DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE BEST KINDS 225 



Galax. An attractive little North American ever- 

 green plant, needing a cool spot and moist soil con- 

 sisting of peat and leaf-soil. It belongs to the natural 

 order Diapensiaceae. It has distinct, round leaves, and 

 in July bears small spikes of white flowers on four-inch- 

 high stems ; in early autumn the leaves become finely 

 coloured. It may be increased by division in September. 



Gaultheria See " Shrubs for the Rock Garden." 



Geranium (Crane's Bill) The true Geraniums 

 (natural order Geraniaceae) are widely distributed in 

 temperate countries, and many are natives of Britain. 

 There are innumerable species, some of which are of con- 

 siderable value for the rock garden. They all like a well- 

 drained and light soil ; some of them are almost too 

 vigorous for the small rock garden. G. Endressi, native 

 of the Pyrenees, grows from eighteen inches to two feet 

 high, and bears its rose-pink blossom freely. G. ibericum, 

 found wild in Iberia, about eighteen inches high, has large 

 purplish-blue blossoms. G. armenum, from Armenia, 

 two feet high, has reddish-purple blooms. Among the 

 best of the smaller sorts are argenteum, native of Northern 

 Italy, with silvery leaves and pink-striped flowers ; san- 

 guineum, widely distributed in Europe, deep purplish red, 

 and sanguineum album. All those named bloom in June. 

 They are best increased by seeds sown in spring, or by 

 division of the tufts in September. 



Geum (Avens). The Geums, which belong to the 

 Rose family (Rosaceae), are chiefly valuable as border 

 flowers, though one or two, notably montanum and 



