128 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS 



(unless one choose the plant purposely for the enjoyment of its bloom) ; 

 dense growth to reduce penetration of weeds to a minimum; evergreen 

 habit and bright green hue, although one may have to sacrifice the hue to 

 secure other good points. In fact, the writer does not know any single 

 plant which has all these desirable traits and is therefore still waiting for 

 wisdom. He mentions those he knows : 



Prostrate Juniper. A plant which serves a good purpose for a flat 

 margin or "parking" along interior driveways or board walks to replace 

 floral borders, which require constant attention to be presentable, is the 

 prostrate juniper (Juniperus prostata). It is, however, of rather slow 

 growth, must be planted with pot-grown seedlings of some age and re- 

 quires hoeing to kill weeds and hold moisture while extending its branches, 

 which are of the style of coniferous trees except that it shows but little 

 rising tendency. A small, well-kept area of it is quite handsome. 



Prostrate Ceanothus. This plant is Ceanothus prostrata, and is 

 often called "Mahala mat," or "squaw carpet." It is very plentiful in the 

 middle altitudes of the Sierras, and in the Coast ranges, often forming mats 

 or carpets of deep green of considerable extent in quite dry places. It is 

 evergreen and might well replace lawns in the mountains. How far it 

 tolerates other situations we do not know. It roots from creeping stems, 

 but there has been some trouble in making it grow from rooted stems. It 

 is, however, easily propagated from the seed, but this seed will probably 

 have to be obtained from local collectors, as it does not seem to be listed 

 by seedsmen, so far as we have seen, 



Mesembryanthemums. This succulent, called aequilaterale from its 

 fleshy leaves with three equal sides, which one is apt to find installed here 

 and there on the California beaches, wherever it can find a nook out of 

 the sand-blow and the brine, is serving a very wide purpose as a ground- 

 cover. It is very drouth-resistant, and grows easily from long stem-cut- 

 tings even carelessly covered with soil, at distances of a couple of feet each 

 way, over the ground to be covered. It grows very flat and its sessile 

 blossoms have no stems to become ugly. Its color is a dark green. Another 

 species, roseum, is grayish-green, with much smaller foliage, also succulent, 

 and is popular for covering rocks, etc. In large area it is inferior to the 

 first-named species, as it grows more densely but presents a humpy, irregu- 

 lar surface. 



Wild Strawberries. The native beach-strawberry (Fragaria chilen- 

 sis) is a very popular ground-cover; looks well on terraces above rough 

 stone walls, and is also used on large open spaces. It roots runners readily 

 and soon fills spaces between plants set a couple of feet apart. It has large, 

 dark green foliage and white blossoms. Another species is of smaller 

 growth, lighter green, yellow flowers and prominent bright red fruits, 

 which are very beautiful but as inedible as basswood and therefore do not 



