NEW AND BEAUTIFUL ROCK PLANTS 103 



with marbled leaves. Propagated by bulbs. Ordinary 

 soil. They love moisture. 



GENTIANS. The rich blues of these lovely Alpines are 

 unequalled among rock plants. Acaulis, Bavarica, 

 asclepiadea, lutea, Andre wsii, septemfida and verna are 

 well-known plants, and the first is particularly admired, 

 but it is a somewhat faddy plant, refusing to thrive under 

 good culture in some cases, and yet rioting under com- 

 parative neglect in others. One of the most successful 

 cases that I know is in a Stirlingshire farmhouse garden, 

 where it forms a long border beside a gravel walk, and, 

 left to itself, spreads and blooms freely year after year. 

 There is a white variety, alba. Latifolia is a splendid 

 variety of septemfida, with large, brilliant blue flowers 

 in July. Of the less-known species one of the most 

 beautiful is Przewalskii, a free-blooming, low-growing 

 Chinese plant, with deep blue flowers in 'July. The 

 Alpines like sandy peat, with plenty of moisture, and 

 are the better for an annual top-dressing. They may be 

 divided in spring. 



GERANIUM, GEUM, GYPSOPHILA. See border 

 plants. Gypsophila cerastrioides is a pretty white- 

 flowered species suitable for the rockery, and repens, 

 also white, is another good plant ; there is a pretty pink 

 form of the latter called rosea. Some nurserymen offer 

 repens and its varieties under the name of prostrata. 

 These useful plants thrive in ordinary soil and spread 

 rapidly ; they may be divided in spring. 



HABERLEA RHODOPENSIS. This pretty Ramondia- 

 like plant from the Balkan mountains is becoming fairly 

 well known, and may be commended for shady spots 

 on the rockery. The charming lilac flowers are borne 



