2io ROGK GARDENING FOR AMATEURS 



little plant belonging to the Purslane family (Portulaceae) , 

 growing some six inches high, and bearing small blooms 

 of brilliant magenta-crimson. It is a striking little flower, 

 though only in bright weather does it deign to remain 

 open for any length of time. The best plan is to treat 

 it as a biennial, sowing the seeds in September of each 

 year to produce flowering plants the following summer, 

 or as an annual, sowing seeds in February for flowers 

 the same year. A light soil and a dry, sunny spot suit 

 it best, and there it may be expected to live for several 

 years. 



Calceolaria (Slipperwort). It is not generally known 

 that there are several hardy Calceolarias of considerable 

 beauty suitable for the rockery. They belong to the 

 natural order Scrophularineae, and closely resemble in 

 many ways their sister-flowers, the bedding Calceolarias, 

 though they are herbaceous, like the large-flowered 

 Calceolarias. Of the hardy species the following, flowering 

 in summer, are the best. Loam, leaf -soil or peat, and 

 sand in about equal proportions, suit them. 



Calceolaria plantaginea, native of Chili, is a handsome 

 plant, with broad, wrinkled leaves, and yellow flowers. 

 It is about six inches high, and likes a rather dry soil. 

 C. polyrhiza is the hardiest, and is good on dry soil or 

 in boggy ground. It is about six inches high, and has 

 curiously formed yellow flowers. C. Golden Glory is an 

 attractive kind, of garden origin, and one of the best 

 for the rock garden. It has golden-yellow flowers; its 

 height is six to nine inches. C. kellyana, with spotted 



