292 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



Primula prolifera. This, better known 

 under the name of P. ivnperialis, is a tall 

 Indian Primrose, allied to P. japonica, but 

 with yellow flowers arranged in whorls. 

 It is, perhaps, too tender for the north 

 of England, but in sheltered places in 

 Cornwall it grows to a height of about 

 3 feet. Peaty soil seems to suit it best. 



P. Poissoni. A Chinese Primrose, 

 found in the mountains of Yunan, and 

 hardy. In Messrs Veitch's Nurseries, at 

 Exeter, it withstood even the severe 

 winter of 1894 without protection, and it 

 is handsome and easy to cultivate, thriv- 

 ing in a moist situation. The flowers are 

 bright rose, with a slight flush of mauve, 

 and have a yellow centre. They are fully 

 the size of a shilling, and are arranged in 

 verticillate tiers of eight or twelve 

 blossoms, each after the style of P. 

 japonica, but the tiers are a little further 

 apart than in the last-named variety, 

 showing often 2 inches or more of stem 

 between the tiers. It grows about 12 

 inches high. The leaves are pale glaucous 

 green, about 5 inches or 6 inches long 

 and 2 inches wide, smooth, the midrib 

 widened towards the base of the leaf and 

 of a pink colour. 



P. Wulfeniana. An excellent rock 

 Primrose, preferring calcareous soil, the 

 flowers large, deep purple, in umbels of 

 about five flowers each, and is one of the 

 easiest to grow, planted in a slanting 

 position. 



P. luteola. One of the handsomest of 

 the yellow Primroses, and a fine plant 

 when well grown. The flower-stems are 

 sometimes 1^ to '2 feet high, though 

 usually under 1 foot in height. They 

 sometimes become fasciated, and thus 

 carry a huge cluster of flowers 4 to 6 

 inches across. These flowers are like 

 those of a Polyanthus or an Auricula, but 

 they are borne in more compact heads. It 

 likes a moist situation in full exposure, and 

 thrives in rich borders of rather moist soil, 

 or on the lower banks of the rock-garden. 



P. spectabilis. A native of the Tyrol, 

 growing about 6 inches high, and bearing- 

 umbels of about seven or eight rosy purple 

 flowers. The leaves are smooth and have 

 the margin entire and horny. It is a 

 good rock-garden plant of easy culture. 



Primula clusiana. The variety is a 

 native of the calcareous rocks of the 

 Eastern Alps, the flowers large, rosy 

 crimson with white centre, and borne in 

 large umbels on a stem about 9 inches 

 high. It thrives in chalk-soil. 



In addition to the above, there are 

 known in cultivation : P. ali/ida 

 (Siberia), angustifolia (N. America), 

 apennina (Piedmont), Arctotis (Eur< >j ), 

 assimilis (Europe), auricula, (Europe), 

 BalUsii (Europe), Bernina (Switzer- 

 land), Uflora (Switzerland), ciliata 

 (Europe), columnae (Europe), com- 

 mutata. (Europe), coronata (Tyrol), 

 cottia (Alps), decipiens (Alps), deorum 

 (Bulgaria), digenea (Europe), dinyana 

 (Switzerland), discolor (N. Italy), 

 Dumoulinii (Alps), Facchinii (N. Italy), 

 flagellicaulis (Europe), flcerpkeana (Alps 

 of S. Europe), florilunda (Himalaya), 

 Forbesii (China), Forsteri (Tyrol), yam- 

 beliana (Himalaya), Goebelii (Tyrol), 

 r/randis ( Caucasus), Heerii (Switzerland), 

 heterodonta (China), Jiirsuta (Europe), 

 Huteri (Tyrol), imperalis (Java), 

 juribella (S. Tyrol), Kaufmanniana 

 (Turkestan), Kolbiana (N Italy), 

 minutissima (Himalaya), rnistassinica 

 (N. America), mollis (Himalaya), 

 muretiana (Switzerland), obovata (Vene- 

 tian Alps), Obristii (N. Italy), obtusi- 

 folia (India), cenemis (S. Tyrol and 

 Italian Alps), pedemontana (Piedmont), 

 Peyritsdiii (Tyrol), prolifera (Hima-' 

 laya), pubescens (Europe), pumila 

 (Tyrol), Reidii (Himalaya), rhcetica 

 (Switzerland), Rusbyi (New Mexico), 

 Salisii (Switzerland), Sendtneri (Tyrol), 

 sibirica (Asia and Arctic America), 

 similis (Tyrol), spectabilis (Tyrol), 

 Steinii (Tyrol), Sturii (Styria), suffru- 

 tescens (California), Tyrolensis (Tyrol), 

 variabilis (Europe), venusta (Styria), 

 verticillata (Arabia), vochinensis (Car- 

 inthia). 



PRUNELLA GRANDIFLORA 

 (Self-heal). A handsome and vigorous 



