NOTEWORTHY PERENNIALS 



51 



The seed sometimes germinates irregularly but it is usually ad- 

 visable to sow the seed shortly after it is ripe. The plants make little 

 growth during the hot Summer from Spring-sown seed. Large plants 

 may be divided in September. 



It might be advisable fov the amateur gardener to buy plants of 

 the various sorts which, if planted together, will cross to form many 

 hybrids. 



Most Columbines do well in the sun but will stand some shade. 



Arabis — Rock Cress, Wall Cress 



The Rock Cress is a small, white, four-petaled flower and its 

 masses of snowy bloom early in the Spring contrast beautifully with 

 the Rasket of Gold {Alyssum sa.ratile compactum) and the blue False 

 Wall Cress {Aubrie- 

 tia). It blooms very 

 soon after the snow 

 disappears and the 

 flowers are so numer- 

 ous that when a plant 

 is in bloom, no foli- 

 age is visible. The 

 fohage is gray and the 

 plant attains a height 

 of 6 inches. It is of a 

 spreading nature and 

 the stems form a 

 dense mat about a 

 foot across which 

 blooms continuously 

 from very early 

 Spring through May. 

 Arabis alpina is the 

 commonest form 

 grown but A. albida 

 is a better bloomer. 

 Roth have white flow- 

 ers. There is a soft 

 pink sort {A. aubrie- 

 tioides) which some- 



tlmp« vn'infprL'ill^ Arabis or Ruck Cress. Masses of white flowers 



limes WmierKlllS. ^ rockery or border are attractive. 



