280 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



which the mountain shrubs find a home. 

 They thrive in almost any position in 

 good sandy soil, in shady nooks, and 

 under the shade of shrubs. They are 

 increased by seeds or berries, which, 

 sown as soon as gathered in autumn, 

 germinate in early spring ; the creeping 

 root-stocks may also be divided to any 

 extent 



Polygonatum biflorum, from the 

 wooded hillsides of Canada, of graceful 

 growth, the arching stems 1 foot to 3 feet 

 in height, the small flower stems jointed 

 near the base of the flowers, which are 

 greenish white, two or three together in 

 the axils of the leaves. 



P. japonicum. A distinct species, 

 native of Japan, hardy in this country, 

 flowering in early April, growing about 

 2 feet in height, the leaves of a firm 

 leathery texture, the flowers white, tinged 

 purplish. 



P. latifolium (Broad-leaved Solomon's 

 Seal). A robust plant, the stems 

 being from 2^ feet to 4 feet high, 

 arching, the leaves bright green ; flowers 

 large, two to five in a bunch in July. 

 P. latifolium var. commutatum differs 

 from the above in being glabrous through- 

 out, with a flower-stem 2 feet to 7 feet 

 in height ; large white flowers, three 

 to ten in a bunch. North America. 



P. multiflorum (Solomon's Seal"). A 

 graceful perennial, from 2 feet to 4 feet 

 high, glaucous green ; the flowers large, 

 nearly white, one to five in a bunch. 

 It is a free -growing species, of which 

 there are several garden varieties, a 

 double-flowered one, and one in which 

 the leaves are variegated. P. Broteri is a 

 variety with much larger flowers ; P. 

 bracteatuni, a form in which the bracts at 

 the base of the flowers are well developed. 



P. oppositifolium. From the tem- 

 perate regions of the Himalayas, and 

 hardy. It will doubtless do best in a 

 sheltered spot, but even in the open it 

 has given me no trouble, and it is a good 

 plant for shady spots on the rock-garden, 

 the habit graceful, 2 feet to 3 feet in 

 height, leaves glossy green ; the flowers, 

 white, marked with reddish lines and 

 dots, are borne in bunches of from six 



to ten in the axils on both sides in late 

 summer. The fruit is red when ripe. 



Polygonatum punctatum. A beauti- 

 ful kind from the temperate Himalayas, 

 where it is found at altitudes of 7,000 

 feet to 11,000 feet, and hardy in our 

 gardens ; about 2 feet in height, the stem 

 angular, with hard leathery leaves, flowers 

 white, with lilac dots, two or three in a 

 bunch, in late summer. 



P. roseum (Rosy Solomon's Seal). A 

 handsome little plant, allied to P. 

 erticillatum. It was first sent to Kew, 

 by Bunge, and varies much in the length 

 and breadth of its leaves, also in the size 

 of its flowers, 2 feet to 3 feet in height, 

 the leaves in whorls of three or more ; the 

 flowers in pairs in the axils of the leaves, 

 clear rose-coloured, are pretty amongst 

 the narrow green foliage. North Asia. 



POLYGONUM (Knotweed).A. very 

 large genus, mostly herbaceous, and 

 some climbing perennials, but few in 

 their right place on the rock-garden, 

 and those not of highest value. 



Polygonum affine, one of the Bistorta 

 group, is a pretty alpine feature in the 

 Himalayas, where it grows on the wet 

 river banks and meadows, and hangs in 

 rosy clumps from moist precipices. In 

 cultivation it is 6 to 8 inches high, 

 with rosy-red flowers in dense spikes in 

 September and October. 



P. Brunonis is similar, and as desirable ; 

 the flowers, of a pale rose or flesh colour, 

 borne in dense erect spikes nearly 18 inches 

 high, and continuing more or less through 

 the summer. 



P. sphcerostachyum. A beautiful 

 dwarf Knotweed, bearing spikes of deep 

 crimson flowers. A native of the 

 mountains of India, and with more merit 

 as a choice rock plant than any so far as 

 known in gardens. 



P. vaccinifolium (Rock Knotweed}. 

 Although it comes of rather a weedy 

 race, this is a neat trailing plant, 

 scrambling freely over stones, and 

 producing many bright-rose spikes of 

 flowers in summer and autumn. It comes 

 from 11,000 to 13,000 feet on the 

 Himalayas, which may perhaps have had 

 much to do in refilling its character and 



