VARIETIES OF THE HEATHER 



THERE are quite a number of different varieties 

 of the Heather cultivated in gardens, and when 

 planted in suitable spots they provide in their 

 season, in the beauty of their blossoming, a source of 

 infinite delight. Beds may be so placed that they re- 

 main very beautiful for a long period. In the fore- 

 ground of collections of large-growing Ericaceous 

 plants, the Heather finds an ideal spot. The vigor- 

 ous growing kinds furnish an added charm to wood- 

 land scenery, and all of them, the smaller growing 

 forms especially, make excellent rockwork plants. 



The variety alba, or common "White Heather," is 

 a counterpart of the type, except in color. Another 

 white variety is named Tenuis alba; it flowers early, 

 and forms a freely-branched, slender specimen. Other 

 kinds that bear white blossoms are : Searlei, which 

 flowers till late in the season ; this is a strong grow- 

 ing variety. Rigida alba has a spreading style of 

 growth, and its spikes of flowers are unusually large. 

 Pilosa, or pubescens, produces very fine spikes of blos- 

 soms, a marked feature of the variety being the pubes- 

 cent character of the foliage. Pumila alba is a low- 

 growing white variety, smaller than any of the fore- 

 going. 



A very pretty white variety is C. vulgaris alba 

 var. Hammondii, of which a photograph is given here- 

 with. 



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