. 



Myosotis csespitosa. A variety of this, 

 called Rechsteineri, is a dense and minute 

 creeper from the Lake of Geneva. Useful 

 for moist ledges, where it makes matted 

 tufts of 



summer 

 blue flowers, 

 ground. It is one of the best carpet plants 

 for bulbous things in the rock-garden, and 

 quite a thing to be proud of. As its roots 

 get somewhat bare, top-dressings of loam 

 and leaf-mould mixed with a little sand 

 should be applied. 



MYRICA (Sweet Gale). Marsh 

 shrubs worthy of a place where the 

 marsh-garden is carried out, or where 

 there are watery or marshy spots near 

 our rocks. Our native Sweet Gale 

 (M. Gale) should be wherever sweet- 

 smelling plants are cared for. It is 

 a wiry bush 2 or 3 feet high, having 

 fragrant leaves. In a moist spot, 

 such as a bog, it spreads by under- 

 ground shoots and makes a large 

 mass. The North American, M. 

 cerifera (Wax Myrtle or Bayberry), 

 M. Pennsylvanica, and M. Californica, 

 are less common. The last is a good 

 evergreen of dense growth, with fra- 

 grant leaves, that keep green through 

 the winter. It is a vigorous plant, 

 especially in light soils, and is quite 

 hardy. The Wax Myrtle is met with 

 in old gardens, where it was planted 

 for its spicy foliage. I find the Gales 

 free and vigorous in stiff poor soils, 

 where few things grow well. 



NARCISSUS (Da/odify Although 

 most of these handsome plants are 



