162 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



on this account it is worth growing. It 

 somewhat resembles A. pulsatilla, but 

 has larger flowers and leaves. Germany. 

 Anemone pulsatilla {Pasque-flower). 

 This fine plant is a true native one, and 

 when it occurs on a bleak chalk down it is 

 freely dotted over the turf. In the garden 

 it forms handsome tufts, and flowers 

 abundantly as a border or rock plant ; 

 it should "be planted in various aspects 

 to secure a longer season of bloom. There 

 are several varieties, including red, lilac, 

 and white kinds, but these are rare. It 

 prefers well- drained and light but deep 

 soil. Flowers in spring, purplish, on 

 stems 5 inches to 12 inches high. Divi- 

 sion or by seeds. 



A. pratensis (Meadow Pasque-flower] is 

 a native of most of the northern parts of 

 Europe, and in some places grows abund- 

 antly in dry meadows, bearing small, 

 drooping flowers of a deep purple colour, 

 the leaves finely cut. Central Germany. 



A. ranunculoides (Yellow Wind/lower). 

 Not unlike the common Wood Anemone 

 in habit, this is distinct in its yellow 

 flowers coming in March and April. It 

 is S. European, and though usually less 

 free on common soils than the Apennine 

 Anemone, it is happy on light, open soil. 

 On limestone soils it is best. It is charm- 

 ing for association with tufts of the Apen- 

 nine or the Greek Windflower. 



A. Robinsoniana (Azure Windflower). 

 A lovely plant ; a large form of 

 the Wood Anemone, or thought to be 

 so. Whatever its origin, it is the most 

 precious of all for its colour, hardiness, 

 and use in all sorts of places. It is a 

 vigorous plant, 6 inches to 10 inches 

 high, with firm leaves, the flowers large 

 and of a lilac-blue colour. The flower- 

 bud is well formed and drooping, the 

 flowers well opened out, always erect, and 

 bearing in the centre a sheaf of yellow 

 stamens. Nothing is more lovely than 

 a patch of this in full bloom on a bright 

 spring day, and it should form carpets 

 on every rock-garden, on the sunny slopes, 

 and also on the northern ones to prolong 

 the bloom. 



A. stellata (Star Windflower). Wiih 

 star-like flowers, ruby, rosy purple, rosy, 

 or whitish, usually having a large white 



eye at the base, contrasting with the 

 delicate colouring of the rest of the petals, 

 and the brown-violet of the stamens and 

 styles of the flower. It is not so vigorous 

 as the Poppy Anemone, and in Britain 

 requires a warm position and a light, 

 sandy, well-drained soil. In the rock- 

 garden, where we may give this a raised and 

 warm place, we may succeed with it, but 

 generally it is not a hardy plant in Britain. 

 Division and seeds. Syn., A. liortensis. 



Anemone sylvestris (Snowdrop Wind- 

 flower). Distinct, with white flowers in 

 spring as large as a crown piece, and beauti- 

 ful buds,form a vigorous tufted plant, 12 to 

 15 inches high. A native of Central Europe, 

 it is at home in Britain, but in some soils 

 fails to flower. It is best in the lower part 

 of the rock-garden or among the shrubs 

 near it. Growing almost anywhere freely, 

 it should not have the choicer places 

 needed for the rarer alpine kinds. Division. 

 A. vernalis (Shaggy Pasque-flower). 

 One of the Pasque-flower division of the 

 Anemones, but very dwarf, the flowers 

 large and shaggy, and covered with 

 brownish silky hairs. A native of 

 Norway, and extreme northern countries, 

 also of very elevated positions on the 

 Alps and Pyrenees, and rarely seen in 

 good condition in our gardens. It should 

 be grown in some select spot on the 

 rock-garden in well-drained and deep soil. 

 The flowers, borne early in spring, are 

 whitish inside. 



The above-named Windflowers are the 

 most beautiful. Some kinds are omitted 

 which, if distinct as species, are too 

 vigorous for our purpose, such as A. 

 rivularis, and A. narcissiflora, and for 

 the rock -gardener the best way is to 

 make good use of the proved kinds. It 

 is only where the aim is a botanical 

 collection that every kind that comes 

 will be sought. 



ANTENNARIA (Caffs-Ear). Small 

 moor or mountain plants, the cultivated 

 kinds of which are all perennial. They 

 are of quite secondary use in the rock- 

 garden. The Mountain Cat's-ears, A. 

 dioica and A. alpina, and varieties 

 minima and tomentosa, are neat-grow- 

 ing dwarf plants, with white downy 



