204 ROCK GARDENING FOR AMATEURS 



on the north or east side of the rock or stone, it quickly 

 covers them with its charming leaf tracery. A. laricifolia, 

 from Switzerland, forms a loose tuft of fine foliage, bears 

 small white flowers, and thrives in sandy loam. Arenaria 

 caespitosa provides a perfect carpet of emerald green, 

 having tiny white blooms in summer, while its variety 

 aurea becomes a tuft oi lovely yellow, moss-like leafage. 

 Both these look very beautiful when planted near a 

 rock and have partly covered it. They are of the 

 easiest cultivation in ordinary sandy, loamy soil, and are 

 increased by division or seeds. 



Armeria (Thrift, Sea Pink) The Thrifts belong to 

 the Sea Lavender (Statice) family (Plumbaginaceae) . 

 The best known member is the common Sea Pink (A. 

 vulgaris), which is so abundant in many places on the 

 seacoasts of this country, whilst it is also found on the 

 tops of the Scotch mountains. It is a pretty and useful 

 plant, forming cushions of grass-like leaves, from which 

 are produced the heads of rosy-lilac flowers. In cultiva- 

 tion there are many forms varying from deep rose to pure 

 white. All are useful as edgings for borders, or for groups 

 in the rock garden, where they will flower for many years 

 without attention. The plants may be increased by 

 division in autumn or spring, and it is advisable to do 

 this every two or three years, as old plants do not flower 

 so freely as young divided ones. The most charming of 

 all the Thrifts is Armeria caespitosa, a rose-coloured 

 kind from Spain and Portugal, where it is only found 

 at fairly high elevations. Its flower heads, each nearly 



