234 ROCK GARDENING FOR AMATEURS 



an orange-coloured blot chin the centre ; it blooms through- 

 out many weeks. It is rather a doubtful perennial, but 

 flowers in summer from seeds sown in the rock garden 

 in March, or seeds itself very freely. Poor soil and a 

 sunny spot suit it best. It is native of the European Alps. 

 Our native Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Linaria cymbalaria), 

 with rounded leaves and little lilac-coloured blooms, is 

 very pretty for rock chinks, and will grow anywhere, in 

 sun or in shade. 



Linnaea borealis. A very dainty little plant, native 

 of the Swiss and other European mountains (natural order 

 Caprifoliaceae, to which belong Honeysuckle and Weigela). 

 It has small, rounded, evergreen leaves or creeping stems, 

 and bears in June two pale pink fragrant blooms on 

 each stalk. It loves a moist peaty soil and shade, and is 

 increased by division in late summer. 



Linum (Flax). The Flaxes are generally graceful 

 plants belonging to the natural order Linaceae (which 

 is not far removed from the Pink family), widely dis- 

 tributed in Europe and other temperate countries. Those 

 suitable for the rock garden thrive in a light sandy soil 

 and a sunny position, and are of the easiest cultivation. 

 Linum narbonense, a lovely blue-flowered plant, eighteen 

 inches high, is one of the most attractive of all ; the 

 exquisite blossoms continue to open in succession through- 

 out the summer. L. perenne, a native of Britain, is 

 similar, though not so fine. L. flavum, from South Europe, 

 is a handsome large-flowered yellow Flax, growing about 

 twelve inches high, and blooming in July. L. arboreum, 



