158 THE WILD GARDEN. 



where if they are not too much overshadowed liy trees and coarse ve<i;e- 

 tation. Such kinds as S. spuriuni, S. puh-helluni, kanitschaticuin, and S. 

 spectabile are among the most ornamentaL Tlie hxst, being a stout 

 herbaceous plant, wouhl be worth associating with such in wild places. 

 Tliere are nearly 100 species of stonecmp in cultivation in Britain. 



Saxifrage, Saxifmga. — A very extensive genus of plants, alran- 

 dantly distributed on mountains in northern countries. For our 

 ])resent purpose they may be broadly thrown into five sections — the 

 mossy section, represented in Britain by S. liypuoides ; the silvery 

 section, represented by S. Aizoon ; the London Pride section, by the 

 Kerry saxifrages ; the Megasea section, by the large cabbage-leaved S. 

 crassifolia ; and the oppositifolia section, distinguished by its rosy-purple 

 flowers. With the exception of the Megasea and oppositifolia sections, 

 which have rosy flowers, most of the saxifrages have white blossoms 

 spotted with red ; a few are yellow, and all are very hardy, and the 

 easiest to grow of all alpine flowers. The mossy, silvery, and purple 

 saxifrages may be naturalised with the greatest ease on bare rocky or 

 miiuntainous grounds, amidst dwarf vegetation ; but, as the places in 

 which this kind of ground occurs are comparatively few, the Megaseas, 

 and the Kerry saxifrages, are probably the most generally useful, as 

 they cfm fight their way amongst coarse grass and other common herbs. 

 There are probably nearl}' 150 species in cultivation in the botanic 

 gardens of England, though in many private gardens they are very 

 little known. 



Houseleek, Sevipewunmi. — Veiy dwarf and succulent plants, 

 with their fleshy leaves arranged in dense rosettes, and mostly with 

 curious but seldom conspicuous flowers, abounding in mountainous 

 regions, and very hard\'. The greater numljer of these grow cpaite 

 as freely as the common Houseleek in any arid soil, and in any position 

 where the vegetation is not taller than themselves, such as on bare 

 sandy banks, gravelly heaps, etc. There are about fifty hardy kinds 

 in cultivation in the gardens in this country. 



Meadow Rue, Tlialidnnn. — Tall and vigorous herbaceous plants, 

 mostly without any beauty of flower when closely examined, but often 

 attbrding a pleasing distant effect when seen in masses, and hence 

 desirable for this mode of gardening, though seldom siiitable for 

 a position in the garden proper. They grow in any soil, and should 

 be placed among rank herbs and coarse vegetation, not in the fore- 

 ground, which might be occupied by more brilliant subjects. There 

 are many kinds not differing much in aspect ; some of the smaller ones 



