154 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



ALYSSUM (Madworfy Rock and 

 alpine plants, numerous in alpine 

 countries, the species much resembling 

 each other, so that only few of the 

 best are worthy of culture for the 

 rock-garden, and these are of the easiest 

 culture in almost any soil, and of rapid 

 increase by cuttings, seed, and some 

 by division. They are usually more 

 fitted for borders and banks than for 

 the select alpine garden. 



Alyssum Alpestre (Alpine A.}. A 

 pretty species, partaking of the brilliant 

 colour and free-flowering properties of the 

 well-knownRock Alyssum, and the neatness 

 of habit and dwarfness of the Spiny or the 

 Mountain, forming neat tufts of hoary leaves, 

 the whole plant being covered with minute, 

 shining, star-like hairs, and, not growing 

 more than 3 inches high. A native of the 

 Pyrenees and Alps, its home with us is in 

 sunny spots on the rock-garden ; the soil to 

 be of poor, rather than of a rich, nature. 

 Flowers in early summer, and is readily 

 increased by seecl or from cuttings. 



The silvery A. (A. argenteum\ a native 

 of Corsica, is closely related to this species, 

 but is taller and more robust, has small 

 flowers, and is not so well worthy of culture. 



A. montanum (Mountain A.}. A 

 distinct species, spreading into compact 

 tufts of glaucous green, 3 inches high, the 

 plants studded with yellow, alpine wall- 

 flower-like blooms, fragrant, flowering in 

 early summer. The beautiful stellate hairs 

 are large enough on this kind to be seen 

 by the naked eye. It is a native of many 

 parts of Europe, on hills and low mountain 

 ranges, chiefly on calcareous soils, and to 

 succeed, it is best to place it on the rock- 

 garden in sandy soil, and, well grown, it 

 will prove a beautiful ornament, especially 

 when it grows into large cushions, on one 

 side perhaps falling over a stone. Readily 

 increased by division, cuttings, or seeds, 

 though it does not often seed freely with 



us. 



A. saxatile (Rock A.). A popular 

 plant, and one of the best of the yellow 

 flowers of spring. Hardy in all parts of 

 these islands, the profusion of its masses 

 of showy yellow bloom, with its freedom 



of growth in any soil, have made it one of 

 the most grown of rock plants. It is best 

 for borders and walls or banks, and also for 

 association with the evergreen Candytufts, 

 and Aubrietia, and on wet ground it is 

 better to plant in raised beds and in poor 

 soil : it perishes in winter in some heavy 

 rich clays. Very easily raised from seed, 

 or by cuttings. Comes from Podolia in 

 Southern Kussia, and flowers with us in 

 April or May. 



There is a somewhat dwarfer variety, 

 distinguished by the name of A. saxatile 

 compactum, but it differs very little from 

 the old plant and forms, differing slightly 

 in colour (citrinum), but these are not 

 so effective as the old plant, 



Alyssum spinosum (Spiny A.). The 

 flowers of this are small and not pretty, but 

 the plant forms a silvery and pretty' little 



Alyssum montanum. 



bush on any kind of soil, that I think it has 

 quite as good a right to be named here as 

 many others valued for their flowers alone. 

 Small plants quickly become Liliputian 

 silvery bushes, 3 to 6 inches high ; when 

 fully exposed, almost as compact as moss. 

 The leaves are covered with small stellate 

 hairs, and form interesting objects under 

 the microscope. On established plants the 

 old branches become transformed into 



