6l6 IBERIS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



IBERIS. 



precious as rock-garden, border, and 

 margining plants : 



I. corifolia. A dwarf kind 3 or 4 in. 

 high, and covered with small white 

 blooms early in May. Few alpine plants 

 are more worthy of general culture either 

 in the rock-garden or the mixed border 

 for the front of which it is well suited. 

 Easily propagated by seeds or cuttings, 

 and thriving in any soil. Sicily. 



I. corresefolia is known by its large 

 leaves, its compact heads of large white 

 flowers, by flowering later than other 

 common white kinds, and both the flowers 

 and the corymb are larger than in the 

 other species, coming into beauty about 

 the end of May when the other kinds 

 are fading. It is excellent for the rock- 

 garden, the mixed border, and is well 

 suited for the margins of beds of shrubs. 

 Said to be a hybrid. Increased by cut- 

 tings, not coming true from seed. 



I. gibraltarica, a beautiful plant, larger 

 in all its parts than the other kinds, with 

 flowers of delicate lilac in low close heads, 



Iberis gibraltarica. 



in spring and early summer. Its hardiness 

 is doubtful, and it should, therefore, be 

 planted on sunny spots in the rock-garden 

 or on banks in light soil, and wintered 

 in frames. Increased by cuttings, as it 

 rarely produces seeds in our climate. 

 Spain. 



I. jucunda, distinct, growing about 

 2^ in. high, the leaves small, the flowers, 

 in small clusters, flesh colour, prettily 



veined with rose in early summer. It does 

 not possess the vigour of the other ever- 

 green Iberises, but it is fitted for grouping 

 with dwarf alpine flowers on warm parts 



Iberis jucunda. 



of the rock-garden in well-drained sandy 

 loam. Svn. I. jEthicnema. 



I. petrsea, a pretty alpine species, 3 in. 

 high, with a flat cluster of white flowers, 

 relieved in the centre by a tinge of red, 

 thriving among rock-plants in well-drained 

 spots with plenty of moisture. 



I. semperflorens. A shrubby plant, 

 with dense corymbs of white flowers, 

 and not suited for border culture, though 

 hardy enough to stand our winters when 

 grown at the foot of a south wall or in 

 a very sunny corner of the rock-garden. 

 Under those favourable conditions it 

 forms a pretty evergreen bush in bloom 

 nearly all the year. Mediterranean 

 islands. 



I. sempervirens. The commonest 

 perennial Candytuft, half-shrubby, dwarf, 

 spreading, evergreen, and perfectly hardy, 

 it escapes where many plants are destroyed 

 by cold ; and in April and May its neat 

 tufts of dark green change into masses 

 of snowy white. Where a very dwarf 

 evergreen edging is required for a 

 shrubbery, or for beds of shrubs, it is 

 one of the best plants known, as on 

 any soil it quickly forms spreading 

 masses almost as low as the lawn-grass. 

 It should be exposed to the sun rather 

 than shaded. Readily increased by seeds 

 or cuttings. Its common garden name 

 is /. saxatilis. I. Garrexiana is not 

 sufficiently distinct to be worthy of cul- 

 tivation ; in fact, it and several other 

 Iberises prove, when grown side by side, 



