266 HARDY PERENETALS AND 



It has this drawback it is not constant. In some gardens? 

 the markings die out. This, however, need not be, for a rather 

 dry situation and rich soil will produce rosettes of large size and 

 good figuring. Still, there will be fully half of the rosettes 

 entirely green in a large patch; this is more desirable than 

 otherwise. The marked ones have a more starry effect in such 

 a green setting; it is only when all become green that dis- 

 appointment is felt. Sometimes I have noticed rosettes, about 

 the size of a penny-piece, all one colour creamy-white which, 

 when cut from the plant, very much resembled a carnation. 

 Such abnormal forms are of no moment to the botanist, but if 

 nine out of every ten persons who see this plant are interested, 

 not to say pleased with it, it ought not to be entirely neglected. 

 It is most effective in patches 1ft. to 2ft. broad. In propagating 

 it the more finely marked pieces only should be taken. 



Flowering period, May to July. 



Saxlfraga Wallacei* 



Nat. Ord. SAXIFRAGACE^, 



A HARDY perennial hybrid variety, of first-class merit. Its 

 loose and spreading panicles of large pure white flowers are 

 something better than the ordinary run of bloom belonging to 

 this extensive genus ; it is said to be the offspring of species of 

 the mossy section ; but there is certainly a great likeness about 

 its foliage to some of the horny section, such as S. cornutum or 

 S. pentadactylis, or even the handsome S. geranioides. It would, 

 however, be hard to say what it is from ; but in it we have not 

 only a showy but most useful variety (see Fig. 93). It has 

 deservedly grown into great favour, though known to amateurs 

 but for three years. It begins to flower in April, but in May 

 it is in its best form, being covered with a rich mass of bloom 

 from the foliage to the height of a foot. 



The flowers, as before stated, are of a pure white an unusual 

 colour amongst the genus; they are bell-shaped but erect, the 

 ovate petals reverse. Well -grown specimens with me have 

 flowers quite an inch across. The individual blooms last more 

 than a week, and the succession is well maintained during 

 summer. The panicles are leafy, having small entire leaves, and 

 others once and twice-cut. The stems of the present season's 

 growth are stout, semi-transparent, and ruddy ; the leaves are 

 palmate, slender at the bottom, mostly five-fingered, fleshy, and 

 covered with long silky hairs which stand well off; the fine 

 apple-green foliage is shown to great advantage by the ruddy 

 stems. 



This plant may be grown in pots or borders, as edging, or on 

 rockwork, and in any kind of soil ; but to have fine specimens 

 and large flowers it should be planted in calcareous loam, and be 



